Details on How to Become a Pharmacy Technician

How do I become a pharmacy technician? There is no simple answer for this question. Unlike pharmacists, pharmacy technicians do not have a national standard for what it takes to enter the profession. Every state gets to make up there own requirements for what you need to do. The first thing you need to do is check your states requirements. To do this, Google your state’s name and board of pharmacy (eg, California Board of Pharmacy). Once you find your state board of pharmacy site, look for where it discusses pharmacy technician requirements. Another option is to find a site that has already compiled this information for you and provided links to your board of pharmacy website (my site has this done for you). The rest of this article will go over some of the common requirements seen, but remember, every state can require different things (in fact, some states do not require anything).National Certification: Many states require some form of national certification. Many require it, some have it as one option to become a tech, others increase the pharmacist to technician ratio if the pharmacy has nationally certified techs, and other states do not mention it at all. The two most common options are the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT, but their exam is called ExCPT). When you complete national certification you have the professional designation of certified pharmacy tech (CPhT). To maintain national certification you must complete 20 hours of continuous education credits every 2 years. I recommend everyone obtain national certification, if your state does not require it, you will be more competitive when interviewing for a job.Training Program: The most important thing you need to know is that some states require an approved training program. The approval in some states is from the board of pharmacy; in other states they accept the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) approved programs. Some states do not have a training requirement, and others allow for on-the-job training. To obtain a solid knowledge about pharmacy, I do recommend a formal training program. Campus based programs are traditionally more expensive (there is more cost to run one). There are online programs that are much lower cost, and I think are a great option if you have other commitments (another job or school). Online programs are also great if you do not live by a campus based school.Other:

Experiential hours, these are hours training in an actual pharmacy. Some states require a specific number of hours prior to licensure/registration.
Age limits, most states require you to be at least 18 years of age; however, some states allow someone to train while in high school.
High school diploma or equivalent is typically required.
Criminal record, or lack thereof. Many states require an FBI background search, so do not lie about this. Just because you have a criminal history doesn’t mean you are out of luck. Be honest, up front, and most of all you need to put good behavior time between you and your conviction. SO, BE GOOD!
As you can see, how you become a pharmacy tech is highly dependent on your state. Once you find out your state requirements, the next thing is to make a decision and just do it (or not do it). Send me any comments or feedback, I love hearing from people and will personally respond.

US Markets in green on Friday; Dow 30 up over 345 points, Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500 up nearly 1%

US Markets were trading in the green on Friday with Dow 30 trading at 30,678.80, up by 1.14%. While S&P 500 was trading at 3,701.66, up by 0.98% and Nasdaq Composite 10,690.60 was also up by 0.71 per cent

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US Markets in green on Friday; Dow 30 up over 345 points, Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500 up nearly 1%
Earlier today, Indian stock markets ended the week on a winning note. It was the sixth straight gains for equity markets. Source: Reuters
US Markets were trading in the green on Friday with Dow 30 trading at 30,678.80, up by 345.25 points or1.14 per cent. While S&P 500 was trading at 3,701.66, up by 35.88 points or 0.98 per cent and Nasdaq Composite 10,690.60 was also up 75.75 points or 0.71 per cent. A Reuters report said that today’s strength was on the back of a report which said the Federal Reserve will likely debate on signaling plans for a smaller interest rate hike in December, reversing declines set off by social media firms after Snap Inc’s ad warning.

Source: Comex

Nasdaq Top Gainers and Losers

Source: Nasdaq

Earlier today, Indian stock markets ended the week on a winning note. It was the sixth straight gains for equity markets. The BSE Sensex ended at 59,307.15, up by 104.25 points or 0.18 per cent from the Thursday closing level. Meanwhile, the Nifty50 index closed at 17,590.00, higher by 26.05 points or 0.15 per cent. In the 30-share Sensex, 13 stocks gained while the remaining 17 ended on the losing side. In the 50-stock Nifty50, 21 stocks advanced while 29 declined.

Give Children the Gift of Simplicity This Christmas

I am making a pact with myself to keep calm and keep it simple this Christmas season. I really want to focus on the spirit of family and giving, rather than the hype of commercialism. I’m thankful my children don’t watch television; instead of asking for the latest toy, my son has asked Santa for a felting needle and wool (makes my heart swell). I’m putting more effort into the gifts I choose so I know they will be perfect and appreciated; less plastic and gimmicky, and more thoughtful and lasting. And “less” is definitely the key word here. I’m asking friends and relatives to be mindful of my less-is-more mantra as well (and I hope you’re reading this, Gramma).Focus on your child’s favourite things to help you select gifts. My daughter has always loved all things animal and insect-related, so gifts for her include animal or insect craft projects, subscriptions to National Geographic Kids or Owl Magazine, stuffed animals and bugs, and leopard print anything when it comes to clothing and accessories.Give them knowledge. Books are one of my favourite gifts to give as they are versatile and there are so many to choose from.Give them fresh air. Outdoor toys are a great investment, as well as incentive for outside play time in winter months. Snowball and snow block makers let kids create their own snowballs and forts. Sleds and magic carpets provide hours of sliding fun.Give them a green thumb. Indoor herb gardens and seed-growing kits teach children how things grow and how to care for them. It’s fun to grow something green in the winter months and kids love to watch the progress. They also get excited about eating the herbs they grow.Give them creativity. There are so many amazing crafty gifts out there, from DIY nightlights and door hangers to journal books and modelling clay. Fun fridge calendars or student organizers make great gifts too.Give them entertainment. Gift certificates are great for giving things such activities the family can do together – the movie theatre, the indoor pool or play centre, science museum and more.Give them treats. What could be better than a freshly-baked gingerbread man in their stocking? Maybe some gummy candies or caramel corn, but it doesn’t really matter, as long as they’re treats they love. You know them best, so pop some goodies in and wait for the toothy grins to appear.And do give them toys. Cute stuffed animals, handmade doll houses, puzzles, musical instruments and wooden train sets are classic toys children play with time and again. Get them solid toys that will stand the test of time so they may be enjoyed and then passed along to friends or family when outgrown.