Pharmacy Technician Career Center

• Employers generally favor pharmacy technicians who have received certificates or associate's degrees from community or technical colleges. Most programs take less than a year to complete. Read more about pharmacy tech training and find the best pharmacy technician schools.
   

• Graduates from formal training programs are prepared to take the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam. Read more about pharmacy technician certification.

• The need for pharmacy techs is increasing. Retailers are expanding their pharmaceutical services, and scientific advancements continue. Read more about your pharmacy technician career.
   
• Many pharmacy techs work in retail pharmacies. Others fill prescriptions in hospitals, work in wholesale and online pharmacies, or with government organizations. Read more about where pharmacy technicians work.
   
• While starting out can be a challenge, pharmacy tech salaries have excellent potential for growth as you gain experience. Read more about pharmacy technician salaries.
   

• Randy Brown has over a decade of experience as a pharmacy tech. He gives you the everyday ins-and-outs of the job in our interview with a pharmacy technician.

If you want to learn how to become a pharmacy technician, here is a simple outline of what it takes:

• Find a top pharmacy tech program. Nowadays you can study online or in a classroom. Review our list of pharmacy technician schools.
   
• Take the pharmacy technician certification exam. Exams are given in virtually every state. All you need to do is sign up.
   
• Interview for pharmacy tech jobs. Decide what is most important to you: salary, benefits, hours, location. 
   
• Keep your certification current. After becoming a certified pharmacy tech, you must complete 20 hours of continuing education every two years. Employers will usually cover the cost of your continuing education.

_{Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011}