If you’re like many people in today’s recession, you may have recently lost your job or are looking for a career change. One of the most popular job markets to transition into today is the medical field. Whether the US Government health care programs grow or free enterprise continues its grasp on the industry, the medical field has to expand to support the country’s needs and is expected to increase more than almost any other industry over the next several years according to the US department of labor. Pharmacy technician careers are just one of the medical industry’s fields that is rapidly growing and experiencing a current shortage of workers.
Pharmacy technician careers are available in many large chain drug store pharmacies, private pharmacies and in hospitals and medical clinics alike. Good technicians can expect to make decent entry-level wages once they’re certified in the field. Plus, it doesn’t take long to be presented with advancement opportunities once you’re in the industry. Many different technicians are needed in the medical industry from equipment operators to physician and surgical assistants and most doctors and hospitals don’t require costly 2 or 4 year degrees when hiring for these positions. There are many communications positions and management positions on the clerical side of the health care industry, so opportunities begin to reveal themselves beyond the scope of a pharmacy technician career once in the industry.
Pharmacy technician Career Training
A pharmacy technician career can be a great entry into the medical industry without having to go back to school or obtain an expensive two or four year degree. Though college tuition varies and many community colleges offer programs for medical technicians, federal funding for community schools is being cut with the recession and loans are necessary to subsidize your living expenses while in school. Luckily, many vocational schools have great pharmacy technician training programs to suit the schedule and financial needs of professionals looking for a new career. Many of these programs will give you the tools you need to get certified for a pharmacy technician career and many offer externships and even job placement after you graduate. These vocational schools usually cost a fraction of what college tuition costs and can be completed in well under a year’s time; some even have pharmacy technician career programs that are under six months.
Pharmacy Technician Career Training Online
Some vocational schools offer career training online that you can complete at your own pace while working another job to support your career change. The curriculum is oftentimes the same and gets you prepared with medical and pharmaceutical terminology, as well as the skills necessary for counting and measuring units of medications and familiarizing yourself with the meanings of moniker’s and dosage stamps used to identify medications. A pharmacy technician career will also require certifications and tests issued by the state, so it’s important to choose accredited career schools that will get you prepped for the necessary exams.
