4 Reasons You Should Get Certified as a Pharmacy Technician

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Certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) validates your knowledge and skills and verifies that you have what it takes to be an effective Pharmacy Technician. It assures employers, coworkers, and customers that you know what you’re doing and it can greatly boost your confidence. Certification may even help you earn more money. Here’s what certification could do for you:

1. Access Up-to-Date Knowledge

The knowledge that you gain from the certification process can be invaluable for your future career. Before you sit for your certification exam, you’ll train to be a Pharmacy Technician. Your training program will teach you the rules of the Pharmacy Technician profession including legal and ethical standards relevant to the field. You learn about compounding and transcribing and how a pharmacy operates. You take courses that cover important topics like:

  • Pharmacy Administration
  • Infection Control and Safety
  • Compliance in Healthcare Environments
  • Pharmacy Measurements and Calculations
  • Pharmacy Measurements
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacodynamics
  • Pharmacokinetics

You also learn strategies to pass your exam. Once you’re certified, you need to stay up-to-date on the latest industry trends, technology, and guidelines. Your certification can help you do that. To retain certification, you need to take continuing education courses that ensure your working knowledge is current, and that your best practices are the practices of today, not yesterday.

2. Prove What You Know

Certification tells employers that you have a high level of knowledge about your field and that you have the credentials to prove it. It shows them that you take your work and your career seriously and gives them another reason to hire you. It gives you greater credibility among your co-workers and in front of your customers. According to a survey from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, 94% of consumers have more trust in pharmacies with standardized certifications. The credential also looks great on your resume!

3. Increase Your Career Opportunities

Your certification can help you stand out in a competitive job market. And did you know that your certification can travel with you from state to state? Each state has its own requirements for how Pharmacy Technicians can work within its borders, but a national certification is recognized across all 50 states. If you need to move, your certification moves with you and allows you to look for a job in any state. With the increased mobility that a certification affords, you can choose where you live and how you earn. For example, California, Washington, and Alaska are the top payers for Pharmacy Techs. Where would you like to live?

4. Boost Your Self Confidence

When you wear a name tag that indicates you are a certified Pharmacy Technician, you feel proud of what you’ve accomplished. Not every Pharmacy Tech takes the extra step to earn certification, so you know you can feel good about the service you provide to your customers, and the respect you’ll earn from your colleagues.

To become certified, you need to successfully complete a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program or have equivalent work experience and pass a two-hour exam. The Certificate in Pharmacy Technician program at Charter College is recognized by the PTCB and we help prepare you to sit for the national exam. Your training also includes an externship that gives you real-world experience to boost your knowledge and help you prepare for your career. Call 888-200-9942 or fill out the form to learn more.