Pharmacy Tech Training Program
How to Select the Right One Near Waunakee Wisconsin

Having decided to attain your pharmacy technician certificate or degree near Waunakee WI, you may be thinking about just how to pick the best college to receive your education and training. But just how do you go about comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately pick the best one? When checking out pharmacy technician programs, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes with the lowest tuition. While tuition and location are important factors when deciding on a college, they are not the sole ones. Qualifiers including reputation and accreditation must be taken into account as well. You might also want to research several accredited pharmacy tech online programs as an option to attending classes on campus. We will address these qualifications and some others that you will want to include when comparing pharmacy technician schools. But first, let's discuss what a pharmacy technician does, the certificate and degree options available, and the benefits of online courses.

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Pharmacy Tech Job Description

Pharmacy techs have multiple job functions, but their principal responsibility is to dispense prescription medicines. Since they are not licensed, when filling prescriptions they must operate under the supervision of a licensed Waunakee WI pharmacist. They must also have good customer service skills because they will be dealing directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be absolute when filling prescription medications per the pharmacist's directions. And they need to have a comprehensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terminology so that they may help customers with understanding directions for their prescriptions in addition to other pharmaceutical literature and information. On the other hand, under no circumstance should they ever give medical advice relating to medications or anything else. All such questions should be directed to the pharmacist. Several of the typical daily services a pharmacy tech may perform are:

• Greet and assist customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Fill prescription medications under pharmacist direction
• Enter customer and prescription data into pharmacy computer system
• Contact customers when their medications are prepared for pick-up
• Complete and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Re-supply shelves and audit and manage inventory

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

Pharmacy Technician Degrees

Students wishing to enroll in a pharmacy technician program are qualified provided that they have a high school diploma or equivalent. There are generally two alternatives to becoming a tech regardless if you enroll in a community college or a trade school. The first is to attain a certificate or a diploma, which typically can be accomplished in a year or less. These programs provide an overview to the various aspects of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and generally include lab and classroom training. A number of programs also include an internship at an approved Waunakee WI pharmacy or similar facility. The second alternative is the Associate Degree program which generally involves about two years of studies. Although not required for most entry level positions, it does provide a more in depth education and opens doors to more advanced positions or education in the future. Each program can provide the necessary amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam should the graduate decide to become certified.

Pharmacy Technician Certifications Offered

It is not required to earn certification in all states, but many graduates of pharmacy technician schools elect to get certified so as to be more qualified in the job market. Additionally, many Waunakee WI employers will only hire a tech that has earned certification. There are 2 organizations that offer certification:

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

The NHA requirements are that the candidate be 18 years or older, has graduated from high school, has finished a training program, and has at least one year of work experience. The PTCB only requires that the applicant has graduated high school and passes their examination. Recertification is mandated every 2 years by each program, which can be fulfilled by performing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Technician Online Classes

Before choosing a pharmacist technician online college, it's necessary to realize that most schools do require that a substantial part of the training be carried out in a clinical environment. This is usually fulfilled in a local Waunakee pharmacy or health center through an internship program. Students in most cases will have the benefit of working under a seasoned pharmacy technician so as to acquire some real world experience. Fortunately the non-clinical portion of the training may be taken online in your Waunakee WI home or via any available computer. This alternative is more practical for many students, particularly for those who keep working while acquiring their degree or certificate. And online schools are sometimes more affordable than classroom options. Tuition and costs for commuting and study materials may be reduced significantly. With both the clinical and the online training, a comprehensive education is offered. But not all online programs are accredited, which is important for obtaining certification and employment (more on accreditation later). So verify that any online college you are looking at is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting agency, for instance the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are dedicated enough to study with a less supervised form of education, then online training might be the right solution for you.

What to Ask Pharmacy Tech Schools

Once you have decided whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online program or attend classes on campus, you can start to narrow your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist technician schools to select from in the Waunakee WI area and throughout the United States, so you should create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare colleges and technical schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your Waunakee residence. If you are willing to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be significant. But there are a number of other issues that you should consider in order to adequately compare colleges. The questions below will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your final selection.

Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacist tech colleges and trade schools have obtained a regional or national accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to furnish a complete superior education. Online schools may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with distance or online learning. Be sure to check that the degree or certificate program together with the school you select are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting organization. Besides helping ensure that you receive a quality education, it might assist in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are often not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Waunakee WI pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.

Does the College Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but a number of pharmacies desire that the technicians they employ are certified. The pharmacist tech school needs to prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA examination. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of job experience. This qualification may be satisfied by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.

Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA mandates a year of professional experience for certification, which may be fulfilled by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Find out if the colleges have associations with Waunakee WI area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.

Does the College Offer Job Placement Help? Getting that initial position in Waunakee WI upon graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a difficult task without some support. Find out if the schools you are reviewing have job assistance programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the school has an excellent reputation within the field creating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a sizable network of employer contacts where it can refer graduating students.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the school they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Waunakee WI home. Individuals who have decided to attend classes online obviously 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 decide 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 generally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges frequently charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will probably want a smaller class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are considering what the average student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to confirm that the pharmacist tech school you ultimately choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Waunakee WI area, make certain that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to carry. Also, ask what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family obligations.

Find Out More on How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Waunakee

Choose the Best Waunakee Pharmacy Tech School

Finding the right pharmacy technician training is a critical first step to launching your career in a fulfilling profession where assisting customers with their health is your objective. Traditionally, many pharmacist techs were trained "on the job". Nowadays, most pharmacies can no longer operate this way and much prefer to hire formally trained techs. Training is furnished by vocational and trade schools, technical colleges as well as community colleges. Most pharmacy tech schools include both classroom and clinical training. As we have addressed in this article, it's important to enroll in a college that is accredited and will prep you for certification. This applies both for classes online as well as for those attended on campus. If you make use of our additional suggestions you will be able to compare programs so that you are sure to make the best choice. With the proper training and commitment you can realize your goal to become a pharmacy tech in Waunakee Wisconsin.

 

Waunakee Pharmacy Technician Programs | Waunakee Pharmacy Technician Classes