Growing (graduate school) Demand for Pharmacy Tech Certification Courses
No commentsBy Beck Rabbitt
Just like medicine and engineering courses, demand for pharmacy courses is also on the rise. There are numerous factors behind this. First and foremost among them being development of latest and innovative drugs. Apart from this, the usage of these drugs is also increasing among middle and aged customers. As a result Pharmacy Tech Certification courses are turning out to be the best career options. The latest surveys conducted prove that this demand is only expected to rise further and almost double by the year 2016.
Many industries have met their fate during this recession. The only industry that has been able to withstand this is the pharmacy. It is not exaggeration to state that despite severe recession and economic downturn, this industry has been able to create employment opportunities to many aspiring and qualified youth. The number of people looking forward for improved and effective treatments is on the rise. As a result the Pharmacy Tech Certification courses are in great demand.
A pharmacy technician performs a series of activities that include assisting licensed pharmacists in prescribing medications, labelling pharmaceutical products, measuring medication quantities, counting pills or providing guidance to patients while filling out their medical insurance documents and forms.
A certified technician can seek employment in retail pharmacies, internet pharmacies, physician clinics, wholesale pharmacies, medical and surgical centers and even nursing homes. Although a Pharmacy Tech Certification is not mandatory for securing a job in this industry, it only improves your job prospects and also helps you secure higher salary.
There are several educational institutions offering special training programs to aspirants located in several parts of the world. To become a qualified pharmacy technician, one has to clear the ExCPT Exam. The minimum eligibility for taking this test is a high school diploma or its equivalent. Upon obtaining the certification, technicians need to get recertified once every two years.
The Pharmacy Tech Certification exam is an online examination consisting of multiple choice questions. The key areas focused in the exam include assisting pharmacists in servicing patients, maintenance of medication, inventory control and last but most important administration and management of pharmacy practice.
Pharmacy technician recertification requires 20 hours of continuous education every two years. The required number of on the job training hours is obtained from colleges, pharmacy technologist training programs and pharmacy associations.
The Pharmacy Tech Training includes several phases of practicals like pharmacy calculations, pharmacy billing and computer applications which are required for honing the professional skills of a pharmacy technician. Most of these Pharmacy Tech Certification courses run from six months to one year depending upon the nature of the course.
People holding Pharmacy Technician Certifications have an added advantage in terms of salary and job security over others. Although there is no federal requirement for pharmacy techs, modern employers are keen in recruiting certified pharmacy technologists especially those who have registered themselves in various schools. In fact the Pharmacy Tech Certification is voluntary in various states, however, getting certified is highly recommended especially if you are looking forward to enjoying better career opportunities, improved salaries and other compensations.
Becky Rabbitt is the author of this article on Pharmacy tech training.
Find more information about Pharmacy tech certification here.
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