Pharmacy Technician Career Path Trending Steeply Upwards
A pharmacy technician career is a solid path to a brighter future for many people, especially those that are graduating from high school right now or are looking for a stable career change. The salary of a pharmacy tech is fairly high, particularly when you take into consideration the amount of schooling needed to become a pharm tech.
Pharm tech training, whether at an online school or on a traditional campus, usually takes around six to twelve months. That’s it. So, it’s a great alternative to getting an associate’s or a bachelor’s degree, especially when you need to be out there making money right away. Imagine being right out of high school and pulling down $30,000 to 40,000 dollars per year while most of your peers are sinking further and further into debt. It’s not such a bad option. And, if you continue your education while you work, you can eventually become a pharmacist and move up even further. It’s a classic career path upwards without having to invest too much in school on the front end.
The career outlook for pharmacy technicians is extremely strong, despite the latest economic downturn. In fact, the health care industry and the pharmacy industry are expected to grow in the short and long term, making the pharm tech career path a very solid one indeed.
The duties of a pharmacy technician include most of the duties of a pharmacist, however a pharmacy tech cannot in any way convey additional medical advice to patients beyond that of the pharmacist’s instruction. So, you’ll have to quickly learn to walk a fine line between helping people and following the rules. You’ll have to comply with the pharmacist’s decisions and rules, which will vary from place to place, but it’s like any other job in that regard.
Most of what a pharmacy tech does is customer service based work. So, if you want to get into this career, it’s best to be very comfortable dealing with all different types of people. An outgoing personality is extremely helpful, as well as having a diligent and accurate mathematical brain. Billing, stocking supplies, and filling prescriptions are key duties.
Once you’re certified as a pharmacy technician (which you will have to become in many states), you’ll have to take continuing education classes every two years in order to keep your certification active. It’s a very simple and straight forward process, and they remind you incessantly, so you’ll stay on top of it.
The pharmacy technician career path is something that a lot of unemployed folks or recent graduates should be taking a look at. With the current downturn, making a move into this industry is a perfect idea right now.