Pharmacy Technician
 
What is a pharmacy technician?

Duties may include receiving and verifying prescriptions, preparing medication for clients through mixing, counting pills and labeling bottles.
Pharmacy technicians also work in patient care facilities. They are responsible for reading patient charts, then preparing the medication, verifying the prescription and delivering it to the patient.
What are other common tasks for a pharmacy technician?
  • Patient paperwork
  • Aiding in insurance claims
  • Checking inventory
  • Stocking medications
Several paths exist to become a pharmacy tech.  It is possible to learn on the job, but employers prefer pharmacy techs who have formal training and certification.  Coursework for formal training includes medical and pharmaceutical terminology, pharmaceutical calculations, pharmacy recordkeeping, pharmaceutical techniques and pharmacy law and ethics.  An internship may be part of the training.  Depending on the school attended and state employed in, a diploma, certificate or associates degree would be awarded.
Program Description
560 Clock Hours/ 36 weeks
 
Class Title
Lecture Hours
Lab Hours
Instructional Hours
Orientation to Pharmacy Practice
32
 
 
Over-the-Counter Drugs
32
 
 
Pharmacy Law
32
 
 
Pharmacy Ethics
16
 
 
Pharmacology I
32
16
 
Pharmacology II
32
16
 
Pharmacy Technology I
16
32
 
Pharmacy Technology II
16
32
 
Pharmacy Calculations
32
 
 
AIDS Education and CPR
16
16
 
Communication Skills for Pharmacy Practice
16
 
 
Community Practice
16
16
 
IV Admixture and Aseptic Technique I
16
16
 
IV Admixture and Aseptic Technique II
16
16
 
Resumé Writing and Interview Techniques
16
 
 
Advanced Insurance Billing
16
16
 
Role in Drug Utilization Review
4
4
 
Supervisory and Management Skills
8
 
 
Research and Data Collection
8
 
 
Nonsterile Compounding Seminar
8
8
 
Nontraditional Practice Settings
16
 
 
Total
372
188
560
 
Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in providing patients with medication and other health care products.