One of the industries that is expanding at a fast rate is the healthcare industry. Because of the growing number of elderly people worldwide, there is an increasing demand for more people to work in the medical and healthcare fields.
If you seek a career that is lucrative but also challenging and exciting, consider working in the healthcare industry. Healthcare careers include medicine, nursing, administration, and physical therapy. Pharmaceutical Technician is also a good medical career option.
Working as pharmacy technicians is a good entry point to get into the competitive healthcare industry. A pharmacy technician prepares patient medications and helps pharmacists with filing and organizing. There are other duties and responsibilities that are assigned to pharmacy technicians, which can be useful in case they want to advance their careers.
If you want to be a pharmacy technician, you can choose to work in various settings, including hospitals, retail stores, nursing homes, and other medical facilities.
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Tips for Becoming a Pharmaceutical Technician
There are many pharmacy technician jobs offered in different settings, but one of the most common is working in a hospital. Pharmacy technicians work with pharmacists to help prepare medications for patients.
If you have previous experience working in the medical industry and are interested in making a switch in your line of work, this role may be perfect for you.
1. Take the Required Training Program
To become a pharmacy technician, you must complete and pass the required training program. You can check if your local community college or university is accredited to offer this program.
Most certificate programs can be finished in one year or less, and associate degree programs can take two years to complete. Once you find one that meets your needs, attend all the classes and complete all the given assignments on time.
2. Pass the PTCE
Before legally working in this field, some states require pharmacy technicians to be certified or licensed. Taking the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam is an essential step to becoming a certified pharmacy technician. The PTCB exam is a multiple-choice test which evaluates your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Your ability to take tests, the extent of your preparation, and the type of questions included in the PTCB exam are just a few factors that could hinder your performance. In 2022, 70% of students passed the exam. To successfully pass the exam, you need to make the necessary preparation.
3. Take a PTCB Practice Test
If you want to know how the PTCB test looks like, you can take a pharmacy technician practice test before the actual one. This way, you can have an idea what questions might appear on the test and how much time you might need to finish it. As such, you won’t be surprised on the PTCB exam day.
The PTCB practice test can also help you get a feel for how the test is set up and how many questions are in each section. You can find a free PTCB practice test online, and the answers are indicated, so you can see which questions you got wrong.
4. Get Certified
Obtaining a certification is one proof that your knowledge, skills, and abilities are deserving of acknowledgment. Moreover, it is an ideal way to prove that you are updated on the most recent trends and advances in pharmacy.
Certified pharmacy technicians can apply for various employment prospects, including positions in commercial and institutional pharmacies and hospitals.
5. Practice Your Interview Skills
Once you have your certification, prepare for the interview by practicing with your friends or family members who have experience in healthcare administration or management. Ask them questions about themselves, their jobs, and their companies, so you can get used to answering questions about yourself without sounding like a robot! Practice makes perfect.
6. Apply for the Job
Finally, once you’ve landed a job as a pharmacy technician in a hospital setting or anywhere, it’s important to keep up with continuing education opportunities to know the latest technological changes and new medications being released in the market every year.
Reasons Why Being a Hospital Pharmacy Technician Is Such a Good Career Option
A hospital pharmacist has a lot of responsibilities and has a critical job. The pharmacist ensures that all medicines are kept in the right place, given to the right people, and distributed to patients as soon as possible. These things can be easily accomplished with the assistance of a hospital pharmacy technician.
Here are some of the reasons why being a hospital pharmacy technician is such a good career option:
1. It Is a Growing Field
Pharmacists and hospital technicians can experience growth in the healthcare industry despite automation predictions.
This profession will be needed as long as sick individuals need medical care. They have to teach others how to take care of themselves to avoid future medical needs (which would result in more work being required).
2. Better Opportunities for Advancement
Most hospitals employ different types of pharmacy technicians, including those specializing in compounding medications and sterilizing equipment and those working with inventory management.
If you show potential, hospitals will promote you within the organization. You can also start your firm as an independent contractor working with several facilities or other companies that deal with hospitals.
3. Interesting Working Environment
Working as a pharmacist technician does not require you to perform monotonous duties in front of computers or machinery all day. You can engage with patients, doctors, and other medical staff regularly, which is more engaging than working behind the scenes without human contact.
4. Get Paid Well
Compared to other careers that demand hard lifting or long hours, hospital pharmacy technicians are well-compensated and work in a less stressful environment. Since it is regarded as one of the most profitable occupations in the world today, this is one reason why more and more individuals are entering this industry.
Wrapping Up
The role of a hospital technician is to provide the highest quality care to patients, and the best way for you to do that is by learning about all aspects of your work. If you’re interested in switching careers, this is one of the best ways to learn about various fields and find something that fits you.
It’s important to note that while this career path can be gratifying, it also comes with some challenges to be part of the field. But if you follow the steps provided in this article, proper preparation will help you.