After the ASHP/ACPE standards update earlier this year, MedCerts worked with its pharmacy partners including Henry Ford Health System and Kroger to enhance the MedCerts training program for entry-level technicians. In response to the standards updates, as well as new USP 797 standards, portions of MedCerts Pharmacy Technician program have been removed, condensed, or are delivered in a more efficient way – resulting in a program of 24 weeks compared to the previous 36-week version.
“As a pioneer and leader in allied health career training, it’s very important for us to stay connected to the true needs of the employers,” said Dana Janssen, Chief Product Officer at MedCerts. “Our end goal is to prepare students for long-term careers in healthcare by providing the most engaging, in-depth and relevant training in the country. Proactive measures like this ensure our programs are always in alignment with what employers expect out of job-ready candidates.”
MedCerts newly enhanced program now features expanded customer service training, which has been identified by employers as the most in-demand “soft skills” for technicians. Additionally, enhancements to the instruction design and aesthetics of the program provide an elevated learning experience that allows students to move through their training with more freedom. With employers requiring certification for most technician jobs, MedCerts has embedded exam preparation activities throughout the program, to ensure students fully comprehend the materials of each specific knowledge domains represented on the PCTE examination. MedCerts has a list of national partners, including CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons, to host students for their clinical externships, an ASHP/ACEP requirement.
“The MedCerts Pharmacy Technician Professional program really gives students the best chance at a successful career in the industry,” said Jason Priest, MedCerts Pharmacy Externship Coordinator and Executive Board Member with Michigan Society of Pharmacy Technicians (MSPT) through Michigan Pharmacists Association (MPA). “As someone that is still active in a pharmacy, I’ve seen first hand how important it is that standards and training continue to evolve to meet the needs of current and future students and employers.”
Pharmacies interested in filling technician vacancies using the new ASHP/ACPE accreditation program can become an externship host, purchase the training for their new hires, or license content to build their own program. MedCerts Pharmacy Technician courses and materials are built on the M.David Merrill’s principles of Instructional Design and use a combination of MedCerts 12 Elements of eLearning.
About MedCerts:
MedCerts is a national online career training school pioneering the way students learn and employers hire. Focused on direct to consumer certifications in the healthcare and IT fields, the eLearning school helps students gain the skills and knowledge necessary to excel in new careers and deliver employers the right candidates to fit their organization. MedCerts delivers certification and career training through HD-quality video-based instruction, virtual simulations, games and animations, and on-the-job training through Experiential Learning Solutions. Since 2009, the company has trained over 19,000 students in over 35 career programs and over 800 organizations are using or hiring these students. For more information, visit: www.medcerts.com
