Interested in a new career with a great employment outlook offering an opportunity to help others and work in a variety of settings? Blackstone’s new online Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program will provide you with the training you need to enter this growing field. Approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Private Licensed Schools, and the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council, the new program meets the quality educational and business standards of both of these organizations.

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment for pharmacy technicians is expected to increase by 25% between 2008 and 2018, much faster than the average for all occupations. The healthcare industry continues to grow as a result of population growth and an increase in the number of elderly. Pharmacy technicians play a vital role, assisting pharmacists with a variety of duties that can vary from state to state, but which may include entering patient data, filing insurance claim forms, preparing medications, labeling, stocking inventory, and reviewing patient charts.

There are many employment settings for pharmacy technicians, including hospitals, nursing homes, assisted-living facilities, independently owned pharmacies, drugstore chains, grocery stores, mass retailers, Internet pharmacies, mail-order pharmacies, physicians’ offices, correctional institutions, and pharmaceutical wholesalers. Median salaries for pharmacy technicians averaged $27,706 in 2008, with the highest 10% earning $39,478 annually.

Graduates of Blackstone’s program are qualified to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board as well as for the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) sponsored by the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians. Applicants for either exam must be 18 years of age or older, possess a high school diploma or G.E.D., and not have been convicted of a felony. Prospective students should check with their State Board of Pharmacy regarding specific state regulations concerning licensure, registration and certification requirements.

Like Blackstone’s other diploma programs in the allied health and paralegal fields, the Pharmacy Technician Program offers the convenience of studying at home at your own pace and on your own schedule. Our Online Student Center gives you 24-hour access to your records, study materials, payment history and an opportunity to chat with other students. The program also includes a valuable online reference tool, Mosby’s Drug Reference for Health Professions, that you will be able to refer to for years to come.

For more information on this new program, visit our Web site, e-mail us at info@blackstone.edu or call 1-800-826-9228.

The Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) has launched Career Connection, a Web site designed to connect employers of healthcare documentation specialists with those seeking job opportunities, including medical transcriptionists. The Career Connection allows job seekers to post their resumes, as well as view and apply for job openings throughout the U.S. Recent jobs posted on the site included openings for transcriptionists, medical records clerks, and medical coders.

AHDI, formerly the American Association for Medical Transcription, is a membership organization for medical transcriptionists that sets industry and educational standards. Blackstone has been a member for over five years.

Blackstone Career Institute’s Career Center offers many additional career resources for those seeking jobs in the allied health and paralegal fields. Visit our Web site to take advantage of these resources.

You are probably aware of the basic pointers to follow when you have a job interview, such as dress professionally, research the company, and make eye contact. But there are many ways you can make yourself stand out in a crowded field. Here are some helpful tips from Careerbuilder.com that were provided by actual job seekers:

• Make a list of five accomplishments from your previous job and use this information to frame your answers throughout the interview. Just reviewing the list prior to the interview will give you a confidence boost.
• Don’t be too timid to ask direct questions. For example, one job seeker recommends that you ask “Where do I stand in comparison to the other candidates?” Another suggests the following query, “Is there any reason that would lead you to believe I am not the best person for this position?” Direct questions like these will give you the opportunity to clarify your qualifications and they demonstrate your aggressiveness.
• Review the job description and customize your answers to interview questions by showing how your skills meet the requirements.
• Make the interviewer aware that you have done your research. You can print out pages from the company’s Web site and reveal them when you open your notebook or binder to take notes or pull out your resume.
• Don’t volunteer extra information. For example, talking about your children is not appropriate and could lead the interviewer to the wrong assumptions.
• Speak as though you have the job during the interview. For example, say “I will” instead of “I would,” and “I can” instead of “I could.”
• Be polite and friendly: whether you are greeting the receptionist or thanking an employee for giving you directions, it is important to make a positive impression on everyone you meet. You never know who will influence the hiring decision.