Pharmacy Tech Career Path Explained
Some people assume that a career in healthcare means having to spend years in school. That’s just not feasible if you have a family or don’t have the financial means to pay tuition and take time away from the workforce. Fortunately, some career options in the healthcare industry are much more accessible.
The pharmacy tech career path doesn’t require you to get multiple degrees, which makes it a great choice if you want to get started in your career without wasting too much time. But what can you expect from this path? Learn more about how to become a pharmacy tech to understand whether it is the right choice.
Starting as a Pharmacy Technician
As you begin down the primary tech career path, the first thing you should know about is the basic requirements.
Entry-Level Requirements
To become a pharmacy tech, you need to have a high school diploma or get your GED. If you pursue higher education, you might get a boost in the kind of jobs you can apply for. However, the majority of employers require only certification and a high school diploma or equivalent.
To become a certified pharmacy technician, you will need to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam and complete some on-the-job training.
If you participate in a training program, you’ll likely have opportunities to gain practical experience through your program. Applicants who choose online courses might look for externships that provide the necessary hands-on experience.
Getting Certified
An important step in the pharmacy tech career path is to get certified. This usually means passing the PTCB exam. The exam is made up of 90 questions that cover four main topics:
- Medications
- Federal requirements
- Patient safety and quality assurance
- Order entry and processing
To be eligible to take the exam, you need to have completed an accredited training program or have at least 500 hours of practical experience. When you’re preparing for the PTCB exam, it can help to take practice tests to make sure you understand what you can expect.
An alternative to the PTCB exam is to take the NHA test. To be eligible for this option, you need to have completed an accredited training program or have a minimum of 1,200 hours of experience.
Although certification isn’t a requirement when following the pharmacy tech career path, more employers are asking for it. Certification also allows you to make a better salary and apply for highly competitive positions, like those in hospitals.
First Job
When most people start down the pharmacy tech career path, they work in a retail pharmacy (think CVS or Walgreens). Their tasks might include labeling medications, filling prescriptions, and dealing with administrative tasks.
Retail pharmacy jobs provide lots of experience. If you choose this route, you’ll assist the pharmacist and interact with clients daily. Your full scope of work will depend on the size of the pharmacy and the number of employees.
Gaining Experience and Skills
When you’re following the pharmacy tech career path, you also need to get the right level of experience and perfect your skills. Let’s look at a few ways to do this.
On-the-Job Learning
As an entry-level pharmacy tech, you get a chance to continue learning as you work. You’ll gain experience in how to handle insurance claims, work with a variety of pharmaceutical programs, and manage inventory. You’ll also get a chance to interact with clients, which helps you better understand how to provide empathetic assistance.
Importance of Continuing Education
To maintain your certification, you will need to accrue continuing education credits by taking courses. The importance of these credits goes even further because continuing education ensures that you are up-to-date with the latest advances in the field.
Continuing education can also open the door for specializations. When you have a specialization, you might find even more exciting job opportunities that not only pay better but also offer the challenges you’re looking for.
Career Advancement Opportunities
Learn more about the career advancement opportunities you might discover when pursuing the pharmacy tech career path.
Specialized Pharmacy Technician Roles
You can take on the following specialized roles that offer higher pay
Compounding Pharmacy Tech
This role includes preparing customized medications. You may have to assess patient needs and recommend alternative medications while maintaining patient records. To become a compounding pharmacy tech, you will need additional qualifications, like a sterile or nonsterile compounding certificate.
IV Pharmacy Tech
As an IV pharmacy tech, you’ll be authorized to administer IVs in healthcare facilities. These techs work mainly in hospital settings and prepare IV medications for patients. To gain an IV pharmacy tech certification, you will need specialized training in sterile preparation.
Pharmacy Technician Instructor
Pharmacy technician instructors train future pharmacy techs in vocational schools or other academic settings. To work as an instructor, you will have to complete a few additional certification programs and have significant hands-on experience.
Pharmacy Informatics Specialist
A pharmacy informatics specialist maintains and manages information about medications. If you pursue this pharmacy tech career path, you’ll be responsible for inputting data and maintaining computer systems. It can be an excellent path if you want to work in hospital settings that have advanced IT systems.
How Can RxCe Help You With Your Pharmacy Tech Career?
The pharmacy tech career path tends to be faster than most other healthcare industry options. It can allow you to quickly get to work helping patients get the medications they need.
Whether you’re just starting and want to pursue certification or you’re looking to maintain certification and need continuing education credits, RxCe offers the courses you need.
Our affordable certification programs are made up of modules designed to guide you on the certification path. Even if you don't complete a full program, the modules you finish can count as continuing education credits.
You can begin — or continue making strides toward — your pharmacy tech career path goals by choosing RxCe.
