Why Get an Associate's Degree in Pharmacy Technology?

Despite not being a prerequisite, an associate's degree will help your career as a pharmacy technician. Yes it may cost more, but the duration by which you can finish this program is relatively short when you compare it to other professions in the health care industry and you will earn that money back as you go along your career.

In as little as six months, you can start your career as a pharmacy tech. Some schools even offer a part time study schedule for more busy individuals or people who want to shift professions. This short turnaround is why a lot of people want to get in this industry. But what most people fail to realizd is that the type of education as well as the school you are going into.

Look for an accredited school

In looking for an accredited institution, to be more specific a school accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists. This gives you assurance that the training you will get has passed stringent requirements set by the industries top professionals. This means the program involves academic, practical and experiential courses designed to make you a well-rounded pharmacy technician.

Practical and on the job training play a vital role in your preparation to become a pharm tech, despite what some people claim that academic studies are enough because you will be working with drugs, medication that can adversely affect the quality of living when given in the wrong dosage.

Imagine yourself having diabetes buying prescription medication for another illness. You would not want the pharm tech serving you to give you a wrong dosage of a drug that can adversely affect the insulin in your body. This is the exact reason why pharmacies will only want to hire individual who've completed a training program in an accredited school.

Why Then Should I Get an Associate's Degree?

There are a multitude of reasons. Firstly, associate's degree holders are more highly sought after by larger pharmacies both in retail as well as in hospital pharmacies. With that being said, you'll get a higher wage, currently the median is at 13.50 dollars per hour. Plus more training opportunities in other fields like nuclear and clinical pharmacy.

Second, you'll have more opportunities in your profession. You'll have the chance to get promoted to a higher role like a supervisory position or even as a sales representative for drugs. These positions offer you more job security and a more fulfilling experience at work.

Third, you'll also have the opportunity to work in a hospital setting with the patients themselves. Most pharmacy technicians will not have this opportunity if they don't have the right education. Working in patient care is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have as a pharmacy tech. You get to work with pharmacists and physicians themselves in taking care of patients.