Those who wish to become pharmacy technicians will learn all they need to know about this profession when they enroll in a pharmacy technician program.
Accreditation
Students should only attend a program that holds accreditation from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. This signifies they meet certain quality standards.
About the Programs
Students can find programs around the country at community colleges, hospitals, and vocational schools. They can earn a certificate, diploma (only for those who already have a degree in any field), or an associate degree. The completion time varies by program and range from six to twenty-four months.
Courses
Coursework differs as not all programs are the same, so classes may include:
Pharmacy Practice – Students learn the basic elements of the pharmacy field. This includes medical abbreviations, prescription writing and interpretation as well as drug forms and administration.
Pharmacology for Visceral Structures – This course gives students advanced knowledge of pharmacology and pharmaceutical practice, and includes a systematic approach to names and classification of drugs and therapeutic agents, their side effects, and mechanisms of action.
First Aid/CPR – Students are given an overview on the basic concepts of basic life support practices and will also learn first aid practices and procedures.
Dosage Calculations – This course is an introduction to math skills such as basic terminology, abbreviations, and units needed to complete pharmaceutical calculations.
Community Pharmacy Practice – During this course, students are introduced to the ambulatory or retail pharmacy and the technician’s role. Skills learned include preparation, interpretation, labeling, and maintaining records of physicians’ medication orders and prescriptions in a community pharmacy.
Intravenous Admixture and Sterile Procedures – This course centers on preparing intravenous solutions including irrigation solutions and ophthalmic preparations. Hand washing techniques, proper equipment use, hazardous medication products, and preparation of sterile products are discussed.
Pharmacology Technician Certification Review – Students will review the main topics that are covered on the National Pharmacy Technician Certification exam.
Pharmacy Law – This course reviews all laws that affect pharmacy practice. Topics include the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the different federal and state controlled substance acts.
Fundamentals of Oral Communication – During this course, students explore the fundamentals of oral communication through the study and practice of interpersonal and small group communication.
Health Science Physiology – This course gives an in-depth look into human physiology including the nervous, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems.
Health Science Anatomy – Students learn the basic concepts in human anatomical structure with relations to body functions.
Fundamentals of Mathematics – This course emphasizes the basic math skills used to solve occupational and technical problems. Topics include decimals, measurement and conversion, fractions, and basic statistics.
Fundamentals of English – This course covers the development and improvement of both oral and written communication skills. Topics include editing and proofreading, research, and writing analysis.
Principles of Dispensing Medications – This introductory course teaches students about classification of medication through topics such as drug interactions, and drug addiction and abuse.
Internship
Students usually participate in an internship as part of their program. They work in an actual pharmacy environment and perform tasks such as packaging and labeling drugs, compounding, inventory, and much more.
Schools
Some of the best pharmacy technician programs are found at the following schools:
Miami Dade College – Miami, Florida
This school offers a pharmacy technician certificate, and students are able to finish the program in two to three semesters.
Madonna University – Livonia, Michigan
This private four-year university offers several programs in the health sector including Pre-Professional Pharmacy.
Atlanta Technical College – Atlanta, Georgia
At Atlanta Technical College, students can earn an associate degree, diploma, or certificate.
If you would like to learn more about the various pharmacy technician programs, please contact us.
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