National Pharmacy Technician Certification

By Author: Aaron Barrett
Total Articles: 4
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Those who are aiming to break into the medical industry can choose from a number of paths to achieve their goal. One of them is to take a certification and work as a professional pharmacy technician. Such persons are in charge of diverse tasks in a pharmacy or a hospital and work under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. This includes ordering, packaging, and preparing medications. Technicians may dispense medications under the direction of a Licensed Pharmacist. A national certified pharmacy technician is certified to receive prescriptions, prepare, mix, or compound medications for dispensing. Aside from clinical work, technicians are also counted upon to complete the necessary paperwork on billing, claims, and patient files.If you have been following pharmacy technician certification for awhile, you'll know that in order to be certified, individuals must study and prove their competence in medical terms, billing, ethics, math, prescriptions and caring for patients. Clinical rotations, ...
... either in a retail or hospital setting, are typically required in most pharmacy technician certification programs.Pharmacy Technician Certification TypesThe Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, or PTCB, is one of two associations authorized to certify pharmacy technicians. The other is the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians, or ICPT, which recently joined the National Health Association. Let's start with the PTCB certification which boasts of universal recognition across all states and an effective period of 2 years. At the end of this timeframe, continuing education is required to renew the certification. This should comprise of no less than 20 hrs worth of classes on drug distribution, pharmacy legislation, and inventory management. Students may take classes online or at a local college or university. Some U.S. states require you to pass the National Pharmacy Technician certification examination, while in other states, certification is voluntary. Additional testing or registration may be required, and the State's Board of Pharmacy should be contacted for further information.The PTCB has its own test but the ICTP requires candidates to complete the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) examination to earn certification. The PTCB has been in business since 1995, is more established, and thus may be more accepted by employers than the ICTP exam. Each state has its own rules about which examination is recognizes. The ICPT is a private organization, and the PTCB is a nonprofit organization that is administered by a group of professional pharmacy associations. The Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians administers the CPhT Pharmacy Technician Certification exam. Those who pass the CPhT test are given their professional certification and, to date, over three hundred thousand individuals have been fortunate enough to receive it. Some of the reasons why this is so are highly flexible test schedules and reasonable exam fee. The CPhT exam provides work credentials recognized in most states. Eligibility Requirements for Pharmacy Technician CertificationIn order to obtain a certification, you must meet the following eligibility requirements: 1. Have a valid high school diploma or GED equivalent;2. No prior criminal record;3. No drug-related offenses; and4. Spotless record at all Boards of Pharmacy across the country.Academic Requirements Pharmacy technician programs are widely available at community colleges. Those who want more information on them can simply contact the school's admissions office. Some programs provide the resources to complete the program in eight weeks to six months. An Associate's degree generally require two years of full-time attendance, as well as more stringent admission requirements than certificate programs. A viable option for pharmacy technician training is an online learning program. These programs can be substantially equivalent to in class programs, and allow persons with family of employment responsibilities to complete a pharmacy technician program. One item to consider in any pharmacy technician program is the program's eligibility for federal student aid. Always ask about financing options and accreditation to avail of the best possible option. However, the school may provide private financing options. Above all, you must make sure the program offers adequate preparation for you to pass either one of the two available pharmacy technician national certification examinations. Taking the Certification ExamThe PTCB National Pharmacy Technician certification examination consists of 90 multiple-choice questions, and two hours are allotted for completion. Exam content is developed by licensed pharmacists, technicians, and educators. The content is constantly reviewed for relevancy to practice in the real world. Students are allowed to use a calculator while taking the test. Exam questions are discussed and developed by a group of licensed pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and other education professionals to test the candidate on essential concepts that must be grasped in order to perform well as a pharmacy technician.Candidates will be tested on the following areas: the maintenance of medication and inventory control systems, how to effectively assist a pharmacist in dealing with patients, and how to help administer drugs and manage a pharmacy practice. Test questions alternate every time it is given but each version has the same level of difficulty attached to it. Ten percent of the test is used for evaluation purposes only and will not count against the student's score. These may form the basis for future questions if found satisfactory. The test is computer-driven, and your score is immediately provided upon completion of the exam. The test may be retaken, if necessary, after 90 days. Students may take the test a third time after six months.If you're interested in finding out more about getting certified as a pharmacy technician, or for general career advice, please feel free to visit our website here: pharmacy technician national certification