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Being a pharmacy technician requires excellent customer service skills, attention to detail, and a good working knowledge of the effects of different medications. Pharmacy Technicians play a vital role in ensuring the right medications and dosages get into patients' hands in a timely manner.
While these skills are important for doing the job well, it’s possible to gain them in just a few short months by completing a Pharmacy Technician Training Program. If you enjoy helping people and aren’t afraid of doing some basic math, a career as a pharmacy technician may be a good fit for you. Achieving this career may be simpler than you think. With training from UEI College's Pharmacy Technician Program, you can begin an entry-level position as a pharmacy technician in as few as ten months.
So, if you are considering becoming a Pharmacy Technician, you might be wondering whether training to become a Pharmacy Technician is hard. This post will shed some light on how difficult it is to complete a Pharmacy Technician Program.
Is Pharmacy Technician Training and School Difficult?
Although Pharmacy Technician Training can be challenging for some, many students who put in the time and effort to study and practice the skills they’ve learned will find becoming a pharmacy technician achievable. The great thing about UEI College's Pharmacy Technician Program is that it can be completed in as few as 10 Months! So, in less than a year, you can pursue a career as a Pharmacy Technician.
UEI College's Pharmacy Technician program teaches students:
- Federal and state pharmaceutical laws
- Pharmaceutical calculations and mathematics
- The difference between hospital vs. retail pharmacies
- Compounding medications
- Common disorders and the medications used to treat them
- Chemotherapy drugs
- Sanitary handling of medications
These topics will be a natural fit for anyone who is organized, detail-oriented, good at basic math, and has a curiosity about the human body and a passion for helping others.
The courses are taught through a mixture of online and in-person instruction. Students learn concepts through virtual assignments and lectures and then come together in class twice a week to practice skills and receive further instruction from experienced instructors. The right training and support make a huge difference in how easy or difficult it is to learn something new.
What is a Pharmacy Technician?
A pharmacy technician is a pharmacist’s right-hand. They help the pharmacist fulfill prescriptions and act as an intermediary between patients and the pharmacist, answering questions, submitting insurance claims, updating records and distributing medications. They work under the direct supervision of a pharmacist, but they play a crucial role in ensuring orders are filled correctly and on time.
What Does a Day in the Life of a Pharmacy Technician Look Like?
A pharmacy technician’s day is never the same. Each day they receive new prescription orders that need to be reviewed and verified. The pharmacy technician’s job is to find the medication and prepare the order by counting and using calculations to compound medications or separate doses as ordered by the doctor. When the order is complete, it is reviewed by a pharmacist to double-check accuracy.
A pharmacy technician is also responsible for verifying insurance coverage, submitting insurance claims, and preparing billing information. Other clerical tasks may include answering questions, tracking inventory, and updating patient records.
The details of a pharmacy technician’s job may also depend on the type of pharmacy they work in. In a hospital pharmacy, pharmacy technicians prepare medications to give to doctors or nurses who will administer the drugs to the patient. They work in a fast-paced environment that requires excellent note-taking skills. In a retail setting, pharmacy technicians administer medications directly to customers who may require a higher level of customer service. They may also be responsible for keeping the pharmacy area of the retail business well-stocked and clean.
In some ways, the job of a pharmacy technician may be methodical, visiting the same shelves and counting out medications over and over, but you never know the challenges that may come up during the day. Being a pharmacy technician requires excellent focus, attention to detail, and great customer service skills.
How To Train To Become a Pharmacy Technician?
Training to become a pharmacy technician is relatively quick. Training for this career does not require a college degree, and it can be achieved by enrolling in and graduating from a career training program like UEI College's Pharmacy Technician Program.
To begin training for an entry-level position as a pharmacy technician, you will need to have a high school diploma or equivalent. With that, you are ready to enroll in a Pharmacy Technician Program.
Learn more about how to become a pharmacy technician.
What Are the Educational Requirements to Become a Pharmacy Technician?
You do not need a college degree to become a Pharmacy Technician. But, you will need a high school diploma or equivalent, as this is the minimum educational requirement for the position.
With a high school diploma, you can enroll in a Pharmacy Technician Program. Graduation from a training program is also a requirement for most entry-level positions, as employers prefer graduates of Pharmacy Technician Programs because such programs provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to contribute on day one!
How Long Does Pharmacy Technician Training Take to Complete?
You can complete UEI College's Pharmacy Technician Program in as few as 10 Months!
The training for this career is hands-on and fast-paced.
The Pharmacy Technician training program at UEI College is delivered in a hybrid model. Students learn new concepts online during live lectures and through online quizzes and assignments. Twice a week, students come to campus for hands-on, in-person learning. Students will spend time with experienced instructors, putting the concepts they’ve learned into practice.
The program ends with an externship inside a local pharmacy. This gives students the opportunity to really practice their skills and continue to learn more in-depth from pharmacists and current pharmacy technicians. Many students are hired by their externship site once they prove their abilities.
All of this is completed in less than a year.
Become a Pharmacy Technician With UEI College
If you're interested in becoming a Pharmacy Technician, you should consider enrolling in UEI College's Pharmacy Technician Program. UEI College has the resources and support to help you train to become a pharmacy technician quickly.
Additionally, we offer ongoing enrollment, allowing you to enroll and begin training in less than a month.
We encourage you to tour our campus, meet the instructors, learn more about the program, and begin classes on the next start date!
Financial aid is available to those who qualify, and classes are offered in the mornings and evenings to accommodate busy schedules.
If you enjoy working independently but still want a career that’s fulfilling and exciting, being a pharmacy technician may be a good fit for you.
Give us a call or fill out a form to learn about our Pharmacy Technician Program.
