The pharmacy technician certification is a good field to go into. These days a Pharmacy Technician job is much in demand. Basically, this job involves working under direct supervision of a pharmacist. He or she performs pharmacy-related functions. A pharmacy technician provides medication and other health care products to the patients under the supervision of the pharmacist. Their job also involves preparing prescribed medication and compounding of medication. Some qualified and experienced pharmacy technicians can also counsel patients about their medication.

Usually, a pharmacy technician has the on-the-job training and experience. But these days, many employers want their technicians to be professionally qualified to handle their field of work. Therefore, those with a formal training and a certification certainly have a fair chance of employment over the rest. This is like any field that requires a formal education to gain the right credentials. Preference is given in most cases to those with the certification over the "lay pharmacy tech."

If you wish to take up a career as a pharmacy technician, then the most important thing you can do to increase your value in the market is to pass the certification examination. These examinations are usually held by a pharmacy technician accrediting organization. Most of the times, your employer will reimburse you the cost of the examination if you clear it. Now you must be thinking of the ways to clear this exam. There are many stay-at-home courses available these days which can help you pass these exams. In addition, on the Internet, several online courses are also available.

The two accrediting organizations which certify pharmacy technicians are Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and Institute of Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT). The PCTB is the pioneer and industry leader in certifying pharmacy technicians. PTCB conducts the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination or PCTE. This exam is widely-recognized and is endorsed by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), the American Society for Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), and the American Pharmacists Association (APhA.) The cost to sit for the exam is around $129 and these exams are held all over the US. The exam paper is quite grueling and requires you to be an expert in calculations and medication’s brand and generic names.

The ICPT is accredited to test applicants across US and Canada. The exam is computer-based and requires the applicants to pay a fee of $95. You have to visit the nearest test center to take the exam.

As a pharmacy technician, you can also recertify for the same. This is very significant if you wish to be updated with the latest trends and increase your marketability in the market. If you are interested in the pharmacy field, look at obtaining a pharmacy technician certification for your career.