Pharmacy Technician Programs in South Dakota

How do you want to contribute to the health care industry in South Dakota? If you want to spend your time working with customers, learning from advanced medical personnel, and contributing to the health of South Dakota residents, consider becoming a pharmacy technician.

Learn how to become a pharmacy technician in South Dakota by requesting program details from the schools below to find out how you can start a great new career.

Pharmacy technicians perform some of the most important functions in a pharmacy setting. They may take in new prescriptions, check with prescribers and insurance companies, check for errors and prescribing or filling, and hand out medications to returning customers.

Pharm Tech Schools in South Dakota

Your career in the health care industry begins with thorough and extensive education. Once you get out into the working world and start looking for a career in a pharmacy, employers may expect you to be independent, competent, and confident in your abilities, so it is important to choose your school carefully.

Many schools offer different pharmacy technician programs. Some options include certificate, diploma, and Associate’s degree programs. While some programs may require less than one year of study, others expect you to spend at least two years in school.

Evaluating each school’s curriculum can give you a good starting point for figuring out which school is right for you. When you begin your education, you may have to take introductory courses like Orientation to Pharmacy Practice, Therapeutic Agents of Body Systems, Computer Applications for Pharmacy Technicians, and Pharmacy Law & Ethics. When you get into the later part of your training, courses that may be in your curriculum include Computerized Drug Delivery Systems, Pharmaceutical Calculations, Institutional Pharmacy Practice, and Intravenous and Sterile Products.

One thing you should definitely look for in any program you choose is the inclusion of work experience. This is a requirement for certification and it can help you build a professional network of contacts in your local health care community. At least one full semester of work experience is recommended, but some schools offer more.

Working as a Pharmacy Technician in South Dakota

Before you can begin working as a pharmacy tech in South Dakota, you must go through two governing bodies to obtain the proper certification and license. For most students, the first stop is the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. They base their certification exam on licensing standards throughout the 50 states. The other governing agency is the South Dakota Board of Pharmacy. Through the Board, you can get the right to practice at any pharmacy in South Dakota.

Completing your education and getting your license may pay off for you in many different ways. Pharm techs in South Dakota report a lucrative range of salaries. According to O*Net, the average salary for a South Dakota pharmacy technician is $28,800 per year. The expected job growth rate between 2012 and 2022 is 13% (O*Net, 2012).

Get ready for your new career today by reaching out to pharmacy technician schools in South Dakota for more information.