A pharmacy technician functions as a liaison between the pharmacist and consumers. As the first point of contact, they greet customers, receive and check prescriptions for accuracy, and prepare medications for dispensing to the patient. Other duties might include management of the administrative duties, updating patient database, prepare insurance claims, answer general patient questions, receive and verify inventory, and package and label medications.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for pharmacy technicians will exceed the average employment rate for all professions at 12 percent. The increasing need for prescription medications, rise in chronic illnesses, and shortage of pharmacists are some factors that contribute to the demand for technicians in hospitals, community pharmacies, clinics, and long-term care facilities.
The pharmacy technician program will provide the foundational training adults need to function effectively within retail, community, and mail-order pharmacies. They will learn how to receive inventory, read medication orders, use pharmacy terminology, and practice within the legal and ethical requirements. Practical training will include the use of pharmacy software, informatics, and technology to manage the pharmacy operation and process medication orders.
Osceola Technical College
The pharmacy technician program offered by Osceola Technical College is accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists. It covers 1050 hours and includes theory and practical instruction plus preparation for national certification. Course content includes receiving and checking inventory, IV preparation, pharmaceutical compounding, medical terminology, sterile techniques, preparing purchase orders, control records, unit dose packages, computer application, health and safety, leadership and human relations, data processing, patient record systems, and receiving and handling of hazardous materials. Students will also learn how to prepare prescription labels, print labels, sterile techniques, CPR, USP 795 standards, USP 797 standards, inventory control, and pricing prescription drug orders. The program requires participation in a pharmacy externship at two or more pharmacy sites, including a community and institutional pharmacy. The clinical sites may require a background check and health clearance. Graduates will receive a Pharmacy Technician Certificate and Basic Life Support and Basic First Aid certificates. Full time and part-time classes are available. Full-time classes meet Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm and Wednesday from 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. Part-time classes are available in the morning and evening. The morning sessions meet Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 10:00 am (Wednesday sessions are from 7:00 am through 9:30 am). Evening sessions meet Monday through Friday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Admission criteria:
- Take and pass the TABE – Reading 10, Language 10, Math 11
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Pass a background check
- Submit to a drug screen
- Complete the required physical exam and have satisfactory health
- Provide documentation of up-to-date immunizations
The estimated cost of the program is $5,043. It includes tuition, certifications, lab fees, and other administrative costs.
- Website: https://www.osceolaschools.net/Page/4062
- Address: 501 Simpson Road, Kissimmee, FL 34744
- Phone: 407-344-5080
- Fax: 407-344-5089
Manatee Technical College – Career and Technical Programs
Manatee Technical College prepares pharmacy technician students for national pharmacy technician certification and entry-level employment in community and institutional pharmacies. The program delivers 1050 hours of content and may be completed in 10 months. Areas of study include medication processing, inventory control, pharmacy terminology, legal and ethical responsibilities, pharmacology, communication and interpersonal skills, pharmacy terminology, IV/Chemo-therapy preparation, computer application, and customer service. Program graduates will be eligible to register as a Registered Pharmacy Technician in Florida and sit for the PTCB exam to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). Full-time classes meet Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. The pharmacy externship sessions are scheduled toward the end of the program. The schedule will depend on the clinical site. New classes commence in August and January every year.
Admission criteria:
- Submit a completed application to MTC online
- Attend a scheduled information session
- Take and pass the TABE and submit results
- Complete the To-Do-List on the MTC dashboard
- Complete and submit criminal background information
- Submit to random drug screening
- The requirements on the To-Do List must be completed at least four weeks before the start of class
Tuition for the program is $3,430. Additional costs include the application fee, administrative fee, drug screening, uniform patches, clinical liability insurance, PTCB exam fee, PassAssured Online Training Course/Book, Heart Saver CPR/AED and Student Manual, textbooks, Florida state registration, background fee, uniforms, physical exam, and immunizations.
- Website: https://manateetech.edu/career-prep/pharmacy-technician/
- Address: 6305 State Road 70 East Bradenton, FL 34203
- Phone: 941-751-7900
Concorde Career Institute
The pharmacy technician program at Concorde Career Institute equips students with practical skills and theoretical knowledge to succeed at an entry-level position as a Pharmacy Technician. The curriculum will cover 752 contact hours of theory and practical instruction. It covers 23.0 semester credits in 24 instructional weeks based on full-time attendance. Course modules include Career Path Success A, Career Path Success B, Career Path Success C, Career Path Success E, Introduction to Pharmacy Practice Lab, Pharmacology I Lab, Pharmacology II Lab, Compounding and Aseptic Techniques Lab, Introduction to Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacology I, Pharmacology II, Compounding and Aseptic Techniques, Externship I, and Externship II. Some courses are offered online. Instructors will emphasize medication preparation, medication orders and reviews, distribution and storage, pharmacy equipment and facilities maintenance, collecting patient information, pharmacy management, and prescription reviews. Hands-on training experiences are made available through pharmacy externship sessions at a community and institutional pharmacy.
Admission criteria:
- Attend a personal interview and campus tour
- Submit a completed application and Enrollment Agreement and disclosures
- Take the Online Readiness Assessment
- Must be a citizen or permanent resident
- Proof of completing high school or GED
- Must be 18 years or older
- Attend an orientation program
- Score 10 or more on the Wonderlic SLE
- Pass a criminal background check
- Submit to a random drug screen
Tuition for the program is $15,172.
- Website: https://www.concorde.edu/campus/orlando-florida
- Address: 3444 McCrory Place Orlando, FL 32803
- Phone: 407-502-6374
- Fax: 407-812-3061
Florida Career College – Orlando
The Pharmacy Technician certification program at Florida Career College includes theory and practical instruction. Students will gain a solid foundation in pharmacy fundaments and terminology. Hands-on practice in multiple pharmacy environments – such as hospital, retail, compounding, long-term care, and mail-order pharmacies – will reinforce the theoretical part of the program. The program covers 760 contact hours, which equates to 32 semester credits. The eight course modules require a completion time of 34 weeks. Modules are Foundation of Pharmaceutical Care, Pharmaceutical Calculations, Community Pharmacy Practice, Institutional and Advanced Pharmacy Practices, Medication Therapy, Medication Therapy II, Externship, and Introduction to Allied Health for Pharmacy Technicians. There will be an emphasis on medication safety, state and federal law, professionalism, and ethics. FCC maintains small class sizes to offer personalized instruction, modern classrooms and labs, and dedicated instructors.
Admission criteria:
- Must be at least 17 years old
- Be a high school graduate or have a GED
- Attend an initial interview with an Admissions Representative
- Submit an official college application
- Pass a criminal background check
- Submit to a random drug screen
Tuition and registration costs $16,500. Additional costs include textbooks, uniforms, fees, PTCB exam fee, and state registration.
- Website: https://www.floridacareercollege.edu/vocational-school-programs/pharmacy-technician
- Address: 989 North Semoran Boulevard, Orlando, 32807
- Phone: (321) 430-8300
Rasmussen College
Adults enrolled in the pharmacy technician program at Rasmussen College will learn the theory of pharmacy practice and will be able to perform technical pharmacy tasks, including receiving, interpreting, and filling prescriptions. They will learn how to use pharmacy software to process medications, use medical terminology, and following medical law and ethical principles. Emphasis will be placed on honesty and integrity in practice, compassion, and communication. General education and developmental courses include Reading and Writing Strategies, Practical Math, Introduction to Communication, and Structure and Function of the Human Body. Core courses include Career Development, Customer Service in Healthcare, Medical Terminology, Medical Law and Ethics, Foundations of Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacy Calculations, Pharmacology for Technicians, Sterile and Non-Sterile Compounding, Pharmacy Technician Capstone, and Pharmacy Virtual Practicum. The curriculum covers 38 semester credits.
Admission criteria:
- Submit a completed application and Enrollment Agreement
- Submit proof of completing high school or equivalency
- Complete admission assessment with satisfactory scores
- Attend an experiential online orientation
- Initiate financial arrangements
- Complete a background check
- Submit immunization records
The estimated cost of Pharmacy Technician Certificate (38 credits) is $12,340 including fees.
- Website: https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/health-sciences/pharmacy-technician/certificate/
- Address: 4755 SW 46th Court, Ocala, FL 34474
- Phone: 407-635-8200
Orange Technical College
The mission of the Pharmacy Technician Certificate program at Orange Technical College is to prepare students for entry-level employment. The American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited program is delivered in a traditional classroom setting and includes supervised pharmacy externships in a retail and institutional pharmacy. The program is also approved by the Florida Board of Pharmacy, so graduates are eligible to register with the Board of Pharmacy. The curriculum covers 1,050 contact hours in 10 months of full-time attendance. Course topics include pharmaceutical compounding, medical delivery systems, pharmacy law, medical terminology, medical drugs, pharmacology, sterile techniques, unit dose packaging, pharmacy math, receiving and inventory systems, pharmaceutical automation, employability and leadership skills, CPR and AIDS.
Admission criteria:
- Have valid government ID
- Provide proof Florida residency for in-state tuition
- Take and pass the TABE – Reading 10, Math 11, and Language 10
- Complete a criminal history check
- Pass a drug test
Tuition for the program is $5,262.85.
- Website: https://www.orangetechcollege.net/programs/career_certificates/H170500
- Address: 2201 Crown Hill Blvd, Orlando, FL 32828
- Phone: 407-622-2900