Pharmacy Tech Certificate Program
How to Pick the Best One Near La Crosse Wisconsin

Having decided to attain your pharmacy technician certificate or degree near La Crosse WI, you might be wondering how to choose the right college to receive your education and training. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating schools so that you subsequently enroll in the best one? Many prospective students begin by looking for schools that are within commuting distance of their home, and then comparing the tuitions. While tuition and location are significant factors when deciding on a college, they are not the only ones. Qualifiers including accreditation and reputation must be taken into account also. You might also decide to look into several accredited online pharmacy tech programs as an option to attending classes on campus. We will go over these qualifiers and others that you will need to include when reviewing pharmacy technician schools. But to begin with, let's discuss what a pharmacy tech does, the diploma and degree options available, and the benefits of online courses.

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Pharmacy Technician Job Duties

Pharmacy technicians have numerous job duties, but their main responsibility is to dispense prescription medications. Because they are not licensed, when filling prescriptions they must operate under the supervision of a licensed La Crosse WI pharmacist. They must also have excellent customer service abilities since they will be interacting directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be accurate when preparing prescription drugs per the pharmacist's instructions. And they must have a comprehensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terms so that they may assist customers with understanding instructions for their prescriptions in addition to other pharmaceutical information and literature. On the other hand, under no circumstance should they ever provide medical advice pertaining to prescriptions or anything else. All such questions would be directed to the pharmacist. Some of the regular daily functions a pharmacy technician may perform are:

• Receive and assist customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Dispense prescription medicines under pharmacist direction
• Add customer and prescription information into pharmacy computer system
• Call customers when their medications are ready for pick-up
• Fill out and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Stock shelves and monitor and manage inventory

As a consequence of their profession, pharmacy techs will spend most of their working day on their feet. And working evenings and weekends is also typical, particularly for newer techs with low seniority. But the payoff for occasional tired and aching feet or at times having to work off-hours is an extremely rewarding career assisting people with their health and wellness.

Pharmacy Tech Degrees and Diplomas

Individuals wishing to enroll in a pharmacy technician program are qualified provided that they have a high school diploma or a GED. There are generally 2 options to becoming a technician regardless if you enroll in a community college or a trade school. The first is to earn a certificate or a diploma, which typically can be completed in a year or less. These programs offer an overview to the various facets of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and usually include classroom and lab training. A number of programs also require an internship at an approved La Crosse WI pharmacy or other facility. The second option is the Associate Degree program which usually involves about two years of studies. Although not required for most entry level positions, it does furnish a more comprehensive education and opens doors to more advanced positions or education in the future. Either program can provide the proper amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam should the graduate choose to become certified.

Pharmacy Tech Certification Choices

Certification is not required in every state, but a large number of graduates of pharmacy tech schools opt to get certified in order to be more competitive when seeking employment. Also, many La Crosse WI employers will only hire a tech that has earned certification. There are two organizations that provide certification:

• National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).

The NHA requires that the applicant be at least 18 years old, be a high school graduate, has completed a training program, and has one or more years of professional experience. The PTCB only requires that the candidate has graduated high school and passes their exam. Recertification is required every 2 years by each program, which can be met by completing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Technician Programs Online

Prior to choosing a pharmacist tech online school, it's important to realize that the majority of schools do require a portion of the training be carried out in a clinical environment. This is commonly satisfied in a local La Crosse pharmacy or hospital by means of an internship program. Students in most cases will have the opportunity to work under an experienced pharmacy tech so as to acquire some real world experience. However the non-clinical portion of the training may be accessed over the internet in your La Crosse WI home or via any available computer. This alternative is more accommodating for many students, especially for those who continue to work while attaining their certificate or degree. And online programs are frequently less expensive than classroom options. Tuition and costs for commuting and course materials may be reduced substantially. With both the online and the clinical training, a complete education is offered. But not all online programs are accredited, which is important for securing certification and employment (more on accreditation later). So confirm that any online college you are reviewing is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency, for instance the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are dedicated enough to study with a less formal type of education, then online classes may be the best solution for you.

Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs

After you have determined whether you want to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school alternatives. There are many pharmacist tech schools to pick from in the La Crosse WI area and throughout the Country, so you should create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and trade schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will undoubtedly initially look for schools that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your La Crosse residence. If you are willing to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be significant. But there are several other issues that you must take into consideration in order to effectively compare schools. The following questions will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your final selection.

Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech programs and vocational schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to offer a comprehensive quality education. Online schools may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance learning. Be sure to confirm that the certificate or degree program together with the school you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping make sure that you get a quality education, it may help in acquiring financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might mandate that the training program is accredited. And a number of La Crosse WI employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.

Does the College Prep You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but many pharmacies desire that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacy technician college should ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of professional experience. This qualification may be met by entering a school sponsored internship program.

Does the School Provide Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates a year of professional experience for certification, which can be fulfilled through an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the colleges have associations with La Crosse WI area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.

Does the College Provide Job Placement Assistance? Finding that initial position in La Crosse WI upon graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a challenging task without any help. Find out if the colleges you are researching have job placement programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the school has an excellent reputation within the field creating appeal for its graduates. It also signifies that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduating students.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the school they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their La Crosse WI home. Individuals who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of area internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of student that likes to sit way in the rear of class or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a smaller class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the pharmacy technician program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the La Crosse WI area, check that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Learn More about Becoming a Pharmacy Tech in La Crosse

Choose the Right La Crosse Pharmacy Tech School

Getting the right pharmacy technician training is an important first step to starting your career in a fulfilling occupation where assisting customers with their health is your purpose. Traditionally, many pharmacy techs were taught "on the job". These days, the majority of employers can no longer afford to do this and place a higher importance on hiring formally trained technicians. Training is provided by vocational and trade schools, technical colleges as well as community colleges. Many pharmacy tech schools incorporate both clinical and classroom training. As we have covered in this article, it's essential to enroll in a college that is accredited and will prepare you for certification. This holds true both for online classes and for those attended on campus. If you follow our additional suggestions you will be able to evaluate colleges so that you are certain to make the ideal selection. With the appropriate education and dedication you can realize your goal to become a pharmacy technician in La Crosse Wisconsin.

 

La Crosse Pharmacy Tech Certificate | La Crosse Pharmacy Technician Schools