One of the Health Sciences electives we offer at Sterling Academy is a class called Pharmacy Technician. This course covers the skills necessary to work in the pharmacy technician field and prepares students to move toward becoming a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
Why do we offer such a course?
One reason is that high school students may want to consider a career as a pharmacy technician.
This career path is wide open
The entire health care field is growing rapidly. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technician jobs are expected to increase 20% between 2012 and 2022, compared to an overall average job increase of 11%. That means there will be plenty of opportunities to work in retail pharmacies, hospitals or other settings in which medications are dispensed.
Pharmacies are a good place to work. They are clean, tidy, well-lit and well-ventilated. Median pay for this position is $29,320, and you can work full-time or part-time. Depending on your employer, you could receive work-related benefits such as health insurance, paid vacation or sick leave and retirement contributions.
Pharmacy techs work alongside licensed pharmacists, collecting patient information, reviewing prescriptions, preparing and dispensing medications and so on. Most states allow pharmacy technicians to compound some medications and contact doctors for authorization to renew prescriptions. In hospitals, techs sometimes make rounds to dispense medications to patients.
As our population ages, the need for medications will continue to increase. In addition, more people now suffer from diabetes and other chronic conditions that require medication. And researchers are constantly developing new medications and vaccines to treat or prevent disease. More medications to dispense means more work for pharmacy technicians.
It is also possible that the supporting role of technicians could expand in the future, taking over more of the administrative tasks now performed by licensed pharmacists, who are increasingly being called upon to provide related services such as flu shots and other vaccinations.
Pharmacy technicians sometimes receive on-the-job training, but long-term career prospects are best if you take the steps needed to formalize your training by taking the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examinations. Our Pharmacy Technician course is the first step.
The Pharmacy Technician course opens additional doors
Taking this online elective enables you to learn more about health sciences employment opportunities – in this case what is involved in the pharmaceuticals area of medicine – to help you decide if it’s something you might want to pursue as a career field. If so, you can be on your way as soon as you graduate high school.
Or you can choose to go further. Becoming a pharmacy technician doesn’t have to be your final career, it can help you launch a medical career as a registered pharmacist, nurse, doctor or other type of medical professional. Not only will you get valuable, pertinent background and experience as you work, you can earn money to pay for more advanced education.
The health care field offers a wide range of highly rewarding career opportunities, of which pharmacy technician is just one. At the very least, taking this online class will make you more knowledgeable in your personal life, as soon or later we all interact with pharmacies. However, taking this course could also lead to an exciting and fulfilling career you might otherwise have overlooked.
