Becoming a Pharmacy Technician Professional: A Program Itinerary

Do you like a challenge? How about helping people? If the answer is yes, then a career as a pharmacy technician might be perfect for you.

As a pharmacy technician, you will assist the pharmacist with a variety of tasks. Most of the time, pharmacy technicians are behind the counter helping to count pills and fill prescriptions. Additional duties could include answering phones and working the front counter.

Pharmacy technician is an entry-level position in the healthcare and pharmaceutical field. The average starting annual salary is $31,000. Experienced pharmacy technicians can make up to $49,000 annually.

Pharmacy technicians often advance to become pharmacy assistants. The average annual salary for a pharmacy assistant is $50,000.

How Do I Get Certified?

Before you enroll, you will need to meet the minimum requirements. You must be at least 18 years of age and have a high school degree or equivalent. You will also need to have access to the internet, pass a background check and pay for the course.

MedCerts Pharmacy Technician program contains three courses and a pharmacy technician externship:

Customer Service Professional I

• 16 hours or 1 week

• Appreciate why first-rate customer service adds value to every organization

• Learn to deal with complaints and apply the four core skills for high quality service

• Learn to determine what the customer wants and provide confidence in your product

Introduction to Human Anatomy and Medical Terminology

• 96 hours or 6 weeks

• Learn the structure of the 11 body systems

• Learn medical terminology

• Break down medical term components

Pharmacy Technician Principles and Practices

• 128 hours or 8 weeks

• Learn pharmacy laws and medication regulations

• Learn the primary functions of different pharmacy organizations

• Learn the top 200 medications and their purposes

Pharmacy Technician Externship

• 160 hours or 6 weeks

• Maintain pharmacy inventory and understand different replenishment systems

• Demonstrate computer systems and software used for prescription processing

• Demonstrate effective communication and patient empathy

• Learn to perform various tasks around the pharmacy

After completing the three courses, you will take the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Once you pass the exam you will be awarded the CPhT certification and can begin your career in the pharmaceutical field.

It’s important to note that this certification is nationally recognized. However, some states require additional courses and/or testing to become licensed in their state. Make sure to check your state's requirements before enrolling.

Skills Gained

Skills you can expect to gain while completing this program, are:

• Handle prescription requests

• Count, weigh, pour and mix medications accurately

• Properly label and package the medications

• Manage pharmaceutical inventory

• Process insurance claims

• Maintain patient records

Payment Options and Funding

Tuition for MedCerts can be paid for out of pocket, via grant or a scholarship. There are many federal grants and scholarships available for MedCerts programs. You can contact a workforce counselor for more information about grants and scholarships.

MedCerts programs are also approved programs for recipients of the My Career Advancement Account or MyCAA scholarship. This scholarship is for military spouses and often pays the full cost of the MedCerts program.

Your tuition will include:

• All supplies

• Certification exam fee

• Competency assessments

• Student advisors

• Tailored student support

• One-on-one career advisor

Where Do I Start?

Begin by taking the Virtual Advisor Career Quiz on the MedCerts website. This quiz is not required, but it will provide you with a personalized report to help determine what career training is best for you. You can also view the Pharmacy Technician program on MedCerts website or contact one of their expert Education Consultants for more information.