Become a Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians have become indispensable to the health care industry, and it's a great time to join this growing field. Pharmacy technician classes can get you started on this fulfilling career path. You'll gain the skills and knowledge to qualify for entry-level positions in pharmacies and be prepared for national certification.

Upon completion of this course, you will be prepared to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE), offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). This course also includes a voucher which covers the fee of the exam. Pharmacy technician certification is an important issue for many industry employers and state legislatures, some of which now require national certification. You will also have the opportunity to apply for a 100+ hour externship.

Hardware Requirements:

Pharmacy technicians assist and support licensed pharmacists in providing healthcare to patients. The Pharmacy Technician Online Certification Training Program was developed in response to a rising need for trained technicians to work in hospital or retail pharmacies. The pharmacy technician profession has become indispensable to the health care field. With this growing opportunity, however, has also come increased responsibility, and this increased responsibility has made certification an important issue for many industry employers and some state legislatures. Some states now require all individuals who work as pharmacy technicians to become nationally certified.

In all parts of the country, pharmacy technicians must have a broad knowledge of pharmacy practice and must be skilled in the techniques required to order, stock, package, and prepare medications, but they don't need the advanced college education required of a licensed pharmacist. Pharmacy technicians may perform many of the same duties as a pharmacist; however, all of their work must be checked by a pharmacist before medication can be dispensed to a patient.

This program will prepare you for entry-level pharmacy technician positions by teaching you medical and pharmaceutical terminology, basic anatomy related to the pharmacology of medications, and pharmaceutical calculations. The Pharmacy Technician Program will give you hands-on practice in retail pharmacy procedures through an online lab module. You'll learn what information is necessary to process prescriptions and physician orders and apply that knowledge to fill mock prescriptions. The curriculum also includes the ethics of pharmacy practice and education about prescription medications, patient care and interaction, and charges and reimbursement.

You'll learn everything you need to know to pass the National Certification Exam offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). However, you'll need to make sure that the Pharmacy Technician Program will meet your state's requirements. To check, visit your state's Board of Pharmacy site for more information. You can access this information directly from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) website. Click on the "Who We Serve" link, then the "States" link for information. You can also call the state board and ask for the current technician regulations.

As a part of the Pharmacy Technician Online Certification Training Program, students have an option to perform an actual hands-on 100-hour clinical externship. Clinical externships are based on individual state board requirements. Learn more about externships below!

Upon completion of this program, you will be prepared to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE), offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). The registration fee for this exam is included with this program.

Pharmacy Externship*

ed2go has reached a nationwide agreement with several pharmacies that will give our Pharmacy Technician course students an important leg up in the job market. These pharmacies will offer their renowned externship programs to you, provided you meet basic qualifications.

Externs will get hands-on experience that includes assisting pharmacists with prescriptions, answering patient questions about medications, and a bevy of administrative duties.

In order to qualify for an externship, you'll have to pass a drug screening test, obtain professional liability insurance, complete a background check and employment verification, meet current immunization standards, conform with and complete any state mandates such as registration, fingerprinting, licensing etc. Additional forms may be necessary for externships with certain pharmacies. It may take up to 12 weeks to find an available opening.

*Disclaimer: An externship with these pharmacies is not guaranteed. All students must apply to the program and complete the prerequisite criteria before being accepted. Positions in the externship program are contingent on availability at each pharmacy location. Students may also set up their own externship at any other retail or hospital facility. The externship is an additional 100 hours.

Participation in a CVS or Walgreens externship is contingent upon successfully completing a background check and/or drug screening that is consistent with the requirements of both state and federal laws.

PLEASE NOTE: Walgreens is not currently able to place externship students in Arizona and Florida because they're piloting a POWER project in those states. An alternate externship may be available in these states.

What you will learn

• The federal and state laws that govern pharmacy, as well as the ethics of pharmacy practice.
• HIPAA requirements and their application to pharmacy.
• How to interpret physician orders and prescriptions.
• Techniques required to order, stock, package, prepare, and distribute medications.
• Definitions of medical and pharmaceutical terms and common abbreviations.
• The pharmacology of medications in relation to the anatomy affected.
• How to perform pharmaceutical calculations.
• How to process insurance billing and collect payments.
• How to communicate successfully with patients and medical professionals.

How you will benefit

• After successfully completing your course, you'll receive access to the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) practice tests to help you study for your certification exam.
• Jump start your career towards working as a Pharmacy Aide, Pharmacy Technician, Certified Pharmacy Technician, Health Technician/Technologist, Medical Laboratory Technician, Medical Records Clerk/Technician, or a Nursing Assistant.
• You will get hands-on practice in retail pharmacy procedures through an online lab module, applying what you've learned to fill mock prescriptions.
• You will have the opportunity to apply for a 100+ hour externship

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

• This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.

Software Requirements:

• PC: Windows 8 or newer.
• Mac: OS X Snow Leopard 10.6 or later.
• Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
• Adobe Acrobat Reader.
• Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

• Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

• The Pharmacy Technician: A Comprehensive Approach
• Pharmaceutical Calculations for Pharmacy Technicians
• Law and Ethics for Pharmacy Technicians
• Fundamental Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians
• Fundamental Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians Workbook
• Pharmacy Lab Kit and Manual (e-Science) (only available for residents of U.S./Canada; additional information available in the FAQs section)
• Externship packet and lab coat provided upon acceptance into the Externship Program

Prerequisites:

If you're interested in becoming a pharmacy technician, this course is for you! No healthcare or medical office work experience is required.

You should be proficient in keyboarding (approximately 35 words per minute), have a basic understanding of a word-processing computer program (Microsoft Word is recommended), and have a command of English grammar and punctuation.

You are encouraged to have a basic understanding of high school math including percent's and proportions at the algebra level. This course will provide a review of fractions and decimals, in addition to covering more advanced pharmacy equations.

In order to sit for the national certification exam, you must complete a PTCB-Recognized Education program or have equivalent work experience; this course is recognized by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Click here for additional information about equivalent work experience.

To participate in the retail externships, you must apply and fulfill all state and local pharmacy requirements. This will include a background check and drug test. There is no guarantee for externship placement.

Instructors

Melissa Dunworth
Melissa Dunworth has been a pharmacy technician for over 13 years and has worked in retail, closed pharmacy, and training/education areas during her career. Melissa holds a Bachelor's degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences and works as a Developmental Specialist in Early Intervention for children ages 0 to 3 years. She has been a certified pharmacy technician since 1997. Melissa is also registered with the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy.

Betty Stahl
Betty Stahl holds a doctorate in pharmacy from Shenandoah University. Over the past several years, she has taught pharmacy technician programs at ASA College in New York City and ACT in Arlington, Virginia. Stahl has also worked as a pharmacist in independent and hospital settings.