How to Prepare for a Pharmacy Technician Career as a Military Spouse
Navigating life as a military spouse often means making transitions from one place to the next. No matter how long you and your family are stationed in one location, you can pursue your educational goals and pave a pathway for success in your career.
Blackstone Career Institute wants to provide you with online training for in-demand careers that will help you grow your skill set, while ensuring your education is flexible and affordable.
Starting a pharmacy technician career as a military spouse is possible and will help you build your working knowledge in the medical field to make an impact on others and support your mobile lifestyle.
What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do?
While there are a plethora of jobs available in the medical field, a pharmacy technician is an essential liaison between the pharmacist and patient who provides assistance when it comes to obtaining prescription medicines that can support your body in times of need.
While pursuing a pharmacy technician career as a military spouse, you will learn the ins and outs of filling prescriptions, processing medications, and understanding base measurements, medicine names, and dosages to ensure each patient gets the care they need.
A pharmacy technician will work closely with the pharmacist to ensure a smooth process for individuals and will be able to apply their knowledge of medical ethics, drug classifications, and human anatomy for pediatric and geriatric patients.
Blackstone’s Pharmacy Technician Program completion time averages 4 – 12 months depending on your needs, but you can take up to 18 months to complete it. Our program is ready to fit your lifestyle so you can be on your way to making an impact in a rewarding, sustainable career. Pharmacy technicians earned an estimated median salary of $43,460 in 2024.
Stand Out with Externship Experience
Not only will you learn the fundamentals of a pharmacy technician career as a military spouse through your online curriculum, but you will also apply the information through an in-person externship.
This program requirement will give you the ability to familiarize yourself in the work environment, while also working alongside those who have experience in the industry and can coach you on best practices in the field.
It will also showcase your work ethic and assets to a potential employer who can see what knowledge and resources you have obtained.
One of the best parts of preparing for a pharmacy technician career as a military spouse with Blackstone’s program is the opportunity to extern through our partners.
Blackstone has partnerships with Walgreens and CVS nationwide, which means you may find an available location near you, no matter where you are living in the United States.
To locate a Walgreens near you, visit this link.
To locate a CVS near you, visit this link.
Level Up Your Skills with Certification
Once you satisfactorily complete your coursework and externship for your pharmacy technician career as a military spouse, you will qualify to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination® (PTCE®), administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board® (PTCB®), to earn national recognition as a CPhT (Certified Pharmacy Technician).
This certification can set you apart from other candidates and show potential employers you have the skills, knowledge, and competency to succeed in the pharmacy field.
Apply for Your MyCAA Scholarship
Now that you know what training for a pharmacy technician career as a military spouse entails, you can begin your journey!
To start, you will want to apply for the MyCAA Scholarship to access funding if you qualify.
This process is initiated by logging in to your MyCAA portal to verify your eligibility. Then you will enroll online with Blackstone and select the MyCAA payment option. After receiving your completed submission, Blackstone will email your education plan document to you. You can then use this document to apply for financial assistance. If funding is secured, you will become officially enrolled and begin your coursework.
Your MyCAA Scholarship can be used regardless of the branch of service your spouse is in. You must have obtained a high school diploma or GED to apply. Additionally, the scholarship will remain valid only if your spouse’s pay grade falls within the allowable ranges. To see all eligibility requirements, click here.
When you choose to use your MyCAA Scholarship to train for a pharmacy technician career as a military spouse, you can receive up to $4,000 to fund your educational pursuits. This monetary benefit means your tuition for Blackstone’s Pharmacy Technician Program could be 100% covered!
If you still have questions about your eligibility or the amount you qualify for, visit the MyCAA website for more details or review the steps of the process for securing your eligible funding with Blackstone’s easy step-by-step guide to get started with MyCAA.
Use Military Spouse Career Resources
There are countless resources you can use to connect with other military spouses and join a community of individuals working to pursue their career goals.
Visit the Recruit Military Career Fairs page to discover more.
You can take the first step by setting up your MyCAA portal and reaching out to an admissions advisor at Blackstone. With knowledge in your pocket, you will have the simple, actionable steps to use your scholarship toward your tuition while working toward a pharmacy technician career as a military spouse.
Written by Laura Conaway
