Pharmacy Technician Training – How to Get the Best Job Afterward
Anyone with an interest in a rewarding career in the healthcare services field as a Koop generieke medicijnen online technician will need to obtain a considerable amount of education and pharmacy technician training in order to become certified (or registered in the UK).
Certified Pharmacy Technicians have the ability to work in a wide variety of jobs in the field, many more so than simply assisting at the pharmacy counter at a local or chain retail drugstore.
The needed education is very specific though, with students attending specialized courses (unless they have decided to earn their Associates Degree as well, in which case a regular college curriculum is supplemented with courses necessary for obtaining the CPhT).
What Kind of Pharmacy Technician Training is Necessary?
There are numerous types of pharmacy technician programs available which provide education and training for pharmacy techs. They differ greatly, however; 10-week (and other shorter) programs, generally called “certificate” programs – not to be confused with “certification” programs – typically give a general overview of the profession, introduce the student to the basics of becoming a pharmacy tech in a retail setting, and enable students to apply for those types of jobs.
On the other hand, diploma programs generally take 1 year or more, prepare the student to pass the exam to receive their CPhT certification, and are extremely in depth. There are also online studies that sit somewhere in the middle of these, but the main difference with certification courses is that they have a required externship where students learn through hands-on experience.
Generally, study courses found in typical certification programs and Associates’ Degree specialized courses include the following: Human Anatomy, Chemistry, Human Physiology, Pharmacology, Medical/Pharmaceutical Terminology, Pharmacy Administration and Computing, Pharmacy Inventory Control, Dosages and Calculations, Pharmaceutical Law, Medication Preparation, Drug Compounding, Prescription Labeling, Drug Emergencies, Medical/Insurance Billing, and a number of other, specialized topics.
Additionally, any students also earning an Associates’ Degree will be completing the general courses associated with that.
Externships Are a Part of Pharmacy Technician Training
All CPhT and (UK) Registered Pharmacy Tech programs complete with a certain amount of on the job training via an externship. For CPht Courses, they usually require the student to accrue 400 or more hours working under the supervision of a licensed Pharmacist, and usually take place in a retail pharmacy environment.
In the UK and abroad, some of the hands-on requirements are much more extensive, with as much as a year or more of working experience necessary in order for techs to become Registered.
The amount of time, and other specifics, also depends greatly on the level of specialty and job position that the technician wishes to obtain. In general though, it should be assumed that the programs with externships are those that provide the highest qualifications, the best jobs and the most pay.