Unitek College Blog

2008 has proven to be a very productive year for PTCB and pharmacy technicians nationwide. Earlier this year, PTCB reached the milestone of 300,000 pharmacy technicians certified by PTCB. Also this year, significant strides have been made on the legislative front to promote the important role of pharmacy technicians in ensuring patient safety. According to the 2008 NABP Survey of Pharmacy Law, 37 states regulate pharmacy technicians, with 28 states incorporating PTCB into their regulations in one of the following ways:

1. As a requirement for pharmacy technician state registration or licensure.
2. As one of the ways to meet state requirements for pharmacy technician registration or licensure.
3. As a mechanism for expanded pharmacist to pharmacy technician ratios.

Since the beginning of 2008, three additional states-Kentucky, Nebraska, and most recently Florida have joined the growing number of states with regulations. This is good news for graduates of Unitek’s Pharmacy Technician training program, as we have a very strong emphasis on PTCB, and have a high passing rate.

We have all heard horror stories of how we are all headed towards an economic disaster with the falling stock market, the mortgage crisis, and the never ending saga about the empty coffers of our state government. Is Health care next? Should one expect wages to drop? And demand to suddenly drop?

Irrespective of who wins the elections, and how dramatically the national economy may fall, health care services is one area which can’t keep up with the escalating demand. North of 60% of the population is demanding premium health care services and expect the service providers to drop the nurse to patient ratio to be a lot lower than current metrics. This is even more apparent in states such as Florida and California with resident population demographics leaning towards the aged.

Due to the shortage of qualified local nurses, an increasing number of recruiting firms are targeting Canadian and other international markets to lure experienced nurses to better paying employment opportunities with U.S. employers. The only way we can meet the burgeoning demand, is to increase seats in our Pharmacy, LVN and LVN and RN programs and send more nursing graduates into the work force. More supply won’t alone solve the problem, but it’s one of the ways to alleviate the impact of the health care crisis. Complement the increased supply with a partnership- between the federal government and the industry-which join hands and make the proposition of entering the nursing profession a sweeter deal - and a national crisis, can indeed be averted.

Is the current economic disaster affecting you in any way?

Here’s a pretty good article highlighting the increasing demand for healthcare positions other than just doctors.  This increased need has subsequently led to increased opportunities in medical fields ranging from medical assistant to pharmacy technicians.

“You never know where your path is going to take you in healthcare, because there are just so many opportunities for growth.  People can continue to be practitioners or go into research. They can also go into the more entrepreneurial, business side of healthcare.”

Check here to read the full article

One of the more interesting parts of the article involves quotes about how the most sought-after medical professionals are multi-skilled workers who can do a variety of medical tasks.  The high demand isn’t allowing a lot of hospitals and medical organizations to wait for nurses and doctors to finish multiple years of schooling.  They need healthcare professionals now, making other health care careers all the more valuable and lucrative.

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board recently sponsored research to assess how well the public understands the qualifications of the people helping pharmacists prepare prescriptions in pharmacies across the country. The results show that Americans assume that laws are in place requiring pharmacy technicians to be trained and certified. In addition, the vast majority of the public support the need for certification of the people who help licensed pharmacists dispense prescription medicines.

There are major misperceptions about the requirements for training and certification for pharmacy technicians.

• Incorrectly, 73% of the public accept as true that “pharmacy technicians are required by law to be trained and certified before they can help prepare prescriptions.” Only 9% of respondents recognize this as a false statement. The remaining 17% have no idea.
• A majority (58%] wrongly believe that “only licensed pharmacists are involved in dispensing drug prescriptions.” Only 26% recognize this as a false statement.
• Almost half (45%) accept as false the true statement that people without formal training are allowed to help pharmacists prepare prescriptions for patients. A third correctly judge this statement as true.
• Three-fourths of Americans assume that pharmacy technicians are required by law to be trained and certified before they can help prepare prescriptions.

The American public strongly supports state regulations that require the training and certification of pharmacy technicians.

• A strong consensus of 91% of the public agrees that state regulations are in order, including 76% who strongly agree.
• At the same time, consumers support the idea of employers only hiring pharmacy technicians who are certified (92% agree with this approach, including 76% who strongly agree).
• The strength of this support for certification of pharmacy technicians is best understood in the context of what people already assumed.
• Most people assumed that the people preparing prescriptions in a pharmacy were regulated by the state (87% agree) and assumed that drug prescriptions were being prepared by persons certified to do so (87% agree).

Note — Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in dispensing medications. The pharmacy technician is accountable to the supervising pharmacist who is legally responsible through state licensure for the care and safety of patients served by the pharmacy.

A new year means new beginnings: new resolutions, ideas and friends; new habits, relationships and goals; new salaries, titles and responsibilities. And perhaps most importantly, new jobs. Lots of them. And not just for 2008, either - until 2016.
There is good news for Unitek College’s Pharmacy Technician training students  In the 30 fastest-growing growing occupations for 2006-2016, according to the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), Pharmacy technician is number 16.

Here are some numbers:
2006 employment: 285,000
2016 projection: 376,000
Percent growth: 32
Salary range: $21,260 - $30,560

One note of those of us in California – the salary numbers provided above are nationwide. California salaries are typically 30 to 50% higher than these numbers.

1. Pharmacy Technician
2. Tax Preparer
3. Dental Assistant
4. Personal Home Care Aide
5. Receptionist
6. Clerical Library Assistant
7. Demonstrators, Product Presenters
8. Child Care Worker
9. Fitness Trainer
10. Physical Therapist Aide

Average Salary: Click Here (higher pay for weekend shifts and certified technicians)
Job Description: Pharmacy Technicians work in hospitals, health care facilities and retail pharmacies helping pharmacists prepare prescriptions for patients.

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Pharmacy Technician Job Openings
Learn how you can make your career more rewarding. Click Here
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