Pharmacy Technician Requirements In Your State
How you become a pharmacy technician really depends on the state you live in. Although there are no official government mandated requirements you do have to become certified. This is done through the pharmacy technician certification board. You must apply, be accepted to take an exam and pass to become certified.
Every state has a Board of Pharmacy or a similar regulatory agency that sets up the educational and experiential requirements individuals need to meet before they can work in a pharmacy. Once you know what your state requires, you will better understand your options and how to proceed.
There are currently 45 states regulating Pharmacy Technicians and which specify:
- registration/licensure,
- and/or certification requirements for pharmacy technicians.
Some states require formal training from accredited schools only, on-the-job training, national certification, a mix of these or no requirements at all.
What Are Your Next Steps To Become A Certified Pharmacy Tech?
If this occupation sounds like something you are interested in, then it is time to move forward and start looking for pharmacy tech training programs. You can find them in various settings, including hospitals, community colleges, vocational schools and even online schools. Most training programs are under 2 years and can even be as short as 6 months. As you can see, going from training to a full time employee does not take long and you can be on your way to earning a great income in a stable job in no time.
Apply for CPhT
The certification process is handled by ICPT and PTCB which are private organizations. Candidates who want to get pharmacy technician license must pass the PCTE and ExCPT exams. A license is offered only to those candidates who do not have any drug-related crime involvement or conviction record. After getting certified, the trained and certified trainee (CPhT) can apply for the pharmacy technician license.
Pharmacy Technologist Requirements By State
Simply select your state below to learn more about what your state requires.