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Prepare to take the NHA or PTCE national certification exam
100% online followed by in-person externship
Job interview prep and resume services
ASHP/ACPE-accredited program
1:1 support from enrollment to employment
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What You’ll Learn
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Weeks 1-4
Learn the foundational healthcare knowledge you need to become a well-rounded pharmacy technician and start diving into pharmacy practice.
Weeks 5-9
Master the ins and outs of pharmacology and get hands-on with pharmacy calculations and prescription medications.
Weeks 10-14
Develop skills in processing and dispensing prescriptions, and prepare for the NHA ExCPT Exam with mock tests and a comprehensive review of key pharmacy concepts.
Weeks 15+
Apply everything you learned online and earn clinical hours in a pharmacy setting. Our experienced coaches will help polish your resume, prepare you for interviews, and support you in your full-time job search.
Online Pharmacy Tech classes at your own schedule
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01
Graduate from high school or complete your GED
You must have graduated from high school or have a GED to enroll in a pharmacy technician training course.
When you register with the state, you will also need to submit to a criminal background check and fingerprinting.
02
Enroll in & complete a pharmacy technician training course
Training courses prepare you to pass a national certification exam. Stepful’s coursework covers essential topics like basic anatomy, physiology, and pharmacology. It also covers medication safety, pharmaceutical ethics, and pharmacy law.
Missouri does not require pharmacy techs to complete a training course. However, they do require certification for some tasks like administering vaccines. In addition, many employers require certification, so completing a course and becoming certified is the best way to prepare for employment.
One way to ensure that you are choosing a legitimate training program is to make sure it is accredited by a nationally recognized organization. Stepful’s program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), a sign to employers that our students receive a high-quality education.
03
Gain hands-on experience through an externship
Many aspiring pharmacy technicians complete an externship to get real-world experience. Externships provide the opportunity to work alongside pharmacists in settings like hospitals, retail pharmacies, and long-term care facilities.
Stepful has partner pharmacies across the country that may provide externships. While students are responsible for securing these opportunities, Stepful assists them throughout the externship process, from finding a placement to completing it successfully.*
*Please note that students must be available M-F, 9-5 p.m., to be eligible for externship support.
04
Pass a pharmacy technician certification exam
To work as a certified pharmacy technician in Missouri, you must pass a national certification exam such as the NHA ExCPT or PTCB exam.
Stepful’s program is 100% online and can prepare you for a certification exam in only 4 months. Stepful’s students have a 75% pass rate on the NHA exam, which is 12 points higher than the national average.
After passing your exam, you can apply for registration with the Missouri Board of Pharmacy. Missouri requires pharmacy technicians to obtain registration before starting to work.
05
Start your career as a certified pharmacy technician
With certification and registration in hand, you are ready to begin your career as a certified pharmacy technician. Pharmacy techs work in many healthcare settings, from retail pharmacies to hospitals to nursing homes.
During your job search, Stepful provides coaching and support, including resume reviews, mock interviews and notifications of job openings.
We want you to land your dream job, and we will help you make it a reality.
To work as a certified pharmacy technician in Missouri, you must pass one of the two national certification exams recognized by the state. These are the NHA ExCPT exam and the PTCB exam.
Certification ensures that you understand pharmacology, medication safety, and pharmacy law. It will permit you to do tasks non-certified techs can’t do, like administering vaccines and doing remote data entry.
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Missouri requires all pharmacy technicians to register with the Board of Pharmacy. To apply, you must pay a fee, submit an application and submit to a criminal background check. To register as a certified pharmacy tech, you will also show proof of your national certification.
You can find all the details in Missouri’s Pharmacy Technician Informational Guide.
Healthcare is a growing field. The demand for pharmacy technicians, in particular, keeps increasing nationwide.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), demand for pharmacy technicians is projected to grow 7% from 2022 to 2032. This growth is expected to result in approximately 47,400 job openings each year over the decade, primarily due to the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force.
In Missouri, pharmacy technician jobs offer a stable and rewarding career path. As of May 2023, Montana employs approximately 10,110 pharmacy technicians, which means there are 3.5 pharmacy tech jobs for every 1,000 jobs in the state.
Pharmacy techs in the state also make a decent salary. According to the BLS, the average salary for pharmacy technicians in Missouri is $39,960 per year, or $19.21 per hour.
The number of jobs available and the salaries paid vary based on experience, certification, and location, but the cities with the most pharmacy technician jobs are:
- The St. Louis metro area, which has 4,930 pharmacy tech jobs
- The Kansas City metro area, which has 3,230 pharmacy tech jobs
These urban centers offer numerous opportunities due to their large populations and the number of healthcare facilities they have.
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$39,960
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7% Growth
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10,110
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Professional organizations can provide pharmacy technicians with continuing education opportunities, career resources, and networking connections. Here are some organizations that support pharmacy technicians:
- The Missouri Pharmacy Association (MPA) supports pharmacy technicians with education and industry updates.
- The National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA) provides certification preparation, continuing education, and career resources.
- The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) provides certification and continuing education options to help pharmacy technicians maintain and advance their credentials.
What is Stepful?
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Resources for aspiring Pharmacy Technicians
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