Pharmacy Technicians play a critical role in healthcare, working closely with pharmacists to dispense prescription medications to patients. If you’re passionate about customer service and want to enter the health care industry, enrolling in an online pharmacy technician program will help you get started. Success in the field requires that you have strong attention to detail, good organizational skills, and a desire to work with others. On a typical day, your duties might include receiving and preparing prescriptions, labeling products, maintaining patient records, ordering supplies, sterile and non-sterile compounding, processing payments, verifying prescription orders, and filling and maintaining an automated medication dispensing machine.
The pharmacy technician field remains one of the fastest-growing occupations. In 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that there were about 447,300 pharmacy technicians in the United States. The number of pharmacy technicians is expected to grow by 5 percent in the next decade.
Emily Griffith Technical College
The pharmacy technician certificate program at Emily Griffith College includes courses that may be completed online. The program is designed to prepare students for work in a variety of pharmacy settings, including private and commercial pharmacies, hospitals and long-term care facilities. Through hands-on experience in a simulated classroom pharmacy and during the clinical internship, students will acquire the skills they’ll use in a real-world setting. The ASHP accredited program covers 28.5 credit hours. Students will complete an internship comprising of 202.5 hours. Course topics include Introduction to Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law and Ethics, Pharmacology I and II, Pharmacy Calculations and Compounding Techniques, Institutional Pharmacy, Computer Skills for Pharmacy Technicians, Community Pharmacy, Pharmacy Clinical in the Community and Institution. Graduates will be prepared to take a national certification exam to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician. Part-time students will complete the program in 6 months.
Admission criteria:
- Complete Pharmacy Tech math preparation at Emily Griffith online. The study module should be completed 2 weeks before the program start date
- Submit a copy of TABE assessment results
- Provide proof of completing high school or equivalent
- Submit official sealed transcripts of any college coursework completed – if requesting transfer credits
- Provide documentation of immunization p MMR, Varicella, Hepatitis B, negative TB
- Must apply for Provisional Pharmacy Technician certification with the Colorado Board of Pharmacy
- Provide a copy of a completed criminal background check
- Provide a copy of a completed 10-panel drug test
The estimated program cost is $3,392. Additional material and book fees may apply.
- Website: https://www.emilygriffith.edu/
- Address: 1860 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO 80203
- Phone: 720-423-4700
PIMA Medical Institute
The hybrid pharmacy technician certificate program at PIMA Medical Institute includes delivery of theoretical coursework online and hands-on experiences in the classroom. Students will acquire personal and professional skills to function as capable entry-level pharmacy technicians. The hands-on training in the lab simulated real-world settings to prepare students to enter the workforce immediately after graduation. Apart from the technical skills, students will develop skills in customer service, prescription preparation, patient profiling, and drug inventory maintenance. Course topics include pharmacy math, anatomy, physiology, and terminology, CPR and First Aid, math fundamentals, pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacology, pharmacy computer applications, patient safety, principles of customer service, pharmacy applications, pharmacy technician duties, pharmacy lab skills, fundamentals of chemistry, and clinical externship. The curriculum covers a total of 840 contact hours or 35.5 credit hours. The pharmacy externship is 240 contact hours – included in the total program hours. The duration of the program is 9 months.
Admission criteria:
- Submit a completed application and proof of completing high school
- Attend an interview with an admissions representative
- Take and pass the entrance exam – Wonderlic SLE
- Obtain a clear background check and drug screen
Tuition costs $15,470 including textbooks, lab supplies, uniforms, and tax.
- Website: https://pmi.edu/
- Address: 7475 Dakin Street, Denver, CO 80221
- Phone: 800-477-PIMA
Denver Health
The pharmacy technician program at Denver Health aims to prepare adults for a career as a pharmacy technician. Students will benefit from 6 months of free training, full-time employment while in the program, a provisional pharmacy technician license, up to 600 hours of education, hands-on learning within the industry, and the opportunity to work in a healthcare setting that values a diverse patient population and workforce. The 600 hours of pharmacy technician training includes online learning and experiential rotations at a minimum of two pharmacy sites within the Denver Health System. The didactic module covers a minimum of 160 hours and the experiential modules covers a minimum of 340 hours. The didactic portion of the program will be delivered through Pharmacy Technician University, an online competency-based curriculum for training pharmacy technicians. Graduates will be prepared to sit for the PTCB exam to become Certified Pharmacy Technicians.
Admission criteria:
- Submit a completed program application
- Submit a copy of high school diploma, GED or equivalent
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must obtain a satisfactory DH affiliate criminal background check and drug screen
- Must complete with DH immunization requirements
- Must obtain passing scores for pre-enrollment Math and English competency assessment
- Must pass an admissions interview
The training is free. Graduates who pass the PTCB exam have the opportunity to work with Denver Health for 12 months or more.
- Website: https://www.denverhealth.org/
- Address: 777 Bannock Street, Denver, CO 80204
- Phone: 303-436-4949
Front Range Community College
Front Range Community College facilitates an advanced-level pharmacy technician program to prepare adults for entry-level employment in retail and institutional pharmacies. Students will learn how to perform pharmacy-related functions as they work under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacy. The training will include classroom and simulated components along with hands-on experiences. The curriculum covers a total of 26 credits for the certificate. Course topics include pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacology, institutional pharmacy, community pharmacy, pharmaceutical calculations, and compounding techniques. The pharmacy externships in the second semester will be scheduled at both community and institutional pharmacies. The school offers an apprenticeship pathway in addition to the traditional program. Apprentices get paid for on-the-job training as they work on site at the employer’s facility. The apprenticeship will also give a competitive advantage in the workforce as well as increased wages. Graduates of the ASHP-accredited program will be prepared for success on the Pharmacy Technician National Examination. They have the option to complete the ACPE-National Sterile Compounding Certification Course after graduation. New students are admitted in the fall or spring semester. The duration of the program is two semesters.
Admission criteria:
- Must attend an information session via Zoom
- Must take and pass an entrance exam
- Must meet with the program director
- Must meet with the Health and Wellness Advisor
- Maintain the required immunizations throughout the program – TB test, Tdap, Hepatitis B, MMR, Varicella, seasonal influenza, negative COVID test, COVID-19 vaccine series
- Submit a completed application for admission to the pharmacy technician program
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must have current American Heart Association BLS Provider CPR card
- Pass a 10-panel background check and drug screen
- Must show record of high school diploma, GED completion, or unofficial college transcripts
Tuition costs $260.40 per credit for resident students. Financial aid is available for eligible students. Financing may be available through the Care Forward Colorado grant.
- Website: https://www.frontrange.edu/
- Address: 3645 W. 112th Ave. Westminster, CO 80031
- Phone: (303) 404-5000
Lutheran Medical Center
Lutheran Medical Center provides an opportunity for adults to train to become a pharmacy technician in a real hospital pharmacy setting. Some of the assignments may be delivered online. Students will develop practical skills as they train with actual pharmacists on the job at one of Colorado’s most established, trusted, and honored medical facilities. The program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists – the first hospital-based accredited program of its kind in Colorado. Students will participate in 12 weeks of online and simulation lab followed by 4 weeks (160 hours) of clinical rotations. The didactic training covers 348 hours of online work. The on-site simulation is 96 hours. Graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion. PTCB testing during or immediately after the program is recommended. The class size is limited to 10 students. The duration of the program is 16 weeks.
Admission criteria:
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must provide background check and drug tests
- Must attend lab each Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
- Must be flexible for rotations
- Must purchase textbooks before the program begins
- Submit a typed essay explaining why the candidate is interested in the Pharmacy Technician Academy
The program cost is $3,000.
- Website: https://www.sclhealth.org/
- Address: 8300 W 38th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
- Phone: 303-425-4500
Colorado Mountain College
The 100 percent online pharmacy technician program at Colorado Mountain College provides students with the real-world skills that are in demand in the healthcare industry. The PTCB recognized program prepares students for success on the PTCE exam. Students will learn how to prepare medications safely and accurately. Online delivery of the content provides flexibility for busy students. Students must be available to complete a clinical externship to gain hands-on, real-world experience. The curriculum requires completion of 532.5 contact hours of 31.5 credit hours. Course topics include pharmacy calculations, introduction to pharmacy, pharmacy law and ethics, communication and professionalism for pharmacy technicians, intuitional pharmacy, community pharmacy, pharmacology, computer skills for pharmacy technicians, certification review, and sterile compounding and aseptic techniques. Graduates will receive a Certificate of Occupational Proficiency in Pharmacy Technician.
Admission Criteria:
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must pass a criminal background heck check or drug screen
- Must demonstrate proficiency in composition, reading, and mathematics
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must have current immunizations
- Must have CPR certification
The program is eligible for financial aid.
- Website: https://coloradomtn.edu/
- Address: 802 Grand Avenue, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
- Phone: 1-970-945-8691
Pikes Peak Community College
The hybrid pharmacy technician program at Pikes Peak Community College gives students the flexibility to prepare for a career as a pharmacy technician. The program provides adults with knowledge and training in pharmacy that will enable them to assist licensed pharmacists. Students will learn how to use clinical lab equipment, work as a member of the pharmacy team in community and institutional pharmacies, and interact with customers. The program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. It requires completion of 46.5 credit hours for the Certificate or 61.5 credit hours for the AAS degree. Students will develop an understanding of clinical laboratory equipment, interpreting and filling prescriptions for medications in community and institutional pharmacies, perform pharmaceutical calculations applicable to the job, apply laws governing the practice of pharmacy, and demonstrate proper aseptic techniques. Course topics include introduction to pharmacy, medical record terminology, pharmacy law and ethics, medical terminology, CPR for professionals, community pharmacy, institutional pharmacy, human nutrition, pharmacology, sterile compounding and aseptic techniques, advanced pharmacy practice and nontraditional roles, and clinical.
Admission criteria:
- Apply for admission to Pikes Peak Community College
- Request and submit official transcripts – from high school and college – to be sent to the Records Office at PPCC
- Complete an Application for Admission to the Pharmacy Technician program and schedule an appointment with a PHT Adviser
- Complete the prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better – College Composition and Reading and Math for ClinicalCalc Literacy AND Mat 103 Math for Clinical Calculations
- Complete a criminal background check and drug screen through CastleBranch
- Must be able to read and write English
Tuition costs $260.40 per credit for resident students.
- Website: https://www.ppcc.edu/
- Address: 5675 S. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80906 USA
- Phone: 719-502-2000
- Toll-Free: 866-411-PPCC (7722)