Arizona Pharmacy Tech Schools & Certification

If you decide to pursue a career as an Arizona pharmacy tech, expect to be in a job that offers financial stability, room for advancement, and the opportunity to help others. There will be many different environments where you can work including hospitals, retail stores, research facilities, grocery stores, and more.

As a pharmacy technician in Arizona, you’ll have the ability to work in the fast-growing healthcare industry with the level of patient involvement that makes you comfortable. Working in the pharmacy of a busy hospital in a large metro area, for example, means that you’ll have limited interactions with people who need medication. A retail pharmacy or grocery store chain, on the other hand, means that you’ll have frequent contact with those who must pick up their medicines.

Arizona Pharmacy Technician Certification Requirements

The state of Arizona has established specific requirements that must be met before you can become employed as a pharmacy technician. It’s important to note that if you are participating in a training program to become a pharmacy technician, you need to apply for registration as either a certified pharmacy technician or a pharmacy technician trainee prior to finishing the education program’s experiential component.

The following are Arizona’s pharmacy technician requirements, according to the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy:

• Must be at least 18 years of age
• High school diploma or GED
• Application fee required
• Must have a United States birth certificate
• Must submit a completed registration application
• Must obtain Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) certification by satisfactorily completing the PTCE exam
• Provide declaration of any previous misdemeanor or felony charges

Pharmacy technicians who hold certification from the PTCB are recognized by both the state and employers as having the proper credentials. The two-hour-long computer-based exam is comprised of 90 questions that have multiple choice answers. Candidates are tested on their knowledge of three principal areas including supporting pharmacists, pharmacy administration, and inventory management and control.

Arizona Pharmacy Technician Careers & Employment Outlook

Like the rest of the healthcare industry, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that the next decade will see an increase in the demand for these medical professionals. Not only will you be able to offer your expertise and help people have a better quality of life, but you’ll also have room for advancement, plenty of work opportunities, and an attractive salary.

According to the BLS, the median yearly salary for a pharmacy technician in May 2019 was $33,950. For those positions that were paid hourly, the median rate was $16.32 per hour.

For the decade between 2019 and 2029, the job outlook for pharmacy technicians is expected to grow at a rate of about four percent. Already in 2019, there were 422,300 pharmacy technicians jobs. The BLS expects that 15,200 more jobs within the industry will be added during this time.

As a pharmacy technician, you’ll be able to secure a job in the high-demand healthcare industry. This will provide you with job security, an attractive rate of pay, and the ability to help others live their best lives.

Arizona Schools That Offer Pharmacy Technician Training Programs