Becoming a pharmacy technician is a wonderful career option, especially for individuals looking to move on into the medical profession later. The following is what you can expect if you’re looking at becoming a pharmacy technician in the state of Idaho.
Certification Requirements
Pharmacy technician jobs are regulated in the state of Idaho, and consequently, certification is required to hold a position as a pharmacy technician. Certification can be achieved through in-job training programs, however, greatly simplifying this proposition. If you pursue certification through on-site training in Idaho, you have two years to receive the necessary training through your pharmacy and pass a state-level certification examination.
Should you fail this examination, you may apply for a second attempt after a period of additional required training. Should you be unable to take this examination within two years, you have two extension periods of the same length. If you are unable to pass the examination at that point, you will not be allowed to acquire certification in the state of Idaho without a state-level waiver, which is unlikely at best.
For those unable or unwilling to pursue on-the-job pharmacy technician training, it is possible to attend courses in the pharmacy tech profession. These courses will prepare you for certification and often have placement programs to assist you getting into a pharmacy technician job. However, these can be expensive, and their admissions are often limited by-year. This means that they are primarily suitable for individuals who have already secured employment and are looking to have their training done before changing careers, usually so they can begin work with an increased wage.
Prior Education and Training Requirements
Prior education and training requirements are something that you are likely to encounter. However, these will be handled at the pharmacy level, not the state level. This is only true for the pharmacy technician job itself, however. To begin work in a pharmacy, you must first pursue a license to work in a pharmacy, and this has a GED requirement. The license application is written, with a $70 application fee. You must have a high school diploma or a GED to file it, or you must pursue a waiver from the Executive Director of Idaho’s Board of Pharmacies. Generally speaking, it will be far easier and less expensive to pursue a GED than it will be to attempt to get a GED waiver.
Continuing Education Requirements
Idaho does not have any continuing education requirements for pharmacy technicians. Once you achieve certification, you remain a pharmacy technician as long as you keep your certification current. Allowing it to lapse will require you to go through parts of the certification process again. However, remaining licensed at the national level will require you to pursue continuing education, so keep this in mind if you intend to take your work out of state at any point.
Renewal of your certification will be required on an annual basis. The process to renew is fairly simple, though there may be associated fees depending on how you file it. Different areas of the state of Idaho may be easier to file your renewal application in.
Pharmacy Technician Salaries in Idaho
The average salary for a pharmacy technician in the state of Idaho currently sits at $18,000 a year.
Legally-Allowed Job Duties
Pharmacy technicians are allowed to provide a variety of duties in the pharmacy, but they will be restricted from handling certain pharmaceutical substances. They are additionally forbidden from any activities that require professional judgment. Generally speaking, this means that they’ll largely handle functionary duties and only bottle medication that has already been managed by a pharmacist.