how to become a pharmacy tech

How to Become a Pharmacy Technician - Education & Certification Guide

As Baby Boomers continue to age and health coverage expands in the wake of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the demand for healthcare services has skyrocketed. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that among the fastest growing sectors in the economy, three of the top five are all related to healthcare. As part of this ballooning market, openings for pharmacy technicians are expected to grow four percent between 2019 and 2029, a rate that's as fast as the national average.

Another force that has been contributing to the demand for these healthcare professionals is the overall rise of prescription drug use. In a 2019 report, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) illustrated how Americans' use of prescription drugs has increased substantially during the past four decades. Survey respondents were asked if they had used at least one prescription drug within the previous 30 days. Between 1988 and 1994, 39.1 percent of respondents stated "yes," and that figure shot up to 69 percent between 2015 and 2016.

Furthermore, the percentage of Americans using five or more prescription drugs has more than doubled between those time intervals (4 percent and 22.4 percent of Americans, respectively).

Also, in an aggregate report from several data sources, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) stated that total spending on drug therapy had swelled to over $320 billion in the US with nearly 2.9 billion drugs ordered or provided (CDC). The pharmaceutical industry is booming and consequently, there's a mounting demand for qualified pharmacy technicians.

So what do pharmacy technicians do? The BLS (2020) states that these professionals perform a variety of functions under licensed pharmacists such as measuring medications; labeling and packaging prescriptions; acting as liaisons between customers and healthcare workers; delivering medicine to patients, nursing stations, or surgical rooms; managing and organizing pharmaceutical inventories; and accepting payment for medications. Many of the duties are learned on-the-job, and these technicians may work in drugstores, grocery stores, nursing homes, hospitals, or other medical settings. Since some pharmacies are open 24 hours per day, some of these professionals work nights and weekends, although with increased seniority, they may have more control over their schedules. The BLS adds that in 2019, there were 422,300 pharmacy technicians across the country making an average annual salary of $33,950.

Although regulations for this profession are always evolving, pharmacy technicians generally have at least a high school diploma. According to O*NET (2020)—a partner of the US government's American Job Center—60 percent of working pharmacy technicians have a high school education as their highest completed degree, and 14 percent held postsecondary certificates. That said, it may be advisable to pursue post-secondary education in this field. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) offers its certification exam to candidates who have completed a PTCB-recognized education/training program or have equivalent work experience.

Read on to discover how to become a pharmacy technician, as well as what to know about professional certification and program accreditation.

Steps to Become a Pharmacy Technician

Rasmussen University Online

Penn Foster Career School

Ashworth College

Pharmacy Technician Certification

As mentioned above, the rules surrounding the certification, registration, or licensure of pharmacy techs vary by state. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)—one of the two main national certification bodies—reports that 45 states currently regulate people in this profession, and 25 states require PTCB certification specifically. Regional rules can be retrieved by contacting the specific Board of Pharmacy, a list of which has been provided by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).

There are two main bodies which provide national certification: PTCB and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) offers the CPhT credential and requires candidates to have completed a pharmacy tech program accredited by the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC). The PTCB's Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) is a two-hour, computer-based test comprising 90 questions in nine areas such as pharmacology for technicians; pharmacy laws & regulations; medication safety; and medication order entry; and fill process. Pharmacy technicians certified by PTCB must renew every two years following the completion of 20 continued education (CE) hours.

The second certification organization—the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)—offers the ExCPT exam to earn a CPhT credential. Candidates who either have at least 1,200 hours of supervised pharmacy experience or have completed a pharmacy technician education program within the past five years are eligible to sit for this exam. The 100-question exam tests similar areas as the PTCE. Pharmacy technicians certified by NHA must renew every two years following the completion of 10 CE hours.

Finally, the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) reports that CE hours are "a structured educational activity designed or intended to support the continuing development of pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians to maintain and enhance their competence." Organizations that offer CE opportunities include the American Association of Pharmacy Technicians; the American Pharmacists Association; the National Pharmacy Technician Association; and PharmacyTechCE.

Program Accreditation

Before enrolling in pharmacy technician training, students are encouraged to verify the accreditation status of the program. Accreditation can serve as an indicator of program quality as administrators review the curricula, methods, and outcomes of programs.

To be eligible for certification, the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board requires candidates to have successfully completed an education program accredited by the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC)—a joint effort between the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

Overall, standards regulating pharmacy technicians have been moving toward increased oversight through professional certification and program accreditation. People interested in this profession are urged to check the latest regulations posited by state and national organizations in this field.

Rachel Drummond

Rachel Drummond Writer

Rachel Drummond is a freelance writer, educator, and yogini from Oregon. She's taught English to international university students in the United States and Japan for more than a decade and has a master's degree in education from the University of Oregon. A dedicated Ashtanga yoga practitioner, Rachel is interested in exploring the nuanced philosophical aspects of contemplative physical practices and how they apply in daily life. She writes about this topic among others on her blog (Instagram: @racheldrummondyoga).