Pharmacy Tech Certificate Program
How to Select the Right One Near Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin

Having made the decision to earn your pharmacy technician certificate or degree near Pleasant Prairie WI, you may be thinking about just how to select the best school to get your education and training. Usually the initial step is to locate schools that offer the degree or certificate that you are interested in. A number of prospective students begin by looking for colleges that are within commuting distance of their residence, and then comparing the tuitions. While cost and location are significant concerns when choosing a college, they are not the sole ones. Job placement and intership programs in addition to accreditation are just as important if not more so as cost and location. You may also choose to take a look at a few accredited pharmacy tech online programs as an alternative to attending classes on campus. We will address these qualifications and others that you will need to include when comparing pharmacy technician schools. But to begin with, let's discuss what a pharmacy tech does, the diploma and degree options available, and the advantages of online programs.

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Pharmacy Tech Job Duties

Pharmacy technicians have numerous job duties, but their primary responsibility is to dispense prescription medicines. Because they are not licensed, when filling prescriptions they must work under the management of a licensed Pleasant Prairie WI pharmacist. They must also have great customer service skills because they will be interacting directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be absolute when preparing prescription drugs per the pharmacist's directions. And they must have an in-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical terms so that they can assist customers with understanding instructions for their prescriptions as well as other pharmaceutical information and literature. However, under no situation should they ever provide medical advice relating to prescriptions or anything else. Any such questions would be directed to the pharmacist. Several of the regular daily duties a pharmacy technician may carry out are:

• Receive and help customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Prepare prescription medications under pharmacist guidance
• Input prescription and customer data into pharmacy computer system
• Phone customers when their medications are prepared for pick-up
• Prepare and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Stock shelves and monitor and control inventory

Due to the nature of their job, pharmacy techs will spend most of their working day on their feet. And working weekends and evenings is also very common, especially for newer technicians with low seniority. But the reward for occasional tired and aching feet or at times having to work off-hours is a very satisfying career assisting customers with their health and well-being.

Pharmacy Technician Certificates and Degrees

Individuals desiring to enroll in a pharmacy technician college are qualified as long as they have a high school diploma or equivalent. There are generally 2 alternatives to becoming a technician regardless if you enroll in a community college or a vocational school. The first is to attain a certificate or a diploma, which normally can be accomplished in a year or less. These programs present an overview to the various facets of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and normally include lab and classroom training. Many programs also include an internship at an accepted Pleasant Prairie WI pharmacy or other facility. The second option is the Associate Degree program which generally requires about two 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. Each program should furnish the proper level of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam should the graduate decide to get certified.

Pharmacy Technician Certifications Offered

Certification is not required in all states, but a large number of graduates of pharmacy technician colleges choose to get certified in order to be more competitive when seeking employment. Additionally, many Pleasant Prairie WI pharmacies will only hire a technician that is certified. 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 only requires that the candidate has graduated high school and passes their examination. Recertification is required every 2 years by both programs, which can be satisfied by completing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Technician Schools Online

Prior to selecting a pharmacy tech online training program, it's necessary to understand that the majority of schools do require that a substantial part of the training be carried out in a clinical environment. This is typically satisfied in an area Pleasant Prairie pharmacy or health center through an internship program. Students often will have the opportunity to work under an experienced pharmacy technician in order to acquire some work place experience. Fortunately the non-clinical portion of the training can be accessed online in your Pleasant Prairie WI home or via any available computer. This alternative is more practical for most students, notably for those who continue to work while acquiring their degree or certificate. And online programs are often more affordable than classroom options. Tuition and costs for commuting and course materials may be reduced significantly. With both the clinical and the online training, a comprehensive education is offered. But not all online schools are accredited, which is essential for securing certification and employment (more on accreditation later). So verify that any online college you are considering 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 formal type of education, then online classes may be the right choice for you.

Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Schools

After you have determined whether you wish to earn a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online program or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school options. There are a large number of pharmacy technician schools to choose from in the Pleasant Prairie WI area and throughout the United States, so you must create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and technical schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will undoubtedly initially look for colleges that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your Pleasant Prairie residence. If you are willing to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be significant. But there are many other issues that you must take into consideration so that you may adequately compare colleges. The following questions will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.

Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Most pharmacist tech colleges and trade schools have earned a regional or national accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to offer a comprehensive superior education. Online colleges may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance education. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program as well as the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Along with helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it might help in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Pleasant Prairie WI employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.

Does the School Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but many employers desire that the technicians they employ be certified. The pharmacist technician program should prepare its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of professional experience. This qualification may be fulfilled by entering a college sponsored internship program.

Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we just discussed, the NHA requires a year of job experience for certification, which may be satisfied by means of an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with Pleasant Prairie WI area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.

Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Getting that first job in Pleasant Prairie WI upon graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a daunting undertaking without any help. Find out if the schools you are researching have job assistance programs. If they do, ask what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has an excellent reputation within the field generating demand for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of employer relationships where it can place graduating students.

Where is the School Located? For a lot of students, the college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their Pleasant Prairie WI residence. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you choose to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually 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.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the sort of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with a few of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program also.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacy tech school you finally pick can furnish the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you choose to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Pleasant Prairie WI area, check that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an option and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family emergencies.

Find Out More on How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Pleasant Prairie

Choose the Best Pleasant Prairie Pharmacy Tech Program

Receiving the right pharmacy technician training is a crucial first step to beginning your career in a fulfilling profession where assisting people with their wellness is your objective. Traditionally, many pharmacist technicians were trained "on the job". These days, most employers can no longer operate this way and much prefer to hire formally trained techs. Training is provided by technical colleges, vocational and trade schools, as well as community colleges. Most pharmacist technician colleges include both classroom and laboratory training. As we have covered in this article, it's necessary to enroll in a college that is accredited and will prep you for certification. This is true both for classes online and for those attended on campus. If you follow our additional suggestions you will be able to evaluate schools so that you are certain to make the ideal selection. With the appropriate training and commitment you can achieve your goal to become a pharmacy technician in Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin.

 

Pleasant Prairie Pharmacy Tech Schools Online | Pleasant Prairie Pharmacy Technician Certificate