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While there are still more than a few States in the United States that do not require pharmacy technician certification, more and more are adopting laws that will change this. But even if you live in a State that does not currently require this certification, if you plan to make this a career, being certified will make a huge difference to your future in the field. When we compare the salaries of certified pharmacy technicians and none certified technician in States with no requirements we can see that the salaries are nearly 30% higher for those with certification and interviewing with a certification will greatly increase your chance of being hired.
The reasons for this are simple: Education and training. There is one very important examination that is used to certify pharmacy techs. There are several others but these two are the oldest and most well respected in the industry. The first, the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) is a 90 question, multiple choice exam that is proctored on computer. This is the most basic test for the field and covers the basic technician´s responsibilities and maintaining inventory and control systems. This test can be taken as often as you like but must be paid for each time and has no time limit.
While a training program completion is not necessary to take this test it is a fair bet that without at least some formal training you will not pass it. When you do pass the examination however and obtain your certification you will also be required to complete at least five hours every year in continuing education in order to maintain your certification. At least one hour in each ten hours taken must include instruction in pharmacy law because these laws change with every State Legislative session.
Even in States which do not require certification, this only applies to small private pharmacies. There are a number of working environments that, do require certification, like hospital pharmacies and this means that if you want to earn the best money you will need this certification. Another issue is your decision to carry your career to the next logical step: Fully licensed pharmacist. Enrolling in a good pharmacy school is a great deal easier when you have your technician´s certification. The certification also leads to much more rapid promotion as well.
If you are currently working as a pharmacy technician without a certification and want to be certified, you might want to check with your employer. In many cases employers will fully reimburse you for all testing fees and in some cases continuing education classes. The pharmaceutical industry in the United States is one of the fastest growing industries in the country and the job outlook for both pharmacy technicians and pharmacists is very good. But obtaining a pharmacy technician certification is a must before you can expect to make real advances in the field.
