The New York State Office of Professions has a Pharmacy Unit that regulates New York pharmacists and pharmacies. Unlike most states, however, there is no specific license or registration for a New York pharmacy technician. Those seeking a job as a technical assistant to licensed pharmacists need not meet any legal requirements. However, they should establish a career plan for employment as a pharmacy tech. This plan should generally include either training or rigorous self-study to get national certification as a pharmacy technician. Future pharmacy techs in New York should explore their options for training and certification to maximize their chances of success for employment.
Certification Option 1 – Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
The PTCB is a national organization for pharmacy technician certification. Many states actually require certification through the PTCB for work as a pharmacy technician. Certification is fairly easy in theory, as you really only need to pass a PTCB pharmacy technician certification exam to get certified. Of course, the exam can be quite challenging, so you are going to need to prepare.
Should you decide to take the exam, the fee is $129 as of 2010. That fee will include certification if you pass. You can register online here.
Keep reading to get training or self-study options.
Certification Option 2 – Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians
While the PTCB appears to be the certification most recognized by state pharmacy boards, the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians is an increasingly popular choice for national pharmacy technician certification.This organization provides the ExCPT pharmacy technician exam for certification. As of 2010, the fee is $105 for the test and certification. You may register by calling PSI/Laser Grade (the exam administrator) at 800-211-2754.
Training Options
Many New York pharmacy technician training schools exist that will claim to help you become a New York pharmacy technician. Because there is no license or registration for New York pharmacy technicians, the state does not approve pharmacy tech schools in New York. But some states recognize the training programs approved by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. You can find approved New York pharmacy technician schools in ASHP’s directory of pharmacy tech training programs. Access the directory here.
Another way to get ready for pharmacy technician testing, certification and actual work is to do some self-study. In fact, because training programs focus on hands-on tasks, it is a good idea to do some self-study just to make sure you have the actual knowledge tested on the exam. To that end, PTCB publishes a list of the actual bibliography of publications from which the certification test is created. You may access this list of pharmacy technician study resources here.
The Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians also publishes its own training textbook. You may purchase the “National Pharmacy Technician Training Program” here. As of 2010, the fee is $69 plus shipping.
In conclusion, you have a variety of options when deciding to become a New York pharmacy technician. Training programs and ample study materials exist to study for national certification as a pharmacy tech. Getting training and achieving certification status will help you gain employment as a pharmacy technician in New York.
Sources:
ExCPT Pharmacy Tech Exam Information
PTCB Exam Bibliography
