
Pharmacy technicians play a significant role in the healthcare sector, and they are typically supporting pharmacists’ work. They are one of the healthcare staff’s key professional members, and they are also crucial for delivering efficient and reliable healthcare service.
Pharmacy technicians work closely and support the pharmacists and other key healthcare professionals in different healthcare organization structures such as clinics, community pharmacies, and hospitals.
Pharmacy technicians ‘ typical role should be to provide functionality for data entry, Receiving and confirming prescription orders, arrange and fill prescriptions, take care of administrative tasks.
Perform inventory control, help patients during check-out, handle necessary customer support activities counter-essential to work duties, interact with customers, answer questions, and perform Pharmacy technicians’ work duties.
They provide these prescriptions and counter medication to customers or health providers under a pharmacist’s direction. Furthermore, they also assemble prescription medicines to provide medication information.
As per that, Pharmacy technicians have to handle all aspects of the prescription fulfilment process and support the pharmacist with day-to-day activities.
Usually, pharmacy technicians operate at a drugstore, grocery store, hospital, nursing home, or other medical institution behind a pharmacy counter.
Pharmacy technicians are mainly dealing with pharmacists. But they also have to deal with customers and pharmaceutical reps sometimes.
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The Qualified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) is certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE) and has achieved several hundred hours of on-the-job training to deal with multiple pharmaceutical medications, understand pharmacy operations and protocol, and to meet ethical requirements.
Many people love to choose their career path as a pharmacy technician. However, below is the definitive guide to being a pharmacy technician with the pharmacy technicians’ courses relevant details.
How to Become a Pharmacy Technician
Usually, to be a qualified pharmacy technician, anyone should complete a one-year certificate or qualification program at a pharmacy technician school or a two-year associate degree program.
But there are some other ways to be a pharmacy technician without going to the pharmacy technician school. However, the below five steps will explain the formal way to be a qualified pharmacy technician.
Step one: Complete the relevant post-secondary education qualifications.
Qualified Pharmacy technicians who have at least 1-2 years of training are often searched for by most hospitals.
The Accrediting Body for Pharmacy Technician Services is the American Association of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). These ASHP-certified training programs online are available in many technical schools and colleges.
It is possible to complete most certificate programs within a year or less, although associate degree programs usually require two years to complete.
Coursework provides technical and practical instruction in the several essential fields necessary to be a professional Pharmacy Technician. Those key fields are:
- Pharmacology
- Healthcare systems
- Medical terminology
- Physiology
- Pharmaceutical calculations
- Pharmacy law
- Pharmacy ethics
- Anatomy
The curriculum covers crucial areas like pharmacology, healthcare systems, medical terminology, and more, ensuring students are well-prepared for their roles.
Hospitals and healthcare institutions typically seek candidates with 1-2 years of training, highlighting the importance of accredited education. Moreover, to support the comprehensive training of pharmacy technicians, educators can find BLS instructor resources, which are essential for enhancing the educational framework and providing students with a well-rounded learning experience.
Step two: Complete the relevant training to get real industry experience.
During their pharmacy technician schooling, most training programs online encourage students to obtain real industry experience.
Students can also opt to receive on-the-job experience without enrolling in a post-secondary education program. But this factor is based on state laws.
A formal training program at a retail drugstore that has collaborated with the school takes clinical experience.
Completing hands-on training at an approved pharmacy or medical center is another choice.
Step three: Get certified based on the requirement of the state’s certification standards.
Most companies will only hire pharmacy technicians trained by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board /PTCB (The PTCB require applicants to pass an exam) or the National Health career Association (NHA), except in states where certification is unnecessary.
The NHA requires completing at least one year of experience working as a technician or completing a training program.
Step four: Don’t forget to get specialized.
Any pharmacy technicians prefer to work specifically for a retail drugstore chain and may complete specialized training to act as, or in a related capacity, a general pharmacy technician, central pharmacy operations technician, or a community pharmacy technician.
Step five: Maintain your professional certification.
Every job needs updated knowledge to provide a better service. Every two years, pharmacy technicians also need to pass a recertification examination to continue their pharmacy technician career.
But before sitting for the recertification test, they need to finish at least 20 hours of continued education.
How to become a pharmacy technician without going to a pharmacy technician school?
Many medical occupations require post-secondary education. Complete pharmacy technician schooling may be beneficial to be a successful pharmacy technician.
However it is not necessarily mandatory to enter college or a vocational school to become a pharmacy technician.
This job is easier to get started in than many others in health care, helping you achieve a medical career quickly, or providing a stepping stone to another role.
The below explanation provides a detailed guide to becoming a pharmacy technician without going to pharmacy school.
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In certain situations, to become a pharmacy technician, you only need to complete high school and obtain a high school diploma or complete its equivalent.
You will acquire on-the-job training to practice the responsibilities as a pharmacy technician instead of receiving standardized training.
However based on the workplace, these training and learning opportunities may differ.
Nonetheless, having only a high school diploma or a GED equivalent is not necessarily enough.
In some states, you need to be trained as a pharmacy technician and work for certain employers.
To get certified, however, it is not necessarily essential to go through school.
You can review your state’s pharmacy tech standards and requirements to see if you need training and qualifications, check with some employers, too, or consider getting qualifications to put yourself more than other applicants.
The level of dedication and resources is not the same as pursuing a college degree or other graduate education, mainly though you train to be a pharmacy technician.
As mentioned above, a training program with a community college or technical school is not required to be completed. Instead of a pharmacy school, you may take part in a training program.
Many of the significant pharmacy schools provide many technical training programs online.
Furthermore, any states and companies require qualifications or licensing for pharmacy technicians, which is achieved by taking a certification exam.
These are provided by the National Health Career Association and the Pharmacy Technical Certification Board.
Pharmacy Technician Jobs and Salary
It is making this career choice potentially rewarding for those who choose to work in a pharmacy setting because the demand for pharmacy technicians is increasing during the last decades, and it will gain in the future too.
Certain pharmacy techs may advance to supervisory or management roles as they obtain experience. In general, the pharmacy technician can be identified as an n entry-level position.
In 2014, pharmacy technicians’ median annual salary was $29,810, but this was different from one state to another state.
But in 2020, an individual employed in the United States as a pharmacy technician usually earns about USD 73,000 per year.
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These wages range from USD 39,400 to USD 110000. This is the annual gross wage that covers transportation, housing, and other services.
Usually, pharmacy technicians working in department stores and health and personal care stores generate smaller average salaries.
Best 5 Pharmacy Technician Courses Online to Learn
Online pharmacy technician courses have become a great decision to take the first step towards a pharmacy technician, especially these days.
There are many online training programs available to learn pharmacy technicians.
The online programs’ time duration may be different based on some factors such as are course provider and the quality or scope of the course.
Most of these Online training will provide a curriculum focused on expertise and skills advancement through laboratory exercises.
Some special courses cover instruction in sterile compounding, aseptic practice, and more relevant subjects to provide the best training programs online.
Furthermore, below are the best five online pharmacy technician courses to follow:
College Rasmussen
The foundational knowledge about the field and a skills-based curriculum delivered by qualified and experienced instructors is the online Pharmacy Technician program at Rasmussen College.
The time duration of this online course is around nine months. In this program, transfer credits are allowed, and the college provides flexible payment plans that may help students handle the program’s financial commitment.

Hutchinson Community College
In Hutchinson Community College, many classes in the online Pharmacy Technician Degree program are online, with face-to-face practice requirements of only 2, 3, or 4 days, one each during the program’s three semesters.
This is an affordable program with fair tuition rates, even with the potential travel for residence during laboratories.
Students will be prepared to sit on the PTCE (Built as a full-time class in the last semester of the program).
State Fair Community College
The online Skills Certificate in Pharmacy Technician by State Fair Community College is an 18-credit entry-level program.
The program offers a Skills Certificate, a Professional Certificate, and an AAS degree.
This online program supports you to practice, training you to take the PCTB national exam to become a CPhTe.
The CPhT is a credential recognized nationwide and is required in several states.

Sinclair Community College
The online Pharmacy Technician program at Sinclair Community College provides a one-year Technical Certificate Program. It involved 33-34 credit hours.
The curriculum builds knowledge and skills for employability and to pass the PTCE test, intended to train students for mail order, hospital, nursing home, retail, and home health care contexts.

Barton County Community College
The curriculum teaches candidates to sit for national assessments for the PTCE or ICPT. For all online students, payment is a low cost. All online classes can be taken at any time of day.
Barton County Community College’s 29-credit hour, two-semester online Pharmacy Technician Certificate program provides 100 percent online classes and a pharmacy internship scheduled at an approved location convenient to the recipient’s residence.

5 Online Pharmacy Tech Programs with Financial aid
Students of the pharmacy technician program can pay for their online program through financial aid.
Financial aid usually allows students and their families to pay for education.
This financial aid includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and materials, and transportation for college expenses.
There are many forms of financial aid, including work studies and scholarships, and loans.
However, below are the five online pharmacy technician programs that offer financial aid for their students.
Central Louisiana Technical Community College
The pharmacy technician certificate program of the Central Louisiana Technical Community College is well-planned.
Students have to complete two semesters of 29 credit hours of coursework. The time duration of this program is nine months.
Central Louisiana Technical College, accredited by the Council on Occupational Education, provides work-ready services for students seeking to quickly reach the workforce’s technical expertise.
The college offers both state and federal financial aid opportunities and some scholarships for the students.
Some of them are such as the Horatio Alger National Career and Technical Scholarship and Brian Caubarreaux Do It Right Scholarship.

Altierus Career College
The pharmacy technician program of Altierus Career College presents a standardized approach for students who want to enter a pharmacy career rapidly.
Their eight-month curriculum has a versatile structure that encourages students to take classes in a hybrid format through on-campus and online courses three days a week.
For eligible applicants, financial aid is provided, and the Zenith College Grant has a multimillion-dollar pool of funds to be awarded to Altierus students in financial requirements.

North Seattle College
This degree consists of 53 credit hours and has to be finished in 9 months. The pharmacy technician program of North Seattle College builds the students’ careers with passion and good communication skills to enter the pharmacy technician profession.
Students who have completed intro-level math and English courses effectively will enroll in this program to smoothly embark on a pharmacy career.
The American Society of Pharmacists of the Health System (ASHP) and the Washington State Board of Pharmacy accredit this Program.

Degree Training Program Online by HCC
The time duration of the program is comprised of three full-time research semesters.
Many of the classes are available in a completely online environment, but each semester they are enrolled in the program, students are expected to visit an on-campus lab.
Students are eligible for several institutional scholarships, all available from a single application process to help pay for their degree program.
To address questions about financial aid, financial aid counselors are also eligible.
Lakeshore Technical College
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists accredits the pharmacy technician program in the Lakeshore Technical College.
As a full-time student, the program can be completed in 2 semesters. Students also can complete this part-time program in 3-4 semesters.
In a 16-week internship program, students are expected to work in clinical experiences.
Students in the Lakeshore Technical College pharmacy technician program are eligible for financial aid to pay for their diploma program.

3-Month Pharmacy Technician Programs (less than 3 months)
Three months of pharmacy technician courses are the best solution for anyone looking to be a pharmacy technician within a short period.
There are several kinds of three-month pharmacy technician courses available for affordable price packages.
These may be completed as full-time or part-time students with relevant training, and some of them also provide financial aid for the students.
Below are some of the great courses ( Currently available) that can make you a skillful pharmacy technician in 3 months, and we plan to share details about this kind of upcoming new courses in the future.
3-Month pharmacy technician programs by College Learners
This is a comprehensive three-month pharmacy technician course. But this course is included a one-month externship.
You will train to work in a pharmacy setting, Retails, or supermarket as a pharmacy technician.
You can take the PTCB exam from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, but this is optional. Furthermore, this course is available for affordable price packages.
3-Month pharmacy technician programs by Nurses’ Development Center
This three-month pharmacy technician course includes a one-month externship with real-industry training for the students.
They will be eligible for the National Healthcare Association (NHA), the Pharmacy Technician Certification (CPhT) national examination upon completing this program successfully.
Furthermore, they will be eligible for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam, but this is optional.
3-Month pharmacy technician programs( online) by Western Medical Training Center
This is a unique online pharmacy technician course (3 months). They provide full access to the course, and this is a Self-Paced Program (No Book Included).

As mentioned above, this course is a three-month pharmacy technician course. Still, they provide one year to complete the Program, and students can take the PTCB Exam after the successful completion of the Program.
However, this will be the best solution for many people who love to become pharmacy technicians through online courses.
Best 5 Pharmacy Technician Training Programs
Training programs for pharmacy technicians offer the critical skills required for healthcare professions.
In hospitals and other healthcare settings, drug stores, most pharmacy technician training programs graduates support licensed pharmacists.
The Pharmacy Technician Training Program (PTTP) lets students train to become qualified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board as pharmacy technicians (PTCB).
Usually, most of these programs consist of about 30 credits and require about one year of full-time study.
These training programs online are a precious opportunity for them to be successful pharmacy technicians. However, below are the best 5 Pharmacy Technician Training Programs.
North Dakota State College of Science
North Dakota State College of Science is a public institution, and they offer an associate-level pharmacy technician degree.
Students in this program learn the professional and management skills required in pharmacy-related industries to achieve entry-level jobs.

Skills Certificate in Pharmacy Technician
The pharmacy technician training program at the State Fair Community College is the best solution to get excellent training.
Therefore, State Fair Community College provides the online Pharmacy Technician Skills Certificate.
This qualification offers students without pharmacy experience the expertise and capabilities to train them to take the Pharmacy Technician Certificate Board Examination (PTCE) to obtain the CPhT award.

Casper College
The pharmacy technology curriculum balanced excellent training and classroom teaching at Casper College.
You will build the knowledge and skills to excel in the work, fulfilling the criteria and expectations provided by the pharmacy profession.
These courses include medical terminology, experience training for pharmacy, Pharmacy calculations, and pharmacy rules and ethics.

Central Piedmont Community College
The American Health-System Pharmacists Society accredits this program. You will be trained as a pharmacy technician by the Central Piedmont Pharmacy Technology program.
This program will ensure you support the pharmacist with the duties that a pharmacy technician may legally conduct and practice under the pharmacist’s limits and the job provider.

Vincennes University
The pharmacy technician training program of the Vincennes University e is meant to provide students with the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to work as pharmacy technicians and take responsibility for entry-level management in a pharmacy.
It also outlines that public health and ethical behavior steps are appropriate to preserve and promote the pharmacy service’s integrity.
This training program allows learners to develop the expertise and skills required for retail pharmacy hospitals and pursue entry-level jobs.

Best Five Pharmacy Technician Classes Online Free
Suppose you love to enter the pharmacy technician profession and are still worried about the financial ability to go to pharmacy school or follow a certificate course.
In that case, the free online pharmacy technician courses are the best option for you. Below are the best free online pharmacy technician courses.
Brain Measures Pharmacy Technician Certification Test
This test is focused on online certification testing and offers free services to pharmacy technicians; students who sign up for the exam get a free e-book covering the subjects they will be checked.
The exam is free, but it is necessary to pay for the certificate.
Alison Diploma in Pharmacy Technician
This course on working as a pharmacy technician is provided through this online learning site.
The course can be done in around eight to 10 hours and consists of 14 modules and a final examination.
It addresses subjects such as community and institutional pharmacy, medication forms, and pharmacotherapy of various kinds.
Remember that this course is already free, but to obtain a diploma, students should pay.

Alison Introduction to Pharmacy Practice
As with all Alison classes, the course is free, but you need to pay for a certificate of completion if you want one.
This one-to-two-hour course includes the fundamentals of becoming a pharmacy technician in three courses, including pharmacy laws, administering medication, and drug development.
It also includes drug safety and interaction and effectively communicates with patients about their medications successfully.

Summary
Certificate and associate degree programs are specially designed for training pharmacy technicians with relevant knowledge and the skills to support pharmacists.
There are several kinds of pharmacy technician certification training programs online and degrees.
Some of the top online programs, training programs online, free online programs, etc., have been listed in the above article.
Since there are many categories in delivering the pharmacy technician courses, we cannot define exactly the best Pharmacy Technician Course.
But according to the above article, College Rasmussen offers the best online pharmacy technician course, and the North Dakota State College of Science provides the best Pharmacy technician training programs online.
However, all of these best pharmacy technician courses are support and develop pharmacy education in the whole industry to provide a better service based on ethical health care practice.
