Pharmacy Technician Training
Many of today’s pharmacy technicians attribute their success in the field to the pharmacy technician training they got on the job. However, most employers, specifically those who do not have the time or resources to provide on-the-job or free pharmacy technician training, still prefer applicants who have obtained formal education and training as well as certification. These companies put a premium on academic credentials despite the fact that there are no federal requirements for training and certification of pharmacy technicians.
Value and Benefits of Pharmacy Technician Training
Formal education and training programs are available in the military, some hospitals, proprietary schools, vocational or technical colleges, and community colleges. Some schools also offer online pharmacy technician training to those who cannot study full time. Normally running from six months to two years, a pharmacy technician training program broadens students’ medical knowledge, through subjects like pharmaceuticals and customer service. Areas explored include medical law, drugs and treatments, and pharmacy practices. Enrollees may find themselves attending classes in pharmacology, chemistry, medical and pharmaceutical terminology, dosage calculations, drug reactions, pharmacy record keeping, and prescription interpretation.
Pharmacy technician programs use classroom instruction and laboratory work to build a solid foundation for subsequent and even on-the-job pharmacy technician training. Most pharmacy technician training schools offer general training programs that impart knowledge and skills that may be applied to various kinds of pharmacy employment and settings (e.g. retail, hospital). Even after graduation and certification, pharmacy technicians must be willing to develop new skills and expand their knowledge as the learning curve continues and gets even more challenging in the workplace.
More specifically, pharmacy technician training at vocational schools, community colleges, and online schools have classroom and clinical components that serve to prepare students to occupy entry-level positions in retail, hospital, online, or mail-order pharmacies. There are also schools that cooperate with leading pharmacies to provide externships for students to gain on-the-job experience while they pursue their education. Certified pharmacy technician training costs, though quite affordable, may vary depending on school type or geographical location.
Components of Pharmacy Technician Training
Pharmacy law and ethics are at the heart of the classroom component of pharmacy technician training programs. These subjects familiarize enrollees with federal and state laws governing the handling and dispensation of various drugs, and the code of ethics upheld by all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Classroom lectures also introduce students to relevant medical and pharmaceutical terminology as well as to the different pharmaceutical categories and their abbreviations. Today’s pharmacy technicians are exposed not just to frequent customer interaction but to the insurance bureaucracy as well, hence, these training programs help participants develop the necessary communication skills and gain a clear understanding of insurance and inventory procedures.
Classes also familiarize students with the Roman and Arabic pharmaceutical systems of calculation and measurement, and the flow-rate of drugs administered intravenously.
Pharmacology classes teach pharmaceutical classifications and the applications of immunobiologic agents, anti-infectives, cardiovasculars, respiratory agents, hormones, and other pharmaceutical agents.
Normally lasting 40 hours, the clinical component of pharmacy technician training teaches students the correct handling of pharmaceuticals, specifically the proper use of measuring tools for accurate counting and dispensing of various tablets and capsules. Clinical sessions also introduce students to medical methods such as IV admixture, aseptic technique, and compounding.
Finally, in the clinical phase of pharmacy technician training, students tackle inventory control and order entry as well as drug delivery, stocking, and distribution.
Pharmacy Technician Training
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