Pharmacy Technician Requirements

Since the job requirements of a pharmacy technician is crucial, most employers want to hire people that have had proper training and a good education. For an education, you may go to a trade school that offers pharmacy technician courses. Courses can take from a year up to two years.

In the courses, you would get hands on training in the laboratory. The hands on training allows you to get a feel for what it is like to work in a real pharmacy so once you are on the job, everything would be familiar. After you have completed your courses and done some training on the job, you can then take the pharmacy technician certification examination.

How to Get a Pharmacy Technician License?

There are two entities where you can get your pharmacy technician certificate: The Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians and the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. If you want to take the exam, you must not have been convicted of a felony within the last five years. You also must not have any drug related convictions and you must have a high school diploma or a GED. You can take courses that will help you to pass the exam. Once you have gotten your certificate, you have to renew it every two years. You will need to take 20 hours of continuing education within the two years. Four of those hours must be in pharmacy law. Part of your hours can received through training on your job as pharmacy technician and the other part of your hours can be received through a training program offered by a school.

With the right credentials and training, you will be head and shoulders above other people that have no training. You would be easily hired by pharmacies and usually offered a higher salary than others. And you would be more likely to be promoted over others.