Pharmacy Technician Programs in Maryland
Are you looking for a career in the health care industry that does not require years of school or thousands of hours of experience? If so, you may be well-suited to a career as a Maryland pharmacy technician. Maryland’s clinics, hospitals, and retail pharmacies are staffed by pharmacy technicians who understand medications and want to help customers use them effectively.
Explore pharmacy tech programs in Maryland by contacting the schools below to learn more about this career.
Pharmacy techs fill a number of roles in pharmacies. They are often the main face of customer service, handling customer questions and getting the pharmacist when necessary. This requires you to be quick on your feet, dedicated to great customer service, and passionate about the field of health care.
Pharmacy Technician Schools in Maryland
As you prepare for your pharmacy technician education in Maryland, you may want to become familiar with the curriculum of your program. Though the courses and schedules may differ between programs, even in the same area, they all have very similar goals. Schools in this area of study hope to create graduates who are comfortable behind a pharmacy counter, who understand their scope of practice as pharmacy technicians, and who have a thorough knowledge of pharmaceutical medications.
You may accomplish these goals in a number of ways. You may choose to attend a certificate or diploma program, both of which tend to run between six months and one year. On the other hand, you may opt to earn an Associate’s degree and spend roughly two years in school.
While working your way through your program, you may enroll in increasingly rigorous pharmacy courses. It’s likely that you’ll take classes like Therapeutic Agents of Body Systems, Pharmacy Law and Ethics, Pharmaceutical Calculations, Computerized Drug Delivery Systems, Admixture and Sterile Products, and Institutional Pharmacy Practice.
You may find that your program includes several types of practical experience. From clinic pharmacies to retail pharmacies, your school may include several clinical rotations for students. These experience help you learn how to become a pharmacy technician in Maryland.
Working as a Pharmacy Technician in Maryland
As is the case in most health care careers, the field of pharmacy technology is strictly regulated throughout the country. The main certification body in the United States is the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, which certifies pharmacy techs after a comprehensive exam. At the state level, you must apply for pharmacy technician certification Maryland through the Maryland Pharmacy Board. They require proof of your certification exam scores and your school transcripts.
In the state of Maryland, you may enjoy a number of employment benefits. The average salary for a pharmacy technician is $31,900 per year (O*Net, 2014). By the year 2022, O*Net hopes to see a 7% increase in pharmacy technician jobs.
Are you ready to learn more about how to become a pharmacy tech in Maryland? Get started today by contacting pharmacy technician schools in Maryland.