A certified pharmacy technician does much more than count pills for a pharmacist. The technician must be familiar with pharmacy operations and the many drugs. Competent techs help keep a busy pharmacy filling prescriptions in a timely manner. While a technician doesn't answer patients' specific questions about medicines as a pharmacist does, she does have a general knowledge of most medicines and has an understanding of drug interactions.
The states vary on the amount of training required for pharmacy techs. Most community colleges offer courses. Depending on state requirements, courses may last for six months to two years. In some cases an associate's degree is available for candidates completing the college coursework. Classes typically include chemistry, pharmacology, medical and pharmaceutical terminology, dosage calculations, drug preparation, record keeping and pharmacy law.
In order to apply for a pharmacy technician certificate, the candidate must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Some states require a higher level of education. The candidate's record must not have any felony convictions or drug-related convictions, even for misdemeanors.
The certification test consists of three parts: pharmacist assistance, medicine inventory control systems and pharmacy management. To prepare for the actual exam, candidates may take three practice exams covering general pharmaceutical knowledge, medicine calculations and medicine usage. Each practice exam costs $29 as of 2010. Applications are available for both the practice exams and the real exam through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, which costs $129. After completing the exam at a local testing center, the candidate receives a "pass" or "fail" notification. If the pharmacy technician passes, he must receive 20 hours of additional training before recertifying in two years. If he fails, he can retake the exam after completing more study time.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy techs earned an average hourly wage of $13.32 in 2008. This number varied by region and pharmacy. Certified pharmacy technicians received higher wages than noncertified staff.