Pharmacy technicians work alongside pharmacists to dispense medication and health care products in community and institutional pharmacies. If you’re passionate about patient care and health care professionals, pharmacy technicians must be organized, good at multi-tasking, have sound judgement and customer service skills, and must be proficient in math to calculate dosages. Pharmacy technicians must often solve problems related to customer care and management of the administrative responsibilities of the pharmacy. Computer skills are essential to use medical software in updating of patient records and managing orders and billing. Completing a pharmacy technician is the first step to becoming a pharmacy technician. The training will include preparation for success on the national certification exam. More employers require national certification from their pharmacy technicians. The educational requirements for pharmacy technicians are continuous, so you must make the commitment to be ever learning as it relates to new drugs, terminology, technologies, and practices in the fast-paced field of pharmaceuticals.
Health Career Institute of Laredo
The pharmacy technician program at the Health Career Institute of Laredo prepares students for an entry-level position as a pharmacy technician in community and institutional pharmacies. The program offers hands-on pharmacy training and job-readiness training, externship and job placement assistance, CPR certification for Health Care Providers, and preparation for the PTCB exam. Areas of study include pharmacology, pharmacy calculations, pharmacy billing software, receiving and preparing prescriptions, packaging and labeling, inventory management, and counting, mixing, and pouring medications. The school maintains small class sizes for individual attention. Graduates will have the confidence to succeed on the national PTCB exam. The duration of the program is three months.
Admission criteria:
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must pass a criminal background check and drug screen
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must have a valid state ID or driver’s license
- Must have a valid social security card
- Must have basic computer skills
- Must fill out an application in person at HCIL office
Financial aid is available for eligible students.
- Website: https://www.hcioflaredo.com/
- Address: 1801 Gust St, Suite #1, Laredo, TX 78041
- Phone: 956-728-8290
Laredo College- Fort McIntosh Campus
The pharmacy technician program at Laredo College prepares students to become a Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) through the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) agency. The curriculum covers 84 contact hours of theory in the classroom. Course topics include pharmacy processes, delivery of service, serving patients, receiving and screening prescriptions and medication orders, compounding prescription and medication orders, IV flow rates, inventory of medication, equipment, the history of pharmacy, terminology, generic and brand name drugs, and much more. Students will be prepared to take the national certification exam. The duration of the program is 3 months. Classes meet Monday and Wednesday from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm.
Admission criteria:
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must have a clean criminal record
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must have a valid state ID or driver’s license
- Must have a valid social security card
- Must have basic computer skills
- Must be proficient in English skills (reading, writing, and speaking)
The program is free to eligible applicants.
- Website: https://www.laredo.edu/
- Address: West End Washington Street, Laredo, TX 78040
- Phone: 956.722.0521
Texas A&M International University
The pharmacy technician program at TAMIU is offered online and prepares students for success on the PTCB exam. Students will learn federal and state laws the govern pharmacies as well as the ethics of pharmacy practice. Other areas of study include pharmacy law and ethics, orientation to pharmacy, pharmaceutical calculations, pharmacology, insurance and inventory procedures, lab module, communication skills, clinical rotations involving a virtual externship in the retail and hospital settings, and a comprehensive final exam. Students may be eligible to participate in a 100+ hour externship at a national pharmacy chain. The program is delivered online, so applicants must start at anytime. Students will have up to 12 months to complete the program.
Admission criteria:
- Must have a high school diploma
- Must be at least 18 years of age to participate in the externship
- Pass a criminal background check and drug screen
- Current immunization (including COVID vaccination) may be required to participate in the externship
Tuition costs $2,495 and includes books and materials.
- Website: https://www.tamiu.edu/ce/pharmacytech.shtml
- Address: 5201 University Boulevard, Killam Library 421, Laredo, TX 78041
- Phone: 956.326.3068
- Fax: 956.326.2838
- E-mail: ce@tamiu.edu