Pharmacy technicians are critical members of the health care team. They provide patients with the medication they need to maintain health and well-being. Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist in retail pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and community pharmacies. Their core duties include the dispensing of prescription medications, filling orders for non-prescription medicines, attending to customer service issues, managing the inventory of medications, managing insurance claims, maintaining the smooth workflow of the pharmacy operation, data entry, and billing. Online pharmacy technician programs prepare adults to manage these and other tasks in a safe and efficient way. Most online programs include a practical component that gives students an opportunity to develop technical skills. They also include extensive preparation for national certification.
Southwest Tennessee Community College
The pharmacy technician program at Southwest Tennessee Community College includes some online courses. The program is approved by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) and includes theory and practical instruction to prepare students for national certification and entry-level employment as a pharmacy technician. Students enrolled in the program will acquire a working knowledge of standards of practice, quality assurance, patient confidentiality, and communication skills to use in a professional working environment. Students will rotate in assigned pharmacy settings to apply the theoretical concepts learned during the program. Course topics include intro to pharmacy practice, pharmacy calculations, pharmacology and therapeutics, sterile products, pharmacy law and ethics, clinical pharmacy experience, and pharmacy technology seminar. Courses must be taken in sequence for completion. The Pharmacy Technician Certificate requires completion of 32 credit hours. Graduates will be eligible to apply for registration with the State of Tennessee Board of Pharmacy and other requiring states. The certificate program admits new students in the Fall and the Spring. The duration of the program is two semesters.
Admission criteria:
- Must be at least 18 years old
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must take the TABE at the Southwest Tennessee Community College Testing Center
- Submit documentation of the required immunizations- MMR, negative TB test, influenza
- Must complete a physical exam and obtain a physician’s statement of suitability for matriculating in the program and job function
- Must pass a criminal background check and drug screen
- Must purchase and maintain malpractice insurance
Tuition is $241 per credit hour for resident students.
- Website: http://www.tn.edu/pharmacy/
- Address: 5983 Macon Cove, Memphis, TN 38134
- Phone: (901) 333-5000
Concorde Career College
The Pharmacy Technician program at Concorde Career College is delivered on hybrid format where students may complete some of the coursework online. The College offers a Pharmacy Technician Diploma program and a Pharmacy Technician Associate of Applied Science program. The AAS program is 60 semester credits and the Diploma program is 27 semester credits. The program is designed to prepare students with the theoretical knowledge, hands-on practical skills, and professional attributes required to obtain entry level positions as pharmacy technicians. There will be an emphasis on mathematics and pharmacology throughout the program so students will have sufficient theoretical knowledge and practical skills in compounding and delivery of drug products and maintaining records. Course topics include career path success, introduction to pharmacy practice lab, pharmacology lab, compounding and aseptic techniques, externship, introduction to pharmacy practice, pharmacology, and inventory management. The AAS program will cover additional coursework such as microbiology, anatomy and physiology, nutrition, college algebra, introduction to sociology, critical thinking, college algebra, and human growth and development. Graduates will be eligible sit for the national certification exam to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician. The duration of the diploma program is 6 months.
Admission criteria:
- Attend an interview and campus tour
- Submit a complete application and all admission documents
- Sign the Enrollment Agreement
- Take and pass the entrance exam
- Provide proof of completing high school or equivalent post-secondary education
- Must be able to speak, read and write English
- Submit a health certificate and immunization records
- Must be a citizen, permanent resident or eligible non-citizen
Tuition is $14,253. Books and supplies are additional. Financial aid is available for eligible students.
- Website: https://www.concorde.edu/
- Address: 5100 Poplar Ave #132, Memphis, TN 38137
- Phone: (901) 761-9494
Tennessee College of Applied Technology
The Pharmacy Technology program at TCAT Memphis includes online delivery of some coursework. The program trains students for employment in retail and wholesale pharmacies, and home health care, and long-term care facilities. They will function as pharmacy technicians or assistants under the supervision of a pharmacist. Through a partnership with PioneerRx, TCAT will provide students with an intensive hands-on learning experience through the simulation of the workflow and processes of the most innovative pharmacies,. The curriculum covers a total of 1,296 contact hours. Course topics include worker characteristics, orientation, keyboarding, pharmacy math, top drugs, pharmacy practice and lab, pharmacology, career readiness, top drugs, law ethics and HIPAA, third-party reimbursement, clinical training, and PTCE exam preparation. Graduates will be prepared for success on the PTCE exam. The duration of the program is 12 months.
Admission criteria:
- Must take and pass the COMPASS test
- Must have a high school diploma or GED/HiSET
- Must provide two references
- Applicants are subject to drug testing and background screening
- Must perform a satisfactory physical exam
- Submit a resume of work history
Tuition and fees cost $3,738. Books and supplies cost an additional $1,413.
- Website: https://tcatmemphis.edu/
- Address: 550 Alabama Avenue, Memphis, TN 38105
- Phone: (901) 543-6100
Tennessee College of Applied Technology – Dickson
The Pharmacy Technology program at TCAT Dickson includes online delivery of some coursework. The program prepares students to work as pharmacy technicians in retail and wholesale pharmacies, and home health care and long-term care facilities. Classroom instruction includes anatomy and pharmacy, medical terminology, pharmacy math, pharmacology, top drugs, law and ethics, third party reimbursement, keyboarding, and job preparation. Students will also participate in supervised clinical training. Through a partnership with PioneerRx, TCAT will provide students with an intensive hands-on learning experience through the simulation of the workflow and processes of the most innovative pharmacies,. The curriculum covers a total of 1,296 contact hours. Graduates will be prepared for success on the PTCE exam. Classes meet Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm. The duration of the program is 12 months.
Admission criteria:
- Must take and pass the COMPASS test
- Must have a high school diploma or GED/HiSET
- Must provide two references
- Applicants are subject to drug testing and background screening
- Must perform a satisfactory physical exam
- Submit a resume of work history
Tuition and fees cost $4,139. Books and supplies cost an additional $1,335.96.
- Website: https://tcatdickson.edu/
- Address: 740 highway 46 South, Dickson, TN 37055
- Phone: (615) 441-6220
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Through a partnership with the Therapeutic Research Center, Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy offers a comprehensive online pharmacy technician training program that is 100 percent online and self-paced. Students benefit from easy-to-use multimedia courses designed for technicians at all levels, modules divided into short parts, knowledge checks and learning activities, web-based training for easy access wherever there is an internet connection, on-demand print materials, and preparation for the PTCE, ExCPT and CSPT exams. The curriculum covers a total of 164 contact hours. Course topics include role of the pharmacy technician, orientation, drug information resources, laws affecting prescription dispensing, drug regulation and control, controlled substances, restricted drug programs, state laws and regulations, pharmaceutical technology, medication safety, communication, introductory calculations, dosage calculations, basic pharmaceutics, pharmacology, basic anatomy and physiology, prescription preparation, billing and third-party processing, and inventory control and management. Students will have up to 12 weeks to complete the program. Access to the program expires 6 months from the program launch date.
Admission criteria:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Register for the program
The program cost of $1,800 includes a voucher for the PTCE exam.
- Website: https://uthsc.edu/
- Address: 1924 Alcoa Highway, Knoxville TN 37920
- Toll-Free: 865-974-6605
The University of Memphis
The online pharmacy technician certification course offered by the University of Memphis prepares students to become pharmacy technicians to assist the pharmacist in the packing and distribution of medication. Students will receive didactic and hands-on training to develop the skills necessary for employment in the field. The program will cover medical and pharmaceutical terminology, basic anatomy related to the pharmacology of medications, and pharmaceutical calculations. They will obtain hands-on practice in retail pharmacy procedures through an online lab module. Students will learn process prescriptions and physician orders and apply that knowledge to fill mock prescriptions. Other topics include the ethics of pharmacy practice and education about prescription medications, patient care and interaction, and charges and reimbursement. Graduates will be prepared to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). They will also have the option to perform a hands-on, 100-hour Practicum Experience.
Admission criteria:
- Must be 18 years or older
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Register for the program
The program cost of $2,995 includes a voucher for the PTCE exam.
- Website: https://careertraining.memphis.edu/
- Address: 276 Administration Bldg., Memphis, TN 38152 US
- Phone: 855-520-6806