How do I Become a Pharmacy Technician?

As a result of this ever-growing industry, pharmacy technicians benefit from numerous job opportunities. With pharmacies opening and flourishing often right across the street from one another, there is an almost endless job supply for pharmacy techs. Although job growth may be high, salary predictions for pharmacy techs remain relatively low compared to pharmacists.

Pharmacy technicians do not have the training and entrepreneurial opportunities that pharmacists do. Rather, pharmacy techs handle the more administrative tasks involved with running a pharmacy rather than the evaluation of prescriptions and dosages. As a result, pharmacy technicians command less pay than pharmacists and lower pay than professionals in other industries.

On the other hand, the path to becoming a pharmacy tech is a relatively short road. Instead of spending years completing a pharmacist’s training, you can complete a shorter program to gain all the training you need to work as a pharmacy tech. Some pharmacy technicians don’t pursue formal training at all.

For all of these reasons, a career as a pharmacy technician could be the perfect job for you. You'll find that pharmacy technician training and education are somewhat fluid and unstructured. For example, many pharmacy technicians have no formal training or education as it pertains to their position.

Instead, they receive on-the-job training from the employers. Also, there are no federal requirements for pharmacy technician certification and training. However, it is still recommended that you pursue formal training if you are considering a career as pharmacy tech.

Many pharmacists don’t have the time or the resources to train their staff. As a result, formally trained and experienced pharmacy technicians are in high demand among their peers. Employers greatly value a pharmacy technician that can successfully complete their duties without having to go through an onsite training process.

Pharmacy technician programs can be found at local community colleges, tech schools, and online colleges. Many professionals find that it is fast and convenient to complete this formal training and the benefits are tremendous. However, there are other ways to expand your pharmacy technician education.

While certifications are not required to work as a pharmacy tech in most states, the continuing education necessary to complete the certification process is very beneficial to your career. In fact, if you don’t have formal training, completing the certification process is highly recommended. Some employers may even ask that you complete your certification within a certain amount of time after being hired.