MedCerts retools pharmacy technician training to align with ASHP/ACPE updates

MedCerts, the producer of the first completely online pharmacy technician program accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, is enhancing that program to align with the entry-level requirements for in-demand skills and expectations as defined by employers and technicians.

After the ASHP/ACPE standards update in 2019, MedCerts worked with its pharmacy partners including Henry Ford Health System and Kroger to enhance the MedCerts training program for entry-level technicians. In response to the standards updates, as well as new USP 797 standards, portions of MedCerts Pharmacy Technician program have been removed, condensed, or are delivered in a more efficient way, resulting in a program of 24 weeks — 12 weeks shorter than the previous 36-week version.

“As a pioneer and leader in allied health career training, it's very important for us to stay connected to the true needs of the employers,” said Dana Janssen, chief product officer at MedCerts. “Our end goal is to prepare students for long-term careers in healthcare by providing the most engaging, in-depth and relevant training in the country. Proactive measures like this ensure our programs are always in alignment with what employers expect out of job-ready candidates.”

The newly enhanced MedCerts program now features expanded customer service training, which has been identified by employers as the most in-demand “soft skills” for technicians. The company also has enhanced the instruction design and program aesthetics with the aim of providing an elevated learning experience that also allows students more freedom as they move through the training. 

With employers requiring certification for most technician jobs, MedCerts said it has embedded exam preparation activities throughout the program in an effort to ensure students fully comprehend the materials of each specific knowledge domains represented on the PCTE examination. MedCerts also has a list of national partners, including CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Walmart, Kroger, and Albertsons, to host students for their clinical externships, an ASHP/ACEP requirement.

“The MedCerts Pharmacy Technician Professional program really gives students the best chance at a successful career in the industry,” said Jason Priest, MedCerts pharmacy externship coordinator and executive board member with Michigan Society of Pharmacy Technicians through Michigan Pharmacists Association. “As someone that is still active in a pharmacy, I’ve seen first hand how important it is that standards and training continue to evolve to meet the needs of current and future students and employers.”

Pharmacies interested in filling technician vacancies using the new ASHP/ACPE accreditation program can become an externship host, purchase the training for their new hires, or license content to build their own program. MedCerts Pharmacy Technician courses and materials are built on the M.David Merrill’s principles of Instructional Design and use a combination of MedCerts 12 Elements of eLearning.