The Pharmacy Technician Course helps handle all the aspects of the prescription fulfillment process and assists the pharmacist with day-to-day operations. This course provides in-depth information about Pharmacy Technician training.
Aspiring students can complete a one-year diploma or certification program at a Pharmacy Technician college or a two-year associate diploma degree program.
The annual average Pharmacy Technician Salary of $30,000 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pharmacy Technician is in high demand, not only in Ontario but throughout Canada.
Pharmacy Technician Course Highlights
• The Pharmacy Technician has been awarded the status of Accreditation by the Canadian Council for Accreditation for the 3-month Pharmacy Technician Program term.
• The Pharmacy Technician graduates meet NAPRA’s Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at the Entry to Practice level.
• The graduates are eligible to write the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada’s National Licensing Exam and if successful may go on to become Pharmacy Technicians.
• Students will complete Pharmacy Technician Online 6-week course clinical practices in both Community and Hospital pharmacies.
• Registered Pharmacy Technicians are licensed by the Ontario College of Pharmacists in Canada.
Pharmacy Technician Course Overview
Day-to-day demand for pharmacy technicians is growing tremendously. You will be part of a pharmacy team, assisting patients, filling prescriptions, maintaining records, etc.
The Pharmacy Technician will be the main focus on the accurate preparation and delivery of the medicines to the patient. It is a career that demands careful attention to detail and a high degree of integrity and learning.
You should have a good knowledge of basic math to avoid math errors. Also, you must be comfortable following strict procedures and a good communicator who is comfortable talking with patients and the health care professionals’ community.
Pharmacy Technicians have strong Organizational skills, Multi-tasking power, and Utilize precise written and oral communication in their workplaces. You will also find a lot of career paths open to you.
The Pharmacy Technician Course in India focuses on building your knowledge and skills in
- Dispensing
- Quality Assurance
- Hospital and Community Pharmacy Practice
- Pharmaceutical Calculations
- Pharmacy legislations
- Pharmaceutical Products
- Sterile Products Preparation
Admission Process for the Course
# Admission Requirements
Requirements for admission in Pharmacy Technician Course necessary is O.S.S.D. or equivalent with a minimum grade of 60% in every pre-requisite subject is required:
- Grade 12 English (C or U)
- Grade 12 Mathematics (C or U)
- Grade 11 or 12 Biology (C or U)
- Grade 11 or 12 Chemistry (C or U)
# Language Proficiency Requirements
The course is accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). pharmacy technician classes online for free.
English language proficiency test results which meet with the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA):
- Graduation from Canada in any high school is three consecutive, first language English courses.
- An undergraduate degree course from a university in Canada, whose instruction was provided in the English language.
# Selection Process for Admission
Based on the Applicant’s academic grades they will be assessed and ranked which leads to the admission to Pharmacy Technician Course.
# Criminal Record Check requirements
Before going to admission in the Technician Course, the responsibility of students is to obtain their criminal records three months before.
It is the responsibility of students to provide the completed document before admission starts.
As some jurisdictions need a longer lead time for processing, please check with the course coordinator to make sure you allow for sufficient turn-around time.
Steps Involved in Became a Pharmacy Technician
# Earn Your Degree or Certificate
The first step to becoming a Pharmacy Technician is to earn an associate’s degree or a course certificate. The course you want to pursue should be your primary consideration the well-known course and must be accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).
# Prepare for Professional Certification
You should choose the best organization and their examination to become certified through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). Both are national organizations and have similarities in their examination process.
# Take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam
The PTCB exam is acknowledged in most states and is a three-part test that includes Assisting the Pharmacist with Patients, Inventory Maintenance, and Management of the Pharmacy Practice.
The NHA test is equally oppressive and will test your knowledge regarding Prescription receipts, Maintaining Patient Information and Records, and Inventory Management.
# If Need State License
You should be to required to choose the work area for licensing. In the aggregate, you will be Preparing prescriptions, Answering dosage and Medication questions, and Working with the public daily.
Reason to Become a Pharmacy Technician
The reason to become a Pharmacy Technician is you’ll be helping people, but there are other good reasons for becoming a Pharmacy Technicians:
- You’ll have job security
- The pay scale is good and there’s the potential to earn more
- You’ll learn a lot
- There is rapid growth in the field
- It’s a first step toward becoming a certified Pharmacist
- You can work in the healthcare community without the clinical duties
Advantages of Taking this Course
The benefits of taking a Pharmacy Technician Course involve your personal growth as a professional person. You will gain a lot of knowledge about the healthcare system.
You will learn not only specific details but also ethics and law. This will ensure you understand how other systems work.
The more you know about the pharmacy and its various issues, the better you will be at communicating and interacting with your Pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical sales representatives, and fellow technicians.
Another thing is that you will be gain more knowledge and better equipped to field questions from patients who come to your pharma store, or the nurses and medical practitioners in a hospital.
Even if you work in a mail-order Pharmacy then you will be able to take part in the meetings with more confidence because of l you will have the knowledge you need to back up your statements.
Online Pharmacy Technician Program
Pharmacy Technicians field are flourishing day to day in their field. New Pharma Stores is developing all over the place, including in grocery stores and even big-box retailers such as Costco.
All the hospitals have pharmacies that provide long-term care services. There are even online mail-order pharmacies have which serve to meet the needs of those suffering from long-term chronic conditions.
The world of academia is increasing its offerings for Pharmacy Technicians including online programs that can you get started in the field.
Online Pharmacy Technician programs make advancing the education system more flexible and easy than traditional college programs. While including all the knowledge you need to thrive.
What You Find in the Pharmacy Technician Program
Online pharmacy tech programs are expanding to meet the growing demand for the profession. The tech program offers students a great deal of flexibility that can help their education to a great degree.
As you might even work as a pharmacy technician while pursuing your formal education in your off-hours. When you do research work, look out for a few specific things.
Make sure that your tech program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. The program can help facilitate an externship with pharmacies in your area.
Even if you don’t want to take the PTCB examination, research how well alumni of the course fare on that test. Because you will want to have the same level of knowledge to serve your patients and pharmacists.
How to Finding The Best Technician Course
When you are going for a research Pharmacy Technicians degree course, make sure you consider these factors before choosing colleges:
• Accreditation: Make sure that your course is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
This will allow credits to transfer if you enroll in a bachelor’s degree course, and will help you to apply for federal financial aid to help pay for college.
• Externships: The course should offer an externship, where you will work in a local pharmacy or lab to gain experience. Private or Government Hospitals and retail drug stores are possible places where you might select for your externships.
• Alumni Success on the PTCB Exam: Whether you hope for national certification or not, it is important to know about alumni success on the examination. If you want the best education then this is a great measuring stick.
Does a Pharmacy Technician Course Required Degree
Not all pharmacy technicians indeed need a degree. Some states are having do not require either certifications or licenses for pharmacy techs.
In those states, pharmacy techs may need to be registered because they are working with a highly regulated healthcare system, but no credentials are required.
However, even in a non-regulated state, if you have a degree in pharmacy tech you will stand out from the pack as a person who is a dedicated professional pharmacist.
Your determination and dedication with hard work will impress potential employers and you will likely get more success in your career. When you have gone through rigorous training the course and completed a degree course.
Furthermore, if you begin work in a non-regulated state with a degree and a national certificate from either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Health Career Association, you will have the freedom to move to any state you like.
While the PTCB certification is more widely recognized, the NHA certificate shows great work and persistence. When you go through a degree course, set your sights on passing one of those national certification examinations.
The ability of Students As Pharmacy Technician Graduate
- As a Pharmacy Technician, you should effectively communicate with patients, pharmacists, colleagues, and health care providers.
- Receive and prioritize written prescriptions and accurately dispense the medicines in compliance with legislation and standards policies and procedures.
You will develop a portfolio documenting your engagement with the College’s signature Global Citizenship and Equity competencies (GC & E).
As per Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) requirements, students must complete the Pharmacy Technician Program within 4 years of admission (Criterion 3.4 Graduates complete the Program within 4 years of admission).
Who Can Get Success as a Pharmacy Technicians
To succeed as a pharmacy tech, you will need to be a diligent, detail-oriented, personable hardworking person.
You will need to be able to communicate with a pharmacist who is an expert on all of the medicines, but then be able to turn around to field a patient’s question about over-the-counter medications or a question about the dosage on a prescription.
Then you would need to make an oral compound and take inventory. It is a difficult task. But, when you achieve a degree in pharmacy tech, you will be fully prepared to succeed in all of those areas.
What Consists in Pharmacy Technicians Course
Pharmacy Technician training consists of education that covers a wide range of topics related to working in the pharmaceutical field.
The Technicians learn everything from accounting for a pharmacy inventory, and how to dispense medicines for special care patients.
A pharmacy technician’s program can take the form of either a one-year certificate course or a two-year degree program that might include liberal arts coursework on top of tech studies.
A pharmacy tech with strong communication skills can give clear instructions in a way that a patient fully comprehends and will follow the letter. The pharmacy-specific courses will be vital to the education of a pharmacy tech.
The scope of the curriculum for many courses includes medical issues such as anatomy and physiology. Here is a sample of the coursework that might be found in the pharmacy tech course:
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacy Math
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Pharmacy Law
- Pharmacy Ethics
- Pharmacy Laboratory Skills
- Chemistry
- CPR & First Aid
The additional coursework, such as communications or psychology, could come in handy in the real world. The technician will need to interact with the patients in varying states of their recovery.
Salary and Job Growth of Pharmacy Tech
Becoming a pharmacy technician can be a gateway to building up a career in a pharmacist, nursing assistant, or another medical field. Demand for pharmacy technicians is expected to be high for the next decade, making this career path potentially rewarding for those who wish to work in the pharmacy field.
The average annual salary of pharmacy technicians in 2020 was $45,100, although this varies by state wise. The bottom 20% of earners make less than $30,000 per annum, while the highest 15% earn more than $60,000.
Pharmacy technicians in Australia, California, Alaska, Columbia, and Washington on average, are the highest earners. The pharmacy Technician Course in the UK also provides a high amount of salary.
Pharmacy technicians may primarily earn a moderate wage, but they can receive great advantages and employer tuition reimbursement for further training.
Accreditation and Recognition of the Course
Accreditation and Recognition from the college are necessary for being a good Pharmacy Technician. So before going to college, one should know about the information.
The most popular colleges that are Accredited Online Pharmacy Technician Programs and Recognised are located in Canada are:
- Stenberg College
- Humber College
- Centennial College
- Saskatchewan Polytechnic
- Lambton College
- ST. Clair College
- Niagara College
This college is also designated by the BC Government’s Ministry of Advanced Education (MAE) and Educational Quality Assurance (EQA).