So you want to become a certified Pharm Tech?

Pharmacy technician certification is crucial to any pharmacy technician in the US who is looking forward to landing more job opportunities over the coming years.

As such, you should think of earning pharmacy certification in order to verify your credentials as an outstanding pharmacy technician, and most importantly improve your odds of landing a well paying-job in the future. This article will walk you through nearly everything that you need to know regarding pharmacy technician certification, and hence it is a great read for you particularly if you are aspiring to become a top-notch pharmacy technician in the USA.

Why do I have to earn pharmacy technician certification?

This is definitely the most asked question regarding pharmacy technician certification. As already mentioned, earning your pharmacy technician certification will increase your chances of landing better opportunities. Again, it will increase your odds of getting a salary increment if you are already working as a pharmacy technician anywhere in the country.

Earning your certification is arguably the best way you can prove your clinical knowledge and demonstrate your commitment to the field. Moreover, earning pharmacy technician certification will increase your opportunities for advancement in your career. It is imperative to note that pharmacy technicians who have earned their pharmacy technician certification are considered to be in high demand as opposed to their counterparts who haven’t earned certification at all.

With the 2014 statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showing that the average salary of a pharmacy technician is set to rise over the coming years, nothing can place you well on the path to being highly on demand than earning your pharmacy technician certification. In addition, earning your certification is definitely the best thing you can do in order to nudge out the competition as well as improve your chances of securing a job with some of the leading and well-paying employers in the industry.

What are some of the pharmacy technician certification requirements?

This is yet another frequently asked question regarding pharmacy technician certification. Although the requirements basically vary from one state to the other, there are however some basic requirements that you must meet in order to earn your pharmacy technician certification. Again, for one to earn pharmacy technician certification, they must be certified with their state’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.

Here are some of the common Pharmacy Technician Certification requirements that you need to meet prior to earning your certification.

  • Pass the pharmacy technician examination –the examination is administered by the PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board)
  • Be a member of a registered pharmacy technician body in their state
  • Some states require past experience working as a pharmacy technician
  • Have completed a pharmacy technician training program that is accredited by American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
  • Have graduated from an accredited-pharmacy school
  • Provide credentials detailing their skills and experience needed to practice as a pharmacy technician

As previously mentioned, pharmacy technician certification requirements vary from state to state. In other words, some requirements may only apply in some states, while they may not necessary apply in other states. Therefore, research online to find out the exact requirements for earning pharmacy certification in your state of residence.

Factors to consider when choosing a pharmacy technician certification program

Although there are many pharmacy schools in the USA that offer pharmacy technician certification programs , some of them may not offer the right programs that meet your certification needs. As such, you need to be sure that the program you are choosing is tailored at meeting your needs. Below are some of the factors that you need to consider when choosing a pharmacy certification program.

  • The duration of the program- some programs take a longer time to complete than others, and hence you should choose a program depending on the time that you have at your disposal.
  • Cost-the cost of a pharmacy technician certification program is also another incredibly important factor to consider when choosing a pharmacy technician certification program. If possible, pick a program based on the money that you can afford to spend on a program. However, don’t go for cheap programs in the name of saving money, thanks to the fact that such programs are of poor quality and have nothing substantial to offer as far as earning pharmacy technician certification is concerned
  • The school offering the program- It is important to choose a program that is being offered by a recognized pharmacy institution. Make sure the school offering the program is registered with your state’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.

How to pass your pharmacy technician certification exam

Considering that passing the pharmacy technician certification exam is arguably the most important requirement that you need to meet in order to earn your pharmacy technician certification, then you should do what it takes to pass your exam if you are really serious about earning your pharmacy technician certification. The good news is that passing your exam isn’t that difficult. Here are a couple of tips for passing your exam that are worth your read.

  • Prepare ahead of time- start preparing for your exam weeks before you sit for it. The more you prepare for your exam, the better your chances of passing. As such, go through past exam questions to get an idea of some of the questions you are likely to be answered during the exam
  • Get the right material-to pass your exam and become a certified pharmacy technician, make sure you are using the right material. If you aren’t sure whether you are using the right material, get recommendation from a pharmacy lecturer or someone who have passed this exam before.
  • Do some online exam-there are plenty of sites on the web that offer pharmacy technician certification tests. Visit these sites and do as many online exams as possible. By doing that, you will not only be preparing yourself but you will also get confidence to do your certification exam as well.

Now that you are well-versed with virtually everything that you need to know about pharmacy technician certification, you are one step closer to becoming a certified pharmacy technician.