There’s a huge demand for registered pharmacy technicians throughout California, and especially in the Bay Area. By enrolling in a pharmacy technician program, you can prepare to fill a position in a retail or institutional pharmacy after obtaining licensure with the California Board of Pharmacy. Comprehensive programs include theory and practical instruction and are recognized by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board and accredited by the ASHP. Your key role as a technician will be to support a registered pharmacist with the receipt and dispensing of prescription medications. On a typical day, you will review and fill new orders, transcribe prescriptions sent from physicians’ offices. Prepare unit dose forms, update customer profiles, package and label medications, perform an inventory of medications, and maintain a clean and safe environment.
San Francisco State University
The pharmacy technician program at San Francisco State University prepares students for entry-level employment in retail or other pharmacy settings. The curriculum covers 50 hours of instruction in the classroom followed by an 80-hour clinical externship in a local pharmacy. Course topics include pharmacy sterile compounding, dose conversions, aseptic technique, the handling of sterile products, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control and billing and reimbursement. Students will learn the role of the pharmacy technician, retail pharmacy operations, institutional pharmacy operations, pharmacy measures, pharmacy abbreviations, aseptic techniques, prescription label requirements, generic drugs, basics of IV solutions, children’s doses, the metric system, dosage forms, and ordering and inventory control. Graduates will be eligible to take the PTCB to become a certified pharmacy technician.
Admission criteria:
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must have an SF State student ID to register for the program
- A background check and drug screen may be required for participation in the clinical internship
The program cost of $1,299 includes tuition, clinical externship, textbooks, and materials.
- Website: http://www.sfsu.edu/
- Address: 160 Spear Street, Suite 1220, San Francisco, California 94105
- Phone: (415) 405-7700
Foothill College
The pharmacy technician program at Foothill College leads to a Certificate of Program Completion. Theory and hands-on training cover introduction to allied health, orientation to pharmacy technology, dosage calculations, pharmacy law for pharmacy technicians, pharmacology, interprofessional patient competencies, dispensing and compounding, aseptic techniques and IV preparation, PTCE review, and pharmacy clinical. Graduates will be eligible to apply to the California State Board of Pharmacy for registration as a pharmacy technician and take the PTCE to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician. They may also continue to the two-year expanded program and complete the general education requirements to earn an Associate in Science Degree in Pharmacy Technician. The program is accredited by the ASHP/ACPE. The duration of the certificate program is 9 months. New students are admitted in the Fall quarter only. Admission is limited to 35 students for each cohort.
Admission criteria:
- Review the details of the pharmacy technician program online
- Obtain a Campus-Wide Identification Number by submitting an application to Foothill College
- Review the program perquisites
- Submit official electronic transcripts from all colleges attended
- Submit a BLS card copy and math placement results where applicable
The program costs $1,900.
- Website: https://foothill.edu/
- Address: 12345 El Monte Road, Los Altos Hills, CA 94022
- Phone: 650.949.6121
City College of San Francisco
The City College of San Francisco offers a Pharmacy Technician Certificate of Achievement program and a Pharmacy Technician AS Degree. Students will learn the role and function of pharmacy technicians and be prepared for entry-level employment in retail and institutional settings. Apart from the classroom requirements, students will have the opportunity to complete the clinical experience under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Students will learn IV flow rates, pharmacy law and ethics, inventory control and management, receiving and dispensing prescriptions, packaging and labeling, customer service, retail pharmacy operations, institutional pharmacy operations, billing and insurance, and dosage forms. The Certificate of Achievement requires the completion of 30 units of instruction. The AS requires completion of 66 to 72 credit units. Graduates will be eligible to apply to take the PTCB exam.
Admission criteria:
- Must be 18 years of age or older
- Submit official high school transcript or GED
- Must have a 2.0 GPA on prior college or high school transcript
- Attend an individual orientation
- Apply for admission to the program
- Submit a completed physical exam report and proof of immunity for specific communicable diseases
- Submit evidence of a current 2-step TB skin test or chest x-ray
- Complete a background check and drug test
- Must have 20/20 vision correctable to 20/30 in both eyes with normal college perception
- Complete a placement test in Math and English or waiver
- Submit a completed application for admission
Tuition costs $46 per semester unit for California residents and $234 for nonresidents. Additional costs for textbooks, supplies, uniforms, and fees must be covered by the student.
- Website: https://www.ccsf.edu/
- Address: 1860 Hayes Street, San Francisco CA 94117
- Phone: (415) 561-1900
Mission College
The pharmacy technician program at Mission College leads to a Certificate of Achievement. The training includes theory and has a strong emphasis on real-world application of the lessons learned in the classroom. The curriculum covers over 400 hours of instruction including workshop sessions and clinical externship. Lab activities will include simulations of real-life scenarios and will give students the opportunity to dispense and compound drug products, use pharmacy software, perform cash register transactions, and aseptic techniques. Course topics include intro to pharmacy practice, pharmacy terminology and abbreviations, pharmacy calculations, managed care, pharmacology, pharmacy communications, compounding, prescription computer processing, institutional pharmacy practice, outpatient pharmacy practice, and clinical pharmacy externship. Day classes meet Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm for 8 months. Evening classes meet Monday through Thursday from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm 8 months.
Admission criteria:
- Provide proof of high school diploma or GED
- Complete English 1A – recommended
- Complete a satisfactory background check
- Must be able to type 20 words per minute
- Must pass health clearance
- Submit a current resume
- All applicants are subject random drug test
- Attend a formal interview and an assessment test
Tuition is $5,500 and includes deposit and class materials. A flexible payment plan is offered to all students.
- Website: https://missioncollege.edu/
- Address: 3000 Mission College Boulevard Santa Clara, CA 95054-1897
- Phone: 408-855-5083
California State University, East Bay – Continuing Education
Cal State East Bay’s Pharmacy Technician Program is conveniently offered online for students who need to balance work and study. The online training includes all the benefits of a traditional program but adds the flexibility of self-paced study. Instructors will be available to provide one-on-one instruction when needed. Students will have the option to complete a pharmacy externship at the conclusion of the program. Areas of study include Orientation of Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law and Ethics, Medical and Pharmaceutical Terminology, Pharmaceutical Calculations, Pharmacology, Communication Skills, Insurance and Inventory Procedures, Lab Module, Clinical Rotations, and Final Comprehensive Exam. Graduates will be prepared to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s (PTCB) National Certification Exam. The program will be accessible for 12 months after registration.
Admission criteria:
- Have a high school diploma or equivalent
- Must be proficient in keyboarding
- Must be proficient in Microsoft Word or other word processing program
- Have a command of English grammar and punctuation
- Have a basic understanding of high school math
- Pass a background check and drug screen
- Complete the immunization requirements
Tuition costs $2,565.
- Website: https://ce.csueastbay.edu/index.html
- Address: 25800 Carlos Bee Blvd, SF 102, Hayward, CA 94542
- Phone: (800) 730-2784
- Fax: (510) 885-4817
Contra Costa Medical Career College
The Pharmacy Technician certificate program at Contra Costa Medical Career College prepares students with knowledge and skills to dispense prescriptions in retail and institutional pharmacies. The training includes theory and hands-on training in pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacy math, pharmacy regulatory guidelines, pharmacy lab skills, pharmacology, inventory maintenance, computer applications, clerical duties, and pharmacy technician externship. Students will learn how to provide medication and other health care products to patients, mix intravenous solutions, count tablets and label bottles, receive written prescriptions, stock and inventory prescriptions, and read written prescriptions and requests for patient refills. A 120-hour externship is available for students who complete the didactic portion of the program.
Admission criteria:
- A high school diploma or GED
The program cost of $4,826 includes tuition, registration fee, textbooks, uniforms, live scan, California licensing exam, and certification exam.
- Website: https://www.ccmcc.edu/
- Address: 4041 Lone Tree Way, Suite 101, Antioch, Ca 94531
- Phone: 1 (925) 757-2900
- Fax: 1 (925) 757-5873
Northern California Nursing Academy
The pharmacy technician program at Northern California Nursing Academy is offered in both online and traditional formats. Theory and hands-on coursework provide students with foundational skills in pharmacy calculations, laws and regulations, drug classifications, inventory management, IV flow rates, dosage calculations, pharmacology, customer service, pharmacy software and much more. Graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion and will be eligible to apply for a license through the California State Board of Pharmacy. The duration of the program is 4 to 5 months. Classes meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm or Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm or Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Admission criteria:
- Must be at least 18 years old by the start of the program
- Must have a high school diploma or GED (submit proof)
- Must have a valid government ID
- Must be able to communicate effectively in English – both verbal and written
- Complete an Enrollment Agreement and pay the registration fee
The cost of the program $7,400. It includes registration, tuition, materials, supplies, uniform, and CPR certification.
- Website: https://www.ncnursingacademy.com/
- Address: 355 Gellert Blvd Ste 101 Daly City CA 94015
- Phone: 650-992-NCNA (6262)
- Alt: 650-684-0315
- Fax: (650) 992-6263
- Email: info@ncnursingacademy.com