How Long Does It Take to Become a Pharmacy Technician?
Posted on 05.31.2024
Pharmacy technicians play an important role in the healthcare world. But how long does it take to become one?
There are several factors that contribute to how long it takes to become a pharm tech. These include education, certification, and training. In this helpful guide, we’ll outline each of these factors and give you all the info you need about becoming a pharmacy technician!
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How long does it take to become a pharmacy technician?
Pharmacy technician programs vary from several months to multiple years. CareerStep’s online Pharmacy Technician Certification Program is self-paced and can be completed at your own pace.
What does a pharm tech do?
- Pharm techs assist pharmacists with several daily tasks, including:
- Entering data
- Measuring out and packaging medications
- Processing payment information
- Accurately placing correct labels on medication
- Answering phone calls
- Taking inventory of the pharmacy’s supplies
- Providing high quality customer service
Read more: A Day in the Life of a Pharmacy Technician
What kind of education is required to become a pharmacy tech?
At minimum, you must have a high school diploma or GED to become a pharmacy technician. It’s possible to become a pharm tech without any specific pharmacy education, but having a pharm tech training program under your belt and real experience in the field can set you apart, especially a program that prepares you for the certification exam. This prolongs the timeframe to become a pharm tech, but having the right education can not only help you get the job but also impact your salary, as certified pharmacy technicians often make more than those without certification.
Read more: Can You Become a Pharmacy Tech Without Going to School?
High school diploma or equivalent (basic requirement)
If you want to get started immediately, all you need is a high school diploma or GED. It can, however, take longer to find a job without pharm tech credentials and you’ll have to spend time getting on the job training.
Some states may also have education and licensing/certification requirements for working as a pharmacy technician. Make sure to check with your state board of pharmacy to see if you need any credentials or prior training before getting hired as a pharm tech.
Postsecondary education and certification options
Training as a pharmacy technician could help you stand out when applying for jobs. But, you don’t necessarily have to go to school in-person or full-time to get this training. If you’re busy or want a more flexible option, you can also enroll in a pharmacy technician training program at an online institution. Most of these programs will prepare you for certification exams.
It’s important to check out your state requirements when it comes to certification so you are seeking out the right education and certification to work in the field. For example, national certification is not required in the state of Pennsylvania, but in the state of California the PTCB certification is a requirement.
Read more: How CareerStep Can Help You Get Hired
Online vs in-person training for pharmacy technician programs: time comparison and flexibility
When it comes time to choose how you want to do your training, you want to consider what way will work best for your situation. If you need more flexibility in your program, online may be your best bet. For those who want to be as hands-on as possible, in-person may work better.
If you want both flexibility and hands-on experience, many online pharmacy technician programs have externships that allow you to learn on-site and get invaluable experience that will look great on a resume.
Read more: 10 Facts You Need to Get Straight About a Pharmacy Technician Career [& How to Get Started]
Certification requirements to become a pharmacy technician
Certification requirements for pharmacy technicians vary by state. Some states may require certification, licensing, or registration before you’re allowed to work in the field, while others have no requirements at all. Even in states without certification requirements, becoming certified can help you stand out when applying for jobs and potentially gain you a higher starting wage! You can either take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) or the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) to earn your certification. Some training programs prepare you for these exams and even cover the cost!
Overview of certification processes
The PTCE is through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the ExCPT is through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). It’s important to check the eligibility requirements before applying to take a certification exam.
Timeframe for preparing and passing the certification exams
In addition to having your high school diploma or GED, to be eligible to take the PTCE, you must either
- Complete a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training program
- Complete a minimum of 500 hours equivalent work experience
Similarly, to be eligible to take the ExCPT you must have your diploma or equivalent as well as
- Complete a pharmacy technician training or education program
- Complete one year of supervised work experience in the field with a minimum of 1,200 hours
For both of these certification exams, there are practice tests you can purchase and take to help you prepare and ultimately pass.
State-specific requirements and how they affect the timeline.
Each state has their own requirements and often licensure, so depending on the state’s requirements you could be waiting even longer for the green light to start practicing as a pharm tech. You can search your state’s requirements to see how long these steps will set you back.
Hands-on training and internships
Like most things, you can study and mentally prepare until your brain hurts, but nothing gets you ready to do a job like actually doing it. For those who are starting their pharm tech career only equipped with a high school diploma or GED, you will likely learn everything you know with on-the-job training under the supervision of a pharmacist.
If you decide to enroll in a training program or get a degree, you’ll likely do some type of externship in order to gain skill hours and get some hands-on learning and experience under your belt. This is a great way to build some strong working relationships with pharmacies, which can help you gain mentors, references, and potentially jobs.
Read more: How to Cultivate a Career Network
Importance of practical experience
Mistakes in the healthcare field can be more serious than those in a field with less stakes, so having real world experience is vital to ensure you know what you’re doing. You’ll gain the skills you’ll need to adequately do the job during your clinical externship or on the job training.
Typical duration of internships or on-the-job training
In general, if you’re enrolled in an ASHP-accredited pharmacy technician training program, you’ll be expected to complete a clinical experience portion at a pharmacy near you to gain hands-on training.
For those who decide not to go through a training program, you’ll likely get experience through on-the-job training once you’ve secured a position at a pharmacy. The timeframe can vary, but depending on the certification you need you’ll be required to do a minimum amount of work experience hours if you opt not to go the training program route.
Balancing training with other commitments
Not everyone has the luxury of going to school full-time, so if you are someone who needs to balance training with other commitments, a self-paced training program may be best. These types of programs provide flexibility to devote the time you need to all of your responsibilities.
Factors affecting how long it takes to become a pharmacy technician
In addition to everything we’ve covered already, there are other factors in life that can impact how long it takes to become a pharmacy technician.
Full-time vs. part-time study
If you’re able to study full-time in your training program, you’ll be able to get certified and become a pharmacy technician pretty quickly. This is not feasible for everyone, however, so for anyone who is doing their training or studying part time, it could take longer.
Read more: 3 Reasons Alternative Education Is Here to Stay
Balancing work, family, and education
Many people have responsibilities in their lives other than school that can delay completing their education. If you’re an adult learner who has a job and a family, you aren’t able to dedicate as much time to your studies, and there’s nothing wrong with that! Everyone has their own timeline, and it’s important to take the time you need to do it right.
Learning pace and academic support
Everyone learns at a different pace, and not everyone will pass every exam the first time around. What’s important is not giving up in the face of obstacles. Many training programs have academic support you can reach out to if you find yourself struggling. Taking the time you need to learn and asking for help can be vital parts of reaching your goals.
Choose the pharm tech path that’s right for you
With all the different options out there, find the one that works best for your circumstances. If you’re looking to fast-track your way to practicing as a pharm tech, consider enrolling today!
cheap
August 29, 2017 at 4:28 amУ᧐ur mode of describing all in this article is truⅼy pleasant, every
one can eaѕіly know it, Thanks a lot.
JOHN
October 11, 2017 at 9:19 amCAN ONE TAKE THE ONLINE COURSES AND BE CERTIFIED PHARMACY TECHNICIAN IN THE US IF IF HE IS A NON US RESIDENT?
CareerStep Admin
October 18, 2017 at 10:24 amJohn, thank you for your interest in our Pharmacy Technician program. Though we provide vouchers to take the certification exam, it is offered through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, PTCB (www.ptcb.org), so you would need to check with them regarding their specific requirements.
Aneela Haneef
November 23, 2017 at 5:43 pmI have complete my graduation, not in canada from my home country is the certificates are acceptable for taking courses for pharmacy technician or assistant ,,I need online courses and how long it takes to complete the courses
CareerStep Admin
November 29, 2017 at 3:56 pmHi Aneela,
Career Step’s Pharmacy Technician ASHP/ACPE program is 600 credit hours and includes a 200-hour externship. Becuase the program is online, students are able to work at their own pace and can complete their training in as little as 4 months if they study full time. However, most of our students study part-time and complete the program in 6 to 9 months. Students are given 12 months to complete the course.
You will need to check with the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the National Healthcareer Association to see if their certification exams are valid in other countries.
Good luck!
marcus
March 20, 2018 at 7:24 amcongrates to everyone who pass.
Lora Demers
May 14, 2019 at 8:05 amIf you are already a certified pharmacy tech how much more schooling do I need to become a pharmacist and can go to night school
Jeff
May 26, 2019 at 4:53 amHas anyone heard of a delay in license processing in Texas? My son graduated a while ago and has not received his license( going on 9 months)
Mapule moloto
November 18, 2019 at 2:57 amHi there its possible for me to register pharmacy technician after 2 years completion of pharmacy assistant course
Mapule moloto
November 18, 2019 at 2:59 amI like to register this pharmacy technician course same time so I need where can I start
David
May 10, 2021 at 11:58 pmIn California Am I eligible to get my Pharmacy tech license with just my HighSchool Diploma and work experience at a pharmacy?
Tiffanee Gurney
May 12, 2021 at 11:17 amIn order to enroll in one of CareerStep’s training programs or courses, these are the general requirements:
– A High School diploma or GED equivalent.
– Age of 18 years or older.
– Some courses will require a background check & drug screening prior to starting their externship, but not before enrollment (such as Pharmacy Tech and Medical Assisting).
– You will need reliable internet access and a Windows-based computer or laptop is suggested to complete our training (Most programs can be completed on an Apple computer, but some programs have compatibility issues. For example, the Medical Transcription Editor program can be completed on a Mac up until Editing Technique, but the editor software we use at that point requires Windows with Internet Explorer to complete the rest of the program.) Chromebooks have frequent compatibility issues and are not recommended.
Bereket Geberemariam
July 5, 2021 at 9:23 pmHi there,
I came to USA from Africa on 2019 . I was a licenced Pharmacist there. Can I take the Pharmacy technician course now?
gail lindsey
January 18, 2023 at 3:44 pmI am 64. Am I too old to start the program?