Pharmacy technician online programs are designed to prepare adults to fill the expanding role of pharmacy technicians. The content is delivered completely online although students have the option to apply for the accompanying pharmacy externship attached to most programs. Theoretical coursework covers the basic skills that are essential to the pharmacy technician’s role in the receiving, preparation, and dispensing of prescription medication under the direction of a licensed pharmacist. The pharmacy technician graduate will be eligible to sit for the PTCE exam administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. The learning continues after the program as the technician acquires knowledge and skills as he or she works closely with the pharmacist in a real-world setting.
Columbus State Community College
The Pharmacy Technician Program at Columbus State is offered in a blended format for students seeking a flexible training program. The curriculum includes theory and practical instruction in the basic elements of the field of pharmacy such as medical abbreviations, prescription writing, and interpretation, drug forms and routes of administration, non-sterile and sterile compounding, as well as developing relations between the pharmacist and the pharmacy technician. The pharmacy externship will commence in the first semester and continue to the second to give students the opportunity to apply the knowledge gained in the program. It comprises of 140 hours to meet the ASHP accreditation requirements. The externship partners include CVS pharmacy, Walgreens Pharmacy, Plain City Druggist, Mount Carmel Health Systems, The Charitable Pharmacy of Central Ohio, and others. Students must complete all courses with a grade C or higher to qualify for participation in the externship. Graduates will be prepared to sit for the PTCB or ExCPT national certification exam. They will demonstrate the ability to practice safely and professionally in pharmacy practice, use proper customer service procedures related to professional communication, appearance, and knowledge of allowed duties when working under a licensed pharmacist, and understand the requirements for state registration and national certification. Full-time students will complete the program in 26 to 32 weeks (2 semesters). The school offers two start dates a year, the Autumn or Spring semester.
Admission criteria:
- Must complete the mandatory information session delivered online
- Must provide documentation of completing high school or GED equivalent
- Must place into ENGL 1100, MATH 1025 and No Reading Required. All applicants except those with an associate’s degree or higher must take the Reading Placement Test
- Must register as a pharmacy technician trainee
- Must submit an application for admission to Columbus State Community College and declare your program of study to be “Pharmacy Technician”
- Submit a completed Pharmacy Technician Application
- Complete a background check and drug screen – the cost of the background check is $72
- Take and pass a Pharmacy Technician Information Quiz
- Complete the health record requirements
Tuition costs $172.93 per credit hour for Ohio residents. The tuition for out-of-state residents is $353.70 per credit hour. Books, supplies, and fees must be added to the cost.
- Website: https://www.cscc.edu/
- Address: 550 East Spring St., Columbus, OH 43215
- Phone: (614) 287-5353
- Email: information@cscc.edu
Columbus City Schools
The online pharmacy technician program offered by Columbus City School is open to high school students and adults looking to prepare for employment as a pharmacy technician. The program is delivered completely online, but students have the option to complete a 100-hour pharmacy externship at the conclusion of the program. Students will learn how to perform pharmacy calculations, how to process insurance billing and collect payments, the pharmacology of medications in relation to the anatomy affected, techniques required in the stocking, ordering, preparation, and distribution of medications, HIPAA requirements and their application to the pharmacy, interpreting physician orders and prescriptions, and federal and state laws that govern pharmacy, and the ethics of pharmacy practice. The program will also include access to the PTCE practice tests to study for the certification exam and hands-on practice in retail pharmacy procedures through an online lab module. Graduates will be prepared to sit for the PTCE exam.
Admission criteria:
- Must be proficient in keyboarding
- Must have a basic understanding of a word-processing computer program
- Must have a basic understanding of high school math including percent and proportions at the algebra level
- Must have a computer and internet access
- Must have a high school diploma and pass a criminal background check to sit for the PTCE exam
The program cost of $2,495 includes access to the program for 12 months, textbooks, and a voucher for the PTCB exam.
- Website: https://www.ccsoh.us/
- Address: 2323 Lexington Avenue, Columbus, OH 43211 US
- Phone: 855.520.6806
Terra State Community College
The online pharmacy technician program at Terra State Community College is 100 percent online. Students will learn federal and state laws that govern pharmacies, the ethics of pharmacy practice, and dispensing prescription under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Course modules include orientation to pharmacy, pharmacy law and ethics, pharmaceutical calculations, pharmacology, communication skills, insurance and inventory procedures, lab module, clinical rotations (which involves a virtual externship in the retail and hospital settings), and the final exam. Students will be eligible to apply for a 100+ hour externship at a national pharmacy chain. The program is designed to be completed in one year or less – not including the time spent in the externship program or preparation to sit for state licensure. Graduates will be prepared for success on the state licensure exam.
Admission criteria:
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must pass a criminal background check to sit for the PTCB exam and participate in the externship
- Must be proficient in keyboarding
- Must have a basic understanding of a word-processing computer program
- Must have a computer and internet access
The program cost of $2,495 includes access to the program for 12 months, textbooks, and a voucher for the PTCB exam.
- Website: https://www.terra.edu/kern_center/online_training/index.html
- Address: 2830 Napoleon Rd., Fremont, OH 43420
- Phone: 419.334.8400
Franklin University
The online pharmacy technician specialist certificate program offered by Franklin University is offered in partnership with Medcerts. Students will learn the essential skills required for the handling of medications and assisting in a pharmacy environment. Areas of study include receiving and processing prescription requests from patients and those sent electronically from physicians’ offices, accurate counting, weighing, pouring, and mixing of medications, preparation of prescription labels and packages, and preparation and processing of insurance claim forms and management of inventory. The program will cover a total of 256 contact hours of self-paced, online instruction. Students will receive 9 college credits towards an AS or BS degree at Franklin University. Graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion and be prepared to sit for the PTCB exam for national certification. The duration of the program is 16 weeks.
Admission criteria:
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must be proficient in math and English
- Must have a computer with access to the internet
- Must pass a criminal background check to take the PTCB exam
The cost of the program is $2,700.
- Website: https://www.franklin.edu/
- Address: 201 S Grant Ave., Columbus, OH 43215
- Phone: (614) 797-4700
- Toll Free: (877) 341-6300