Online Pharmacy Degrees

Those who want to enter the pharmaceutical field
can choose to either become a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician. Pharmacy technicians can always go back to school to earn the more advanced degree they need to become a pharmacist. Both degrees can be found online, though pharmacy tech programs are more popular and more regularly offered from online universities. Online pharmacy programs can afford students more time and flexibility to manage work and familial commitments while working towards their degree. Students will have more choices available to them as they search for schools and discover that they can pick any school that meets their standards for financial aid, course offerings, part-time or full-time options, and academic integrity, without being confined to geographic location. And while many pharmacy technicians master their field through on-the-job training, an online pharmacy degree will give them an edge in terms of finding a job and getting a head start once they’ve been hired.

Online pharmacy degree programs vary according to their level. Pharmacy technicians will typically need to enroll in an associate’s program or certification program. They will take classes in pharmaceutical terminology, medical terminology, pharmaceutical law, pharma technology, pharma techniques, recordkeeping, calculations and measurements in pharmaceuticals, and ethics. All pharmacy tech and pharmacist students will learn about anatomy and physiology while mastering the standards set for medication uses and doses and learning the names of various medications. Pharmacist students will earn a Pharm.D. degree (formerly a bachelor’s degree). Pharm.D. degrees require students to complete two to three years of postsecondary study before enrolling, during which they take courses in the natural sciences and math. Master’s degrees are also available to students who want to complete more advanced study in clinical, laboratory or research topics. These programs typically combine the Pharm.D. degree and the master’s degree into one program. Certification for pharmacy technicians is voluntary, but pharmacists must have receive a license by passing the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam and be certified.

The job outlook for pharmacy technicians is very good, as employment will increase through 2016. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that job openings for pharmacy techs will increase by 32 percent, and positions will be found in hospitals, grocery stores, and pharmacies or drug stores. Pharmacy technicians will also assume more responsibilities normally undertaken by certified pharmacists, including administrative work and managing the pharmacy as it transitions into a miniature outpatient care facility. Pharmacists will also notice a significant increase in job openings, which are expected to rise by 22 percent through 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. New jobs will open in managed care facilities, and pharmacists will adopt more responsibilities like vaccine administration and patient education, as they explain dosage, side effects and other information about medication. Pharmacists will also find work in department stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals and drug stores.