Most states set only minimal requirements to work as a pharmacy technician.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the number of pharmacy technician positions will increase by 31 percent between 2008 and 2010, adding almost 100,000 positions in a decade. Preparing for a career as a pharmacy technician varies between states, although in most states, pharmacy technicians may work dispensing medications with little formal training or licensing hurdles as long as they meet minimum requirements.
Age Requirements
Thirty states impose no statutory regulation on the minimum age for pharmacy technicians, although other requirements, such as educational minimums, may essentially require that all technicians are at least 18. Three states -- Illinois, Kentucky and Minnesota -- require technicians to be at least 16 years old, and Alabama requires all pharmacy technicians to be at least 17. In Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, West Virginia and Wyoming, technicians must be at least 18.
Training
Each state board of pharmacy sets its own requirements for pharmacy technicians. Thirty-seven states require no formal training or only require the supervising pharmacist to provide training to technicians after they're hired, allowing technicians to start a position without any formal training. Ohio, Indiana, Rhode Island and South Carolina require technicians to complete a state-approved technician program. In Nevada, North Dakota, Utah, Washington, Virginia and West Virginia, Massachusetts and Maryland, technicians must complete a state board-approved training program to work. Maryland and Massachusetts allow technicians to substitute 160 and 500 hours, respectively, of on the job training for a formal training program. Technicians in California must complete a pharmacy technician training program or hold an associate degree in the field.
Accreditation and Certification
Although requirements to work as a pharmacy technician are minimal in many states, many technicians choose to make themselves more employable through additional training and certification. Many attend an accredited pharmacy technician training program. Others go further, and receive certification from a program such as the Certified Pharmacy Technician Board as additional proof of their competency. In most states, earning pharmacy technician credentials is completely voluntary.
Registration and Licensing
Most states require that pharmacy technicians register with the state or hold a license that certifies they meet state training requirements. In most cases, registration and licensure procedures only require technicians to prove they meet minimum requirements and pay a registration fee. Only Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin do not require pharmacy technicians to receive a state licensure or registration to perform their duties.
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