If you’re attentive to detail, organized, and interested in a career in healthcare, you might want to consider pharmacy technician training. Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist to process medication and medication orders. There is a growing demand for new technicians to replace existing technicians who are nearing retirement. More technicians are also essential to fill the growing need for medications and health care products. The ideal pharmacy technician program should provide opportunities to get hands-on in addition to the time spent in the classroom. The Arizona Board of Pharmacy requires technician trainees to obtain a trainee license before participating in the pharmacy externship component of pharmacy technician programs.
GateWay Community College
GateWay Community College’s pharmacy technician program follows a pathway map that helps students develop the expertise to handle and process medication and medication orders under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Other areas the curriculum will cover include mathematical, computer related and billing aspects of the pharmacy technician’s role, verbal, nonverbal, and written communication principles, regulatory and ethical standards as applies to the role of the pharmacy technician, critical thinking in the analysis of the investigational drug process and emerging drug therapies, and the role of the pharmacy technician in supporting wellness promotion and disease prevention programs. Students will complete a 200-hour pharmacy technician externship and a 20-hour pharmacy technician certification review before the conclusion of the program. The program requires completion of 654 clock hours. The duration is 2 semesters. Graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion and will be eligible to take the PTCB exam to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician.
Admission criteria:
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must attend a virtual pre-enrollment session
- Must complete the background check requirements – students must be in compliance with the Maricopa County Community College District Background Check Standards
- Must meet the clinical health and safety requirements according to the MCCD Clinical Health and Safety Policy
- Must obtain a temporary Pharmacy Technician Trainee license to participate in the externship
Tuition costs $85 per credit hour for county residents. A separate registration fee of $15 will be charged per academic year.
- Website: https://www.gatewaycc.edu/
- Address: 108 North 40th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034
- Phone: (602) 286-8000
Brookline College
The Pharmacy Technician program at Brookline College is designed to meet the educational licensure requirements in Arizona and to prepare students to apply for a license in the state. The program is delivered in a blended format with online components and on-campus components. Students will understand the role of the pharmacy technician in the health care system, the pharmacy formulary system, sources of drugs and drug nomenclature, medical terminology and abbreviations, the importance of good customer relations, drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination by the body, and diseases and abnormal conditions. The program covers a total of 646 contact hours or 27.5 credit hours. The mandatory pharmacy technician practicum is 160 hours. The duration of the program is 34 weeks.
Admission criteria:
- Must attend a live or virtual planning session with an Admissions Representative
- Must apply for the AZ DPS Fingerprint Clearance Card
- Must apply for the AZ Technician Trainee License and submit to the program director
- Must take and pass the required program testing requirements
- Apply for admission to Brookline College and complete an Enrollment Agreement with an Admissions Representative
- Must be a citizen of the United States or eligible non-citizen
- Must be at least 18 years of at the time of admission
- Must possess a high school diploma or GED equivalent
Tuition for the program is $13,365. Additional costs for books, supplies, and state licensure must be covered by the student.
- Website: https://www.brooklinecollege.edu/
- Address: 1140 S. Priest Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281
- Phone: 888-793-0557