Pharmacy Tech School
How to Select the Right One Near Menomonee Falls Wisconsin

Now that you have decided to earn your pharmacy tech degree or certificate near Menomonee Falls WI, you may be thinking about how to select the best college to get your education and training. But just how do you go about evaluating and comparing schools so that you ultimately pick the best one? When checking out pharmacy technician schools, many potential students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are closest to their homes with the lowest tuition. While tuition and location are significant concerns when choosing a college, they are not the only ones. Qualifiers including accreditation and reputation must be taken into account also. You might also choose to look into some accredited pharmacy tech online programs as an option to attending classes on campus. We will cover these qualifiers and some others that you will need to include when reviewing pharmacy technician schools. But to begin with, let's discuss what a pharmacy technician does, the diploma and degree options available, and the advantages of online courses.

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Pharmacy Tech Job Responsibilities

Pharmacy technicians have multiple job duties, but their principal duty is to dispense prescription medicines. Since they are not licensed, when dispensing prescriptions they must perform under the supervision of a licensed Menomonee Falls WI pharmacist. They must also have good customer service abilities because they will be working directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be precise when filling prescription medications per the pharmacist's directions. And they must have an in-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical terminology in order that they may help customers with understanding directions for their prescriptions in addition to other pharmaceutical information and literature. However, under no situation should they ever give medical advice pertaining to prescriptions or anything else. All such questions would be handled by the pharmacist. Several of the common daily functions a pharmacy tech might perform are:

• Welcome and help customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Fill prescription medicines under pharmacist direction
• Enter customer and prescription data into pharmacy computer system
• Call customers when their prescriptions are prepared for pick-up
• Fill out and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Re-supply shelves and monitor and control inventory

As a consequence of their job, pharmacy techs will spend the majority 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 a very satisfying career helping people with their health and wellness.

Pharmacy Technician Certificates and Degrees

Individuals desiring to enroll in a pharmacy technician college are qualified provided that they have a high school diploma or a GED. There are basically 2 options to training to be a tech whether you enroll in a community college or a vocational school. The first is to earn a diploma or a certificate, which normally can be finished in a year or less. These programs offer an overview to the various elements of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and usually include classroom and lab training. Numerous programs also require an internship at an accepted Menomonee Falls WI pharmacy or other facility. The second alternative is the Associate Degree program which generally involves about 2 years of studies. Although not required for most entry level positions, it does offer a more comprehensive education and opens doors to more advanced positions or education in the future. Either program should furnish the necessary amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination should the graduate decide to get certified.

Pharmacy Tech Certifications Available

It is not required to earn certification in all states, but many graduates of pharmacy technician colleges elect to get certified so as to be more qualified when seeking employment. Additionally, many Menomonee Falls WI pharmacies 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 at least one year of work experience. The PTCB just requires that the candidate has a high school diploma and passes their examination. Recertification is required every 2 years by each program, which may be met by completing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Technician Schools Online

Prior to choosing a pharmacy tech online program, it's necessary to understand that the majority of programs do require a portion of the training be conducted in a clinical setting. This is usually fulfilled in an area Menomonee Falls pharmacy or health center by means of an internship program. Students in most cases will have the opportunity to work under an experienced pharmacy technician so as to receive some real world experience. However the non-clinical portion of the training can be taken over the internet in your Menomonee Falls WI home or via any available computer. This alternative is more convenient for many students, especially for those who continue to work while attaining their degree or certificate. And online programs are sometimes less expensive than classroom options. Tuition and costs for commuting and course materials may be decreased 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 employment and certification (more on accreditation later). So verify that any online program you are looking at is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are disciplined enough to learn with a less supervised form of education, then online training may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges

After you have decided whether you would like to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online college or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school alternatives. There are many pharmacy technician colleges to select from in the Menomonee Falls WI area and throughout the USA, so you must create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Menomonee Falls 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 a number of other factors that you should take into consideration in order to effectively compare schools. The questions below will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.

Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Many pharmacy technician colleges and vocational schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to offer a complete quality education. Online colleges may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with distance or online learning. Be sure to check that the certificate or degree program in addition to the college you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it might assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And many Menomonee Falls WI employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.

Does the School Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but numerous employers desire that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacist technician school needs to ready its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of professional experience. This requirement may be fulfilled by participating in a school sponsored internship program.

Does the College Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously discussed, the NHA requires 1 year of job experience for certification, which may be met by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate 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 Menomonee Falls WI area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.

Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Getting that initial position in Menomonee Falls WI after graduation, especially with no prior experience, can be a daunting endeavor without any help. Ask if the schools you are reviewing have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the field generating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of employer contacts where it can refer graduates.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Menomonee Falls WI residence. Students who have chosen to attend online classes obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of student that prefers to sit far in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a smaller class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to verify that the pharmacist technician school you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you opt to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Menomonee Falls WI area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the protocol is for making up any classes that you may miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Find Out More on How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Menomonee Falls

Enroll in the Best Menomonee Falls Pharmacy Tech School

Getting the right pharmacy technician training is a crucial first step to beginning your career in a gratifying profession where helping people with their wellness is your mission. Traditionally, most pharmacy techs were trained "on the job". These days, the majority of pharmacists can no longer afford to do this and much prefer to hire formally educated technicians. Training is furnished by technical colleges, vocational and trade schools, as well as community colleges. The majority of pharmacy tech schools include both classroom and clinical work. As we have addressed in this article, it's necessary to select a college that is accredited and will prepare you for certification. This holds true both for classes online and for those attended on campus. If you follow our additional tips you will be able to compare colleges so that you are certain to make the right selection. With the appropriate education and dedication you can achieve your goal to become a pharmacy technician in Menomonee Falls Wisconsin.

 

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