The Benefits of Becoming a Pharmacy Technician
With the New Year approaching, I am featuring blogs about career opportunities that are on the grow.
As the population ages, careers in allied health are more in demand than ever. A career as a pharmacy technician is one of the many options available to you. Not only is it an interesting field to explore, but also one where the benefits begin even before the liftoff of your career. Here are some of the benefits you can expect from a career as a pharmacy technician.
It’s a Growing Field
An aging population combined with the changing face of healthcare in this country means that there are more patients for pharmacies. That’s why it comes as no surprise that pharmacy technician jobs are high in demand and are growing faster than degree programs can produce them. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technician jobs should grow by 20 percent through the year 2022. The average growth rate for other occupations is around 11 percent, so there’s no denying that if you want options that pharmacy is your way to go.
Fast Certification
Other careers in healthcare can take years to complete, but becoming a pharmacy technician is something you can do in less than a year. At the end of your hands on coursework you will be eligible to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam and be on your way to a promising and highly demanded career. Imagine this: if you choose a career as a pharmacy technician today, you could be in a pharmacy actually working as a tech a year from now!
Flexibility
The coursework you need in order to become a pharmacy technician is available to you in ways that easily fit your lifestyle. Although you will be expected to do some hands on work and training, you can also complete some of the coursework online. New classes are offered every 5 weeks and there are even accelerated classes available in the morning or evening in order to get your requirements finished even faster while you still fulfill your current responsibilities at home or at your current job.
Helping Others
One of the biggest benefits to a career as a pharmacy technician is something that doesn’t revolve around pay, but around fulfillment. When you work with other people who need your specific skills in order to get the help they need, it leaves you feeling good not only about the job you’re doing, but the way you’re having a positive impact on the lives of others. Making a patient’s day could be as simple as having a friendly conversation as the cash register. The point is that becoming a pharmacy technician is a career that you can be proud of and actually look forward to doing every day.
Work with Your Hands
This is most definitely not a position in which you will be sitting at a cubicle and looking at a computer screen all day, because pharmacy technicians are hands on. Pharmacy technicians work with the pharmacist and under their supervision, but they are able to independently do things such as measure and count medications, package prescriptions and handle transactions with patients. It’s a job that is different every day, and with repeat customers you have the opportunity to get to know the people you serve as you actively do your job.
A Plethora of Professional Options
Pharmacy technicians don’t just work at the local drug store. As a pharmacy technician you will have a lot of professional options available. You can work in a hospital, a mail-order prescription business or even a pharmaceutical company. One of the biggest advantages to this course of study is that it gives you a choice about what environment you want to work in. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts that pharmacy technicians will begin playing a much larger role in the pharmacy in the coming years, most likely taking on duties that require more patient care.
Advancement Opportunities
When you choose to become a pharmacy technician, it certainly won’t be the final stop on your career path. The demand of this job and the quick time in which you can complete your training make it a great option right now, but as you gain experience and grow you will have opportunities to advance in the future.
Fill More than Prescriptions
With all the benefits of becoming a pharmacy technician, there are many more. While it helps to fulfill your need to help people, it also gives you a career with stability and options for your family. You can be confident that the choice to take pharmacy tech courses at Arizona College is one of the best choices that you will ever make.
