What is the process to become a pharmacy technician?
- Decide if you want to become certified
- If you decide to become certified, enroll in a PTCA-accredited training program
- Complete pharmacy technician program and on-the-job training hours, as required by state
- Pass either the PTCE (PTCB) or ExCPT (NHA) Exam for certification
Find Pharmacy Tech Schools Below
What does a pharmacy tech do?
Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a pharmacist, and are responsible for performing a range of support tasks that help keep the pharmacy running smoothly. Although some employers may require additional responsibilities, the following list highlights the primary role of most pharmacy techs.
Typical pharmacy technician duties
- Handle customer or patient phone calls and questions
- Establish and maintain patient records
- Assist pharmacist in filling prescriptions by measuring, packaging and labeling medications
- Process payments for prescriptions and insurance claims
- Manage all inventory in the pharmacy
Step 1: Decide if you want to become certified
The first thing you’ll need to do is decide whether or not you want to become certified. Pharmacy technician certification is not a mandatory requirement for employment in every state, but it does offer a number of benefits and advantages.
Below, we’ll take a quick look at the pros and cons of both working as a non-certified technician, and earning your certification.
Working as a non-certified pharmacy technician
The boxes below illustrate the major pros and cons for working as a non-certified technician.
- You can start working immediately after graduating from high school
- Save money that would’ve been spent on a training program
- No need to periodically re-test for certification
- Some employers only hire certified technicians
- Lower pay compared to certified peers
- Less job security than certified peers
Becoming a certified pharmacy technician
The boxes below illustrate the major pros and cons for working as a non-certified technician.
- Eligibility for hire with a greater number of employers
- Higher starting pay than non-certified peers
- Greater job security
- Requires one year of training and study
- Must pay for training and certification exam
- Must periodically re-test for certification
With this being the case, it is strongly recommended that you pursue certification if you’re serious about starting a career in pharmacy. Should you decide not to become certified, you can skip the remaining steps and start looking for a job as soon as you graduate from high school.
Step 2: Enroll in PTAC-accredited training program
If you’ve decided to pursue your certification, the next step is to enroll in a pharmacy technician training program this is accredited by the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC). This body coordinates program curricula and standards with both the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) to ensure standardized quality in national pharmacy tech programs.
What are the Best Accredited Pharmacy Tech Schools?
Below is a link to the database of accredited schools from the ASHP.
What is PTAC accreditation?
It is absolutely vital that you graduate from a program accredited by the PTAC, as only those students who have completed an approved training course are eligible to sit for one of the national certification exams.
About online pharmacy tech programs
In order to better accommodate students who work or have other responsibilities that make attending class a challenge, many schools offer online pharmacy tech programs. These programs are also ideal for those who do not live close to an institution that offers pharmacy technician training.
While it is possible to complete the academic portion of a program online, it will still be necessary to complete any hands-on training portion in-person at a specified location.
Step 3: Complete training program and required hands-on training hours
After finding an accredited program that satisfies your needs, the next step is to complete it. The academic portion can usually be completed in one year or less, but completing the necessary hands-on training hours (sometimes referred to as an “externship”) at an actual pharmacy can sometimes take longer.
The academic portion of your training will likely cover all of the theory and procedural-type stuff that will be included on the certification exam. The externship, on the other hand, will give you the opportunity to put what you learn into practice in a live, professional setting.
Step 4: Pass the PTCE or ExCPT Certification Exam
The following is a quick breakdown of the two different exams.
Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE)
Offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam, or PTCE as it is commonly called, is a multiple choice exam recognized in all 50 states. The PTCE consists of 90 questions administered in a one-hour, 50-minute timed format. Candidates who successfully pass the exam receive the title Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
To become eligible to sit for this exam, a candidate must have either:
- Graduated from a PTAC-accredited pharmacy technician program, or
- Acquired equivalent work experience as a pharmacy tech
Content covered on the exam is broken down into four different sections. They are:
- Medications (names, drug interactions, proper storage, etc.)
- Federal Requirements (handling and disposal, controlled substances, etc.)
- Patient Safety and Quality Assurance (hygiene and cleaning standards, procedures, etc.)
- Order Entry and Processing (formulas and calculations, equipment and supplies, etc.)
ExCPT Exam
Sponsored by the National Healthcare Association (NHA), the ExCPT Exam also awards the nationally-recognized title Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) to candidates who receive a passing score. This multiple choice exam features 100 multiple choice questions, given in a two-hour, 10-minute timed format.
Eligibility for this exam also depends on the candidate having either:
- Graduated from a PTAC-accredited pharmacy technician program, or
- Acquired equivalent work experience as a pharmacy tech
Material included on this exam is organized into four distinct sections. These sections are:
- Overview and Laws (laws and regulations, role and general duties of pharmacy tech)
- Drugs and Drug Therapy (drug classification and frequently prescribed medications)
- Dispensing Process (prescription and medication intake, dispensing prescriptions, etc.)
- Medication Safety and Quality Assurance
How much does a pharmacy technician make?
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary for a pharmacy technician in the United States was $31,750 as of May 2017. The following table reflects the fact that this number can vary considerably depending on which state you work in, however.
Pharmacy Technician Salary by State
| State | Avg. Hourly | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $12.83 | $26,678 |
| Alaska | $14.18 | $29,500 |
| Arizona | $13.94 | $28,985 |
| Arkansas | $12.28 | $25,537 |
| California | $14.30 | $29,738 |
| Colorado | $13.39 | $27,858 |
| Connecticut | $13.89 | $28,898 |
| Delaware | $13.79 | $28,679 |
| Florida | $11.88 | $24,713 |
| Georgia | $12.85 | $26,726 |
| Hawaii | $14.16 | $29,457 |
| Idaho | $14.18 | $29,500 |
| Illinois | $12.29 | $25,560 |
| Indiana | $13.16 | $27,376 |
| Iowa | $13.44 | $27,948 |
| Kansas | $13.32 | $27,698 |
| Kentucky | $13.30 | $27,662 |
| Louisiana | $13.43 | $27,929 |
| Maine | $12.34 | $25,667 |
| Maryland | $14.49 | $30,148 |
| Massachusetts | $15.40 | $32,031 |
| Michigan | $12.44 | $25,877 |
| Minnesota | $13.49 | $28,054 |
| Mississippi | $12.63 | $26,263 |
| Missouri | $12.27 | $25,527 |
| Montana | $14.18 | $29,500 |
| Nebraska | $14.07 | $29,263 |
| Nevada | $14.18 | $29,500 |
| New Hampshire | $13.75 | $28,597 |
| New Jersey | $13.26 | $27,586 |
| New Mexico | $12.74 | $26,508 |
| New York | $15.47 | $32,179 |
| North Carolina | $11.18 | $23,252 |
| North Dakota | $14.18 | $29,500 |
| Ohio | $13.04 | $27,130 |
| Oklahoma | $13.16 | $27,365 |
| Oregon | $13.41 | $27,902 |
| Pennsylvania | $13.47 | $28,013 |
| Rhode Island | $13.84 | $28,794 |
| South Carolina | $13.34 | $27,739 |
| South Dakota | $13.06 | $27,171 |
| Tennessee | $13.27 | $27,605 |
| Texas | $12.71 | $26,434 |
| Utah | $13.08 | $27,203 |
| Vermont | $14.21 | $29,566 |
| Virginia | $13.91 | $28,923 |
| Washington | $14.05 | $29,215 |
| West Virginia | $14.14 | $29,408 |
| Wisconsin | $12.86 | $26,751 |
| Wyoming | $14.18 | $29,500 |
Source: www.bls.gov
Salary by employer type
Hospitals $36,710
General Stores $31,320
Food/Beverage Stores$29,860
Pharmacies/Drug stores$29,500
Source: www.bls.gov
What is the job outlook for pharmacy techs?
As mentioned earlier the job outlook is amazing at a 12% expected growth over the next decade!! The time could not be any better for pharmacy technicians!