The role and responsibilities of a pharmacy technician are determined by the setting in which the technician practices. The pharmacy technician plays an integral role in the distribution of medication to patients under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. In a community pharmacy, the technician’s responsibilities might include data entry of customer profile and prescription into the pharmacy’ database, filling and labeling prescriptions, monitoring and ordering inventory when supplies are low, compounding medications, maintaining a clean and safe environment, and receiving payments.
Pharmacy technician programs deliver basic training to help students develop the skills to read and interpret prescription, compound medications, perform pharmacy calculations, identify generic and brand name drugs, determine the effect of drugs on the body, and maintain accuracy and precision in all tasks. Many programs include additional training to prepare students to perform the technical operations in a hospital pharmacy. In this environment, technicians will deliver medicine to patients’ room, read hospital charts, receive electronic prescriptions, input orders, perform calculations for unit dosages or prepare a 24-hour supply of medication, prepare IV mixtures, and fill automated medication dispensers.
Pharmacy technicians in Maryland must register with the Maryland Board of Pharmacy to practice in the state. Pharmacy technicians in Maryland earn a median annual salary of $32,620.
Gandhi Health Career Services
The pharmacy technician program at Gandhi Health Career Services prepares students to dispense medication under the direction of a registered pharmacist. The curriculum covers 268 hours of theory and practical instruction – 72 hours theory, 36 hours for lab skills, and 160 externship hours. The lab skills include CPR instruction. Students will complete the requirements in 10 weeks and receive a Pharmacy Technician Certificate. Certification is dependent on 90 percent or better attendance of the classroom lectures, 100 percent attendance of the clinical rotations, and a passing score of 80 percent or greater in the theory and pass all the clinical skills. Classes meet Monday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 12:30 pm. The clinical sessions are from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Tuition for the program is $1,500. The registration fee of $50 must be submitted with the initial application. Books for the program costs $70.
- Website: https://gandhihealthcare.com/
- Address: 1726 Reisterstown, RD Pikesville, MD 21208
- Phone: (443) 352-8030
- Fax: (443) 660-8242
- Email: GandhiHealthServices@gmail.com
Community College of Baltimore County
The pharmacy technician program at the Community College of Baltimore County prepares students for PTCB certification. Students learn how to assist pharmacists with the dispensing of medication, inventory management, and payments in retail pharmacies and hospitals. The curriculum covers 135 hours of instruction. Course topics include pharmacy terminology, pharmacy law and ethics, dosage calculations, inventory maintenance, packaging and labeling prescriptions, dispensing medications, reading and interpreting prescriptions, billing and insurance, and customer service. Students who successfully complete the program’s requirements will receive a Continuing Education Workforce Training Certificate and will be eligible to take the PTCB exam. The school admits new students in October. Classes meet one day a week – on Thursday evenings.
Admission criteria:
- Valid state ID and social security card
- A high school diploma or GED
- Be computer literate and have access to the internet
- Submit a completed CCBC Non-Credit Workforce Training Certificate application
There is no screening or documentation required for the open-entry program. Tuition costs $2,059.
- Website: http://www.ccbcmd.edu/Programs-and-Courses-Finder/ConED-Program/pharmacy-technician
- Address: 7201 Rossville Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21237
- Phone: 443.840.CCBC
Stein Academy
The pharmacy technician program at Stein Academy is approved by the Maryland Board of Pharmacy. The program delivers 260 hours of instruction: 100 hours in the classroom and 160 hours of mandatory externship in a pharmacy.
Admission criteria:
- Proof of completing high school or equivalency or current enrollment in good standing at a high school
- A valid social security number of US immigration number and photo ID
- Proof of negative TB test within the past 6 months or a chest x-ray taken within the last two years
- A physical exam report from a physician indicating good health
- A drug test report completed within 6 months before applying for the program
- Proof of health insurance coverage – or a signed waiver
- Be at least 17 years old
- Have access to a computer and internet
- Proof of immunizations
- Valid CPR/First Aid
Tuition for the program is $2,625 and includes the lab fee. A payment plan is available for all students. A $20 installment servicing fee will apply. There is also a non-refundable registration fee that candidates must pay at the time of application. Additional costs include uniforms, books, background check, national certification exam, and pharmacy technician exam review.
- Website: http://www.steinacademy.com/healthcare-training-pharmacy-technician-program
- Address: 3610 Milford Mill Road, 3rd Floor Baltimore, Maryland 21244
- Phone: 410-922-4910
- Fax: 410-922-4911
- Email: info@steinacademy.com
Fortis College
The pharmacy technician program at Fortis College prepares adults to meet the demand for formally educated pharmacy technicians in retail and institutional pharmacies. The program delivers 780 hours of instruction or 46 quarter credits. Students will learn sound principles of pharmacy fundamentals, pharmacy terminology, and standards in practice. The training will include hands-on practice in multiple pharmacy settings, such as mail order, hospitals, compounding, and retail pharmacies. The pharmacy externship will provide the opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in a real-world setting. Course topics include an introduction to health professions, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, fundamentals of pharmacy, mathematics for pharmacy technicians, drug classification systems, and pharmacy practice and principles. Other topics include pharmacology for pharmacy technicians, intravenous admixtures and aseptic compounding, certification review and career development, and pharmacy externship. Graduates must pass the Maryland State Board of Pharmacy Exam to work in Maryland. Morning and evening sessions are available. The morning session meets Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm for 48 weeks. The evening session meets Monday through Thursday from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.
Admission criteria:
- Be a high school graduate or GED equivalent
- Be 17 years or older
- Submit a completed application
- Take and pass the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE) with a score of 13 or above
- Pay the enrollment fee and complete the tuition payment requirements
- Submit to a criminal background check
- Have a minimum keyboarding speed of 10 wpm with 3 or fewer errors
Tuition costs $15,801. Books and supplies cost an additional $1,157.
- Website: https://www.fortis.edu/campuses/maryland/towson/700-york-road-towson-md/pharmacy-technician.aspx
- Address: 700 York Road, Towson, MD 21204
- Phone: (410) 337-5155
All-State Career – Baltimore Campus
The pharmacy technician program at All State Career prepares adults to meet the demand for formally educated pharmacy technicians in retail and institutional pharmacies. The program delivers 760 hours of instruction or 45 quarter credits. Students will learn how to competently assist pharmacists in direct patient care. The training will include hands-on practice in multiple pharmacy settings, such as mail order, hospitals, compounding, and retail pharmacies. The pharmacy externship will provide the opportunities to apply their knowledge and skills in a real-world setting. Course topics include computer applications, electronic health records, medical terminology, medical anatomy and physiology, fundamentals of pharmacology, mathematics for pharmacy technicians, drug classification systems, and pharmacy practice and principles. Other topics include pharmacology for pharmacy technicians, drug classification systems, intravenous admixtures and aseptic compounding, and pharmacy externship. Morning and evening sessions are available. The morning session meets Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. The evening session meets Monday through Thursday from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm. The duration of the program is 36 weeks.
Admission criteria:
- Be a high school graduate or GED equivalent
- Be 17 years or older
- Submit a completed application
- Take and pass the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam (SLE) with a score of 13 or above
- Have a current CPR BLS card
- Meet the health requirements
- Submit to a criminal background check and drug screen
- Provide documentation of Hepatitis B injections 1 and 2 and TB test
Tuition for the program is $14,706. Books and supplies cost $1,146.
- Website: https://www.allstatecareer.edu/
- Address: 2200 Broening Highway, Baltimore, MD 21224
- Phone: (410) 631-2742
Top Knowledge Healthcare Institute
Top Knowledge Healthcare Institute hosts a pharmacy technician program that is approved by the Maryland Higher Education Commission and the Maryland Board of Pharmacy. The curriculum comprises of on-campus theory and lab followed by a clinical component in the real-world pharmacy. It delivers 300 clock hours of instruction – 90 hours of lectures, 50 hours in the skills lab, and 160 hours for the pharmacy externship. TKHI offers a morning schedule only, and it is designed to be completed in 13 weeks. Classes meet Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. The clinical times vary. Graduates will be eligible to register as a pharmacy technician in Maryland and apply for the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam to become Certified Pharmacy Technicians.
Admission criteria:
- Complete the enrollment application
- Provide a valid photo ID and social security card
- Pay the registration fee of $100
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Take the Wonderlic Basic Skills Test and score a minimum of 250 on the math section
- Provide proof of Hepatitis B vaccine or a signed waiver
- Provide a physical exam report that is completed within 9 months of the enrollment date
Tuition, registration fee, and textbooks cost $1,830. Students must also budget for scrub tops and pants and lab coats.
- Website: https://tkhci.com/
- Address: 22 Light Street, Suite 405, Baltimore, MD 21202
- Phone: 410-528-1600