Requirements to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Wisconsin

As of June 1st, 2012, there are more than a thousand hospital and retail pharmacies scattered throughout the state of Wisconsin.  According to data recently made available form the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacies in Wisconsin currently employ approximately 7,420 full time professional pharmacy technicians.  Of these, roughly three thousand are neither licensed nor Board certified.  This is, however, more often based on administrative technicalities than on a lack of training among pharmacy technicians.  Pharmacists clearly prefer licensed technicians.  Most pharmacy technicians who are technically unlicensed are actually in the process of initial licensing or in the process of license renewal.  Regulations and restrictions regarding locally employed pharmacy technicians will vary from state to state. 

Wisconsin State Regulations for Pharmacy Technicians

Wisconsin is not one of the fourteen U.S. states that require Board certification and state licensing for its pharmacy technicians.  In fact, the Wisconsin Board of Pharmacy imposes no regulations on the activities of locally employed pharmaceutical assistants.  The on-the-job activities of pharmacy technicians are regulated primarily by local licensed pharmacists, working in accordance with various state and federal laws.  For instance, federal law prohibits unlicensed pharmacy assistants from preparing, packaging, labeling and verifying controlled substances like prescription medications.  This is one reason why pharmacists often insist on working with licensed assistants, regardless of whether or not state law mandates it. 
Wisconsin pharmacy technicians who wish to become licensed and Board certified may do so by earning a passing grade on a nationally recognized, standardized test such as the Exam for Certified Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT).  However, certification is strictly voluntary. 
According to state law, the maximum allowable ratio of pharmacy technicians to pharmacists is four to one (4:1).  However, pharmacists may petition the Wisconsin Board of Pharmacy to have the maximum increased under special circumstances such as bulk compounding. 

Wisconsin Training Programs for Pharmacy Technicians Include:

Residents of the state of Wisconsin who are interested in working locally as pharmaceutical technicians can sometimes acquire professional skills and state-approved licenses by attending accredited local colleges.  Schools in Wisconsin that offer certificate programs for pharmacy technicians include Milwaukee Career College in Milwaukee and University of Phoenix, which features facilities in Brookfield, Glendale, Grand Chute and Madison.
At the same rate, some aspiring pharmacy technicians acquire skills online.  Popular accredited online colleges with professional studies for pharmacy technicians include Provo College, Pioneer Pacific College, Daymar College, InterCoast College and Remington College, to name only a few.