To become a pharmacy technician is one of the best ways to start your career in the field of medicine and healthcare. Many choose this career path for job security and good salary. This is an amazing way to gain experience and complete your education even before the students of different majors have completed their degree. The pharmacy tech program is a very short course which also includes firsthand medical training and it such a speed you will start working in no time.
One of the advantages of being a pharmacy technician is that jobs are easily available because pharmacies are everywhere. Whether in a super market, nursing homes or even online pharmacies, everywhere they need certified pharmacy technicians to operate the business smoothly and flawlessly for both current and potential consumers. You also have the privilege to choose the type of environment you feel which is best for you. Along with that if you have experience in marketing and management, you can also operate the business yourself by providing the best customer service possible and also be a pharmacy technician.
Being a pharmacy technician enables you to associate yourself with various experts and professionals in the top healthcare organizations. In order to gain more experience and create a pathway, you will be able to observe and communicate with doctors, physicians, pharmacists and much more. This could be a great way for you to create a large career in this field.
The pharmaceuticals and the healthcare industry is growing larger day by day all over the world. Being a pharmacy technician, you will receive a pay which is higher than the average national salary in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the jobs for pharmacy technician has increased by 32 per cent over the past few years due to rising demands in the health care and pharmaceutical field in general.
The state of Michigan provides various opportunities for pharmacy technicians. Out of the 350,000 salaried pharmacy technicians in the United States, more than per cent of them live only in the state of Michigan. There are more than 100 outstanding hospitals, 500 clinics and 2000 retail stores that employ pharmacy technicians every year. Michigan is known to have one-tenth of the largest healthcare and pharmaceutical facilities. Every pharmacy technician at Michigan will gain access to more than 100 nationally ranked healthcare systems. Some of the notable places where pharmacy technicians work in Michigan includes Rite Aid, Savon, Walmart, Walgreens, Meijer Pharmacies, Adventist Health System, Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center, University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers, Oakwood Hospital and Medical Center, St. John Hospital and Medical Center and much more.
Employment in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries is very competitive and to receive a job, it necessary for the candidate to stand out. A pharmacy technician needs to communicate with the customers, patients, co-workers and other professional experts in the healthcare. It is necessary for you to be friendly and patient around people. At times you will need to handle patients who are very sick or aggrieved, at that moment you be able to be caring for them. It is essential for you to run everything smoothly and handle difficult situations.
Employers want the pharmacy technicians to be observant and organized. Being a pharmacy technicians to be able to handle the prescriptions of the customer and the data system of the pharmacy, manufacturing, and packaging of the drugs and dosages and much more. It is the job of a pharmacy technician to alert the services when the medical drugs are running low and when new medications are needed to be ordered. Good pharmacy technicians master and fulfill all these qualities.
The employers want to know about your motivation on choosing this field of career. You must provide clear lines of communication with the patients, professional experts, customers etc. In the 21st century, the pharmaceutical and healthcare system relies on technology all the time. In order to succeed in this career path, a good pharmacy technician must be able to work with computers, access various data and must be trained to use various medical related software that is needed to keep track of the storage and medications needs.
Licensing of Pharmacy Technicians in Michigan
The state of Michigan has more than thirteen thousand full pharmacy technicians working in the different pharmaceutical and healthcare sector which includes hospitals, clinics, retail pharmacies and much more. The Michigan Board of Pharmacy does not administer any activities of the pharmacy technicians and along with that, it is not necessary for the pharmacy technicians to receive any Board certification. They mostly work according to the federal laws but it is completely voluntary to acquire a license but no registration is required. But be noted that pharmacy technicians who have Board certifications are more successful. Current pharmacy technicians have stated that even though it is not compulsory but if you acquire certification it will instantly create a pathway for you and you will have a better chance of scoring a job faster. The licensed pharmacy technicians go through vigorous training process by completing an internship in a well-known pharmacy and earning a passing grade in the accredited Exam for Certified Pharmacy Technicians.
The current pharmacy technicians have passed the new requirement, Public Act 285, which serves to protect patient safety, administer the handling of controlled medications and enable the pharmacists to concentrate on quality patient care. In order to receive the license, the pharmacy technicians have been cited to particular responsibilities which allocate them as pharmacy technicians. Most of the entry-level technicians are above 20 years of age even though the minimum requirement is 18 years of age. Be noted that the pharmacy technicians have to go through regular Criminal Background Check and other federal law verification.
The salary of a pharmacy technician depends on various factors such as education and training, certifications, the location of the employment, and much more. Pharmacy technicians who work in top pharmaceutical and healthcare industry in high-level jobs such as operating complex techs and provides healthcare services earn the highest salaries. Followed by that, pharmacy technicians who work in local hospitals and retail stores earn the second and the third highest pay rates. Also, a technician who has graduated with an associate’s degree from a well-known college makes more money than those who has completed a small course of only 12 weeks or 30 weeks. Experience also impact the salary, technicians at the entry-level positions earn a low rate of salary than those who have worked in this field more many years.
Work environment and schedule also depend on the salary of a pharmacy technician. Those who work full time in super markets and drug stores earn more than part-time. Many pharmacy and drug stores are open 24 hours a day, the technicians work based on hourly shifts, also during the weekends and holidays. In many pharmaceutical companies and pharmacies, a full-time employed pharmacy technician have the benefit of receiving vacation, paid holidays, sick leave, fully or partially health insurance and life insurance. Currently, the average salary for pharmacy technicians with four to five years of experience earns around $30,000 in the state of Michigan. While in an entry-level position, a pharmacy technician earns a median salary of around $20,000 or less than that. The top pharmacy technicians in the state of Michigan earn more than $45,000 per year.
According to a recent study, the job outlook of a pharmacy technician in Michigan is pretty good. Over the past two to three years, the employment rate of pharmacy technicians has increased by 20 per cent. One of the top reasons for this increase is the result of growing demand for medications. As the population of the aging community is increasing, many use medications on daily basis. Along with that, the statistics show that a higher number of people suffer from chronic diseases which includes asthma, arthritis, kidney disease, heart disease, glaucoma, ulcerative colitis and much more. These patients need medications regularly.
Henry Ford College
It is a public two-year college that was founded in 1938. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, it is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Michigan Commission on College Accreditation. It is one of the best colleges in Michigan that provides an outstanding education for the students. The college helps you to identify yourself and fulfill your academic goals. The faculties are very dedicated to providing what’s best for the students. The college offers small classes in order for the students to receive personal attention from the faculties to gain success.
The college provides A Level II program which is a Complex Skills Certificate designed to prepare a student to gain professional training to gain employment as an entry-level pharmacy technician in various healthcare and pharmaceutical organizations. This program includes one year of theory and laboratory classes along with hands-on experience in a selected organization, home infusion, compounding pharmacies and much more. The students in this program will be able to handle particular medical equipment and supplies. The program starts in the fall semester every year and you can receive internships in summers, fall and spring semester. This program is federated with more than sixteen pharmacies at the hospitals, more than twelve retail pharmacies, and many home infusion.
Mid Michigan Community College
Mid Michigan Community College is a public two-year college with two of its campus located in Harrison and Mt. Pleasant in Michigan. It was established at 1965 and is one of the top community colleges. The college provides one year certificate program for pharmacy technician specialist. This program offers the student an excellent opportunity to receive academic success, gain knowledge and necessary skills that are needed to be a successful pharmacy technician. The program will enable the students to sit for and pass the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam which is regulated by the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
This program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Mid Michigan Community College holds the classes of this program at its Mt. Pleasant campus. The program was first introduced in January 2007 and it was changed to training credential in the year of 2009. Currently, the program admits 20 students each academic year and offers about 320 clinical internships in various licensed pharmacies. The college admits students every year in the fall semester. The classes are designed with a combination of theory, laboratory and hands-on clinical practice. In order to succeed, it is important to meet the requirements and the objectives of the program.
Ross Medical Education Center
Ross Medical Education Center provides both prevocational and vocational training to the students. Established in 1971, the education center has training communities in various states of the United States which includes Michigan, Tennessee, West Virginia, Kentucky and much more. The education center has received accreditation from the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. The accreditation provides both programmatic and conventional liability, high-quality establishment and development of the institution through systematic and regular operations and program assessment that is generally based on valid standards.
Ross Medical Education Center provides pharmacy technician program of only 36 weeks. The students will be taught on how to become a successful pharmacy technician by learning principles of pharmacy ethics and law, medical terminology, microbiology, pharmaceuticals, generic names of various types of drugs and dosages and much more. The faculty members instruct the students to conduct various clinical application such as drug procurement and inventory control and manufacturing and packaging of the drugs. The program will prepare the students to work in any entry-level job at various hospitals, a pharmaceutical company, drug stores and much more. The program also offers externships that enable the student to prepare for the real world of pharmaceutical and health care. The externship assesses the skills of the students and help them to successfully complete the program.
Washtenaw Community College
Established in 1965, Washtenaw Community College is located in Ann Arbor Township and has a total of more than 13,000 students. Currently, the college has students from more than 100 countries and offers 100 credit programs. Washtenaw Community College comprises of training partnerships with many national organizations and firms and along with that, it also provides transfer agreements with different universities which include University of Michigan, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, and UM–Dearborn. It is a publically funded college where adults between the ages of 18 to 24 years represent about 48 per cent of the student body. Every year more than 500 students enroll in credit classes every fall and winter semesters.
The Pharmacy Technology is a certificate program that enables the students to receive jobs in various clinics, hospitals and retail stores for entry-level positions. It is full-time program and has been credited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. The college accepts 24 students each semester and uses a competitive procedure to enroll students for this program. There are a point and scale system that evaluated the prerequisite and the requirements of the program. But the point and scale system are reviewed every year and subject to change. It is essential for the students to meet all the prerequisites in order to be admitted to the program.
Baker College
Baker College is a private not-for-profit American college located in Flint Township, Michigan. The college is located in more thirteen locations all over Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The college offers more than 150 programs and is part of the Michigan Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers (MACRAO) Transfer Agreement. The college offers transfer credits of up to 30 hours in order to meet the general education agreement at various colleges and universities in Michigan. Baker College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission that offers the opportunity to the students and staff to improve as referred to as the Academic Quality Improvement Program or AQIP. One of the best things about Baker College is that it provides you with Lifetime Employment Services which include job searching techniques, job interview questions, job postings, relocation tips and much more.
The pharmacy technician program is an associate degree program that provides the students with highly oriented skills, and also enables the students to receive entry-level positions in various healthcare organizations such as hospitals, clinics, drug stores and much more. The students are trained in such a way that they measure, record and label prescription amounts and dosages. The classes are designed to provide theory, laboratory, hands-on training and various clinical practices. The courses include medical terminology, the fundamental skills of pharmacy technology, how to interpret, prepare, label, and record prescriptions, and pharmacy principles and procedures.
Pharmacy Technician Resources in MI
http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-72600_72603_27529_27548-340669--,00.html
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/lara/Pharm_Tech_New_Relic_06062016_526141_7.pdf
http://www.michiganpharmacists.org/education/cerequirements
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