Pharmacy Technician Programs in Mobile, AL
As is the case across the country, the role of the pharmacy tech in pharmacies is expanding, now often including greater public contact and increasingly clinical duties like participating in wellness offerings and vaccination clinics, in addition to aiding with insurance billing and filling of prescriptions.
This often means that those best prepared to meet these new demands are those who have graduated from a pharmacy technician program.
Continue below and dive into the details on pharmacy technicians schools in Mobile, AL tuition and fees, career outlook, salary and state requirements.
Pharmacy Technician State Requirements
Alabama does not require pharmacy technicians to obtain official certification through one of the national examinations, the PTCB or the ExCPT, unlike many other states.
However, it is required by state law that pharmacy technicians hold an Alabama State Board of Pharmacy license.
Candidates must be US citizens, over the age of 17, and pass a state-run criminal background check in order to receive a license.
Additionally, they must pay $104 in non-refundable fees.
Once licensed, pharmacy technicians are required to participate in six hours of continuing education every 24 months and to operate under the direct supervision of a credentialed pharmacist at all times.
Pharmacy Technician Schools in Mobile, AL
Even though it isn't required for licensing, enrolling in an pharmacy technician school and earning a national pharmacy technician certification will often help new pharmacy techs land better-paying jobs with more responsibility.
Many employers, both in retail and clinical settings, also prefer to hire certified pharmacy technicians regardless of state laws and certification will also allow you to work in other states in the future that do mandate such things should you ever want to.
Residents in Mobile, AL who are thinking about enrolling in pharmacy technician school have a variety of possibilities open to them. Every one of them has something different to offer, and some might be more appropriate for a person's personal needs than others, notably in terms of tuition fees, class schedules, and acceptance of financial aid, among other things.
It pays to do your research before selecting the institution that is best for you for these reasons and more. To help you in beginning that vital 'homework', let's take a closer look at the pharmacy technician schools near you right now.
FORTIS College
7033 Airport Blvd,
Mobile, AL 36608
(251) 344-1203
Website
A post-secondary network of universities and institutions, FORTIS spans all of North America. At their campus in Mobile, a career diploma in pharmacy technology is available to those interested in becoming a pharmacy tech.
The school is designed to help working adults who want to change careers. This means that flexible day and evening classes are available, and that students may, if necessary, take a brief leave of absence from the course without incurring consequences. Additionally, some of the course's written assignments can be finished online.
The majority of students finish the program in less than ten months of full-time study, which includes finishing a brief externship with a nearby pharmacy. Students will have acquired all the knowledge necessary by the time they graduate in order to pass the PTCE and start working as entry-level pharmacy technicians in a retail or clinical context. The program is PTCB approved.
To cover program costs, those who meet the requirements can get federal financial aid. If a student is not eligible for regular financial aid, they might be able to get a private student loan from a company like Sallie Mae.
There are not many requirements to enroll, Students must be over 18 and have a high school certificate or General Equivalency Diploma (GED) to do so.
Coastal Alabama Community College
440 Fairhope Avenue
Fairhope, AL 36532
Website
Coastal Alabama Community College, a traditional two-year college offering affordable education to Mobile County residents, offers a pharmacy technician program at its Fairhope campus as a non-credit adult education offering that can be completed in 50 classroom hours, or, in calendar terms, less than three months.
The program, which is offered in the form of evening lectures and lab sessions, covers all the knowledge and information needed to pass the PTCB or ExCPT certification exams, and there are no academic requirements for enrollment other than students being over the age of 18 and Mobile County residents.
Short externships with local employers are available to those interested in gaining additional hands-on pharmacy tech experience, but are not mandated for graduation from the program.
As this is a non-credit program, traditional financial aid is not available to help cover a student's costs, but some under employed adults may be eligible for a workforce grant to help them pay for the pharmacy tech program, or to participate in a no interest payment plan to spread the payment of costs out over several months.
Columbia Southern University
21982 University Lane
Orange Beach, AL 36561
800-977-8449
Website
Via their Adult Continuing Education program, Columbia Southern University offers a short but comprehensive Pharmacy Technician Certificate program at their Orange Beach campus.
The non-credit granting program runs for 372 contact hours and is completed in 4 months of full time study. This PTCB approved program provides students with all the knowledge and information needed to pass the PTCB exam, and offers an optional externship opportunity for those who would like to gain additional hands-on training in a real world environment.
As a non-credit course, traditional student financial aid is not available to cover the cost of participation in this program. Payment plans are available to spread out the costs over a longer period of time, and some serving military, military spouses and veteran students may be eligible for additional grant help.
What Can I Earn as a Pharmacy Technician in Mobile, AL?
Knowing just how much of a return on your investment of time, effort and money in attending a pharmacy technician program you will earn in terms of future salary is a must for most people of course.
According to the latest statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for 2022, the average salaries paid to Mobile, AL pharmacy technicians are slightly lower than the state and national average, but are still competitive when compared with other professions calling for a similar minimal commitment to schooling.
In 2022, on average, Mobile, AL pharmacy techs earned between $30,210 and $44,520 annually compared with $29,640 to $50,640 statewide, and $28,070 and $43,950 at the national level.