7 Steps To Become A Pharmacy Tech In Sc

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Are you interested in starting a career as a pharmacy technician in South Carolina? This rewarding profession involves assisting pharmacists with dispensing medications, handling patient information, and managing pharmacy operations. To become a pharmacy technician in South Carolina, you'll need to follow these 7 steps:

Step 1: Meet the Basic Requirements

To become a pharmacy technician in South Carolina, you must be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma or equivalent, and pass a background check. You'll also need to provide proof of immunizations and a negative tuberculosis test result.

Education and Training

While a high school diploma is the minimum educational requirement, many pharmacy technicians choose to pursue post-secondary education and training. This can include certificate programs, diploma programs, or associate's degrees in pharmacy technology.

Step 2: Complete a Pharmacy Technician Training Program

Pharmacy technician training programs in South Carolina are offered at community colleges, vocational schools, and technical institutes. These programs typically take one year or less to complete and cover topics such as:

• Pharmacy operations
• Medication safety
• Patient communication
• Pharmacy law and ethics
• Sterile compounding

Program Accreditation

When selecting a pharmacy technician training program, make sure it's accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) or the Accreditation Commission for Health Education (ACHE).

Step 3: Pass the Certification Exam

In South Carolina, pharmacy technicians are not required to be certified, but certification is highly recommended. The most common certification is the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential, offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) or the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).

Exam Details

The CPhT exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions and covers topics such as:

• Pharmacy operations
• Pharmacology
• Pharmacy law and ethics
• Patient communication

Step 4: Register with the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy

After completing your training program and passing the certification exam, you'll need to register with the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy. You'll need to provide proof of your certification, training program completion, and a negative background check.

Registration Requirements

To register with the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy, you'll need to meet the following requirements:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent
• Complete a pharmacy technician training program
• Pass the certification exam
• Provide proof of immunizations and a negative tuberculosis test result

Step 5: Maintain Your Certification

To maintain your certification, you'll need to complete continuing education requirements and adhere to the certification board's recertification policies.

Continuing Education Requirements

The NHA and PTCB require pharmacy technicians to complete continuing education requirements to maintain their certification. This typically includes completing a certain number of hours of continuing education courses every two years.

Step 6: Gain Practical Experience

Gaining practical experience is essential to becoming a successful pharmacy technician. You can gain experience by interning or volunteering at a pharmacy or by participating in a pharmacy technician training program that includes an externship.

Externship Opportunities

Many pharmacy technician training programs offer externship opportunities, which allow you to gain hands-on experience in a real-world pharmacy setting.

Step 7: Pursue Advanced Career Opportunities

With experience and certification, you can pursue advanced career opportunities, such as lead pharmacy technician, pharmacy technician specialist, or pharmacy manager.

Advanced Career Opportunities

Some advanced career opportunities for pharmacy technicians include:

• Lead pharmacy technician
• Pharmacy technician specialist
• Pharmacy manager
• Clinical pharmacy technician
• Research pharmacy technician