How to Become a Certified Pharmacy Technician

If you’re interested in working in the healthcare field but don’t want to spend years of your life in school accumulating daunting student loan debts, a pharmacy technician career could be a great fit for you. In this exciting career, you will work in a pharmacy setting on a daily basis, not only interacting with patients but also performing more logistical tasks such as medical transcription and drug dispensation. If you want to learn how to become a pharmacy technician, here’s a simple, step-by-step guide:

1. Enroll in an accredited career training institute:

Before getting started, be sure to browse the curriculum and ensure that the following fundamental objectives will be met:

1. Developing a comprehensive understanding of the pharmacy technician’s role in the workplace.
2. Learning all about the ethical implications of this career as well as any industry-standard healthcare regulations that may apply.
3. Learning about all state and federal regulations that apply to both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
4. Learning fundamental techniques such as medication transcriptions, metric/apothecary conversions, drug dispensation, recordkeeping and patient profiling.
5. Understanding all major classifications of drugs and their indications, therapeutic effects, side effects, dosing recommendations, routes of administration and mechanisms of action.

2. Earn your certification:

When it comes to finding a new job in a rapidly growing industry such as healthcare, it’s important to present potential employers with a resume that stands out. Knowing that, certification is a crucial element of your resume when it comes to showing your future employer why you can be trusted to do the job better than other applicants.

After completing your NYICD course, you will be prepared to take either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the Pharmacy Technician Certification (ExCPT) offered by the National Health career Association (NHA).

These nationally-recognized certifications will ensure that you have the skills needed to succeed at your new career. Not only that, NYICD will pay for you to take the exam when you finish your course.

3. Get Hired:

Unlike other career training institutions, NYICD will work with you after you’ve completed your course up until the day you’re hired at a new job. Our career services staff is there to help you:

1. Write a resume
2. Complete practice interviews to familiarize you with questions you’ll likely be asked at an interview for this role, as well as help you confidently deliver comprehensive answers
3. Find available jobs in your area

At NYICD, we understand that our students enroll with a career in mind. That’s why the help we provide doesn’t end after you finish your course or pass your certification exam. We promise to stick by your side until you start working at the job you had in mind when you first enrolled.