If you have a knack for helping others, good customer service skills, and would love to work in health care, then working as a pharmacy technician may be a career for you. Pharmacy technicians work under the direction of pharmacists to dispense medications to patients in a community or hospital pharmacy. Pharmacy technician programs in Florida prepare students for this rewarding career in 10 to 18 months. Program graduates can take the National Pharmacy Technician certification exam administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board for national certification (CPhT), which is recognized by employers in most states. According to the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for pharmacy technicians is expected to rise by 6% by 2032, so it’s an exciting time to join the industry. Pharmacy technicians work in hospitals, grocery stores, retail pharmacies, and any other location where a licensed pharmacist dispenses medicines. Their duties include taking and recording patient information, record keeping, managing inventory, packaging and labeling medicines, operating the cash register, and calculating medications before filling dispensing containers
Florida State College at Jacksonville
Florida State College at Jacksonville hosts a limited access Pharmacy Technician Workforce Certificate program that prepares students for an in-demand career in the health-care industry. The 1,050-hour curriculum covers finance, management, planning, underlying principles of technology, community issues, labor issues, and health, safety, and environmental issues in addition to health care topics. Core topics include medical terminology, IV preparation, delivering medications, printing labels, pricing prescription drugs, metric system, receiving and handling of hazardous drugs, preparing purchase orders, patient record systems, computer applications, and employability skills. Before completing the program, students must take the PTCB’s National Pharmacy Technician certification exam. Graduates can then apply to the Florida State Board of Pharmacy for registration as a Registered Pharmacy Technician (RPhT) in Florida. Day and evening schedules are available.
Admission criteria:
- Must be a U.S. citizen or legal immigrant
- Secure admission to Florida State College before applying for the pharmacy tech program. The non-refundable application fee is $25
- A high school diploma or equivalent – official high school transcript, a transcript from other colleges, or official copy of GED test scores must be provided
- Must be at least 17 years old
- Submit a completed program application before the deadline
- Must have current CPR certification – American Heart Association BLS Provider
- Complete a satisfactory criminal background check and drug screen
- Submit a physical exam report completed by a licensed physician
- Proof if health insurance may be required from the clinical site
- Attend an interview with the program director
In-state tuition costs $3,066 plus fees. Additional costs include a background check, CPR certification, uniform, textbooks, and physical exam. Financial aid is available for eligible students.
- Website: https://www.fscj.edu/home
- Address: 101 W State St, Jacksonville, FL 32202
- Phone:(904) 766-6585
- Email: jbuford@fscj.edu
Mayo Clinic
The Pharmacy Technician Program at Mayo Clinic leads to a Pharmacy Technician Certificate. Graduates will have the confidence to dispense medications under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. The program emphasizes the skills needed to function as a pharmacy technician. It is affordable, flexible, and accessible to all students. The combination of on-campus instruction with online classes helps students balance learning with other life commitments. The theoretical component of the program will be completed in three months. It will include practical learning in state-of-the-art pharmacy simulation labs. The pharmacy externship will be conducted in the final two months. Course topics are Introduction to Pharmacy, Pharmacology for Technicians, Career Development, Principles of Pharmacy Operations, Pharmacy Simulation Lab, Pharmacy Experiential Rotation I, and Pharmacy Experiential Rotation II. Classes meet 8 hours per day one day a week for the first 12 weeks. Clinical rotations may be scheduled between the hours of 6:30 am to 5:30 pm and includes 40 hours of training each week. The program accepts new students twice a year.
Admission criteria:
- Be a high school graduate or equivalency
- Be 18 years or older at the start of the program
- Pass a state and national background check
- Provide two professional references. Must be authority figures from previous school or place of employment
- Must be a U.S. citizen or legal immigrant
- Demonstrate English Language proficiency
- Submit a completed application online
- Submit an essay describing goals and reasons for pursuing the Pharmacy Technician program. The essay must be at least 500 words
- Submit official high school transcript and transcript any college courses completed
The program is designed to meet the staffing needs at Mayo Clinic. As such, there is no cost for tuition. The cost is covered through the Mayo Clinic Workforce Development Scholarship. Students must cover the cost of the background check, PTCB exam, books, supplies, and uniforms. Many graduates are employed by Mayo Clinic after the training.
- Website: https://college.mayo.edu/
- Address: 4500 San Pablo Rd S, Jacksonville, FL 32224
- Phone: 507-293-2272
UF Health Shands Pharmacy Department
The Pharmacy Technician Training Program offered by UF Health Shands Pharmacy Department is approved by the Florida Board of Pharmacy. It provides comprehensive pharmacy training to adults seeking entry-level employment as a pharmacy technician. The program will cover pharmacy practice and the health care system, the role of the pharmacy technician, and the pharmacy technician’s relationship to the pharmacist. Other topics include pharmacy calculations, medication safety, pharmacy law, and pharmacology. Graduates will be prepared for success on a qualifying exam to register as a pharmacy technician in Florida. The duration of the program is 8 weeks for full-time students. Admission is limited to 4 to 8 trainees with each cycle.
Admission criteria:
- Must be 18 years or older at the start of the program
- Must have a high-school diploma or GED
- Must submit a completed program application
- Must attach a current resume
- Must complete a successful UF Health criminal background check and drug screen
- Must obtain a passing score for math competency assessment with a minimum score of 80%
- Must have effective written and verbal communication skills
Tuition for those accepted into the program is $2500. There is no up-front charge for candidates who will commit to working for Shands for a minimum of one year after completing the program.
- Website: https://careers.ufhealth.org/
- Address: 653-1 West 8th Street, Jacksonville, FL 32209
- Phone: (904) 244-0411
Are The Any Free Pharmacy Technician Training in Jacksonville?
Mayo Clinic offers free pharmacy technician training for prospective employees. Students will need to pay $400 to cover the cost of books, background check, and other miscellaneous costs.
What Is The Cost of Pharmacy Technician Training In Jacksonville?
The average cost of a pharmacy technician program at a state community college in Jacksonville is $3,000 not including the cost of books and supplies.
How Long Does It Take to Become A Pharmacy Technician in Jacksonville?
Pharmacy technician certificate programs may be completed in 10 months of full-time attendance.
How Do I Become A Pharmacy Technician in Jacksonville?
To obtain a Registered Pharmacy Technician license in Florida, you must meet the following requirements:
Complete a Board of Pharmacy-approved pharmacy technician training program. Completion of a Board-approved training program is statutorily required and cannot be waived or petitioned.
Must be at least seventeen (17) years of age.
Examples of Board-approved programs include:
- Programs accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency; a regional or national institutional accrediting agency; or a specialized accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of the United States Department of Education;
- Program within the public-school system of the State of Florida
- Programs provided by a branch of the federal armed services
- Programs accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
- Programs at institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
- Programs at institutions accredited by the Council on Occupational Education.
- Programs approved by the Florida Commission for Independent Education (CIE).
Many employer-based and non-employer-based programs are also Board approved.
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) certification cannot be used in lieu of the completion of a Board-approved training program.
Applicants with a discipline history, health history, and criminal background history will need to provide additional information to the Board of Pharmacy.
Full details on the Florida Pharmacy Technician Requirements are available here.
Do You Have to Go to School to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Jacksonville?
You must complete a Board-approved pharmacy technician program to become a Registered Pharmacy Technician in Florida.
How Much Does a Certified Pharmacy Technician Make in Jacksonville?
Certified pharmacy technicians in Jacksonville earn an annual median wage of $36,946. Experienced pharmacy technicians in hospital pharmacies earn as much as $48,181 annually.