Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a registered and licensed pharmacist to process prescription drug orders, update patient records, attend to customer service issues, manage inventory, and over the daily administrative functions of the pharmacy. The Texas Board of Pharmacy requires pharmacy technicians to pass the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam and register with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy as a certified pharmacy technician. It is one the few states where pharmacy technicians must be registered and certified. Applicants for registration must complete an accredited pharmacy technician program at a college or vocational school or an in-house program at a community or institutional pharmacy.
Collin College
The Pharmacy Technician program at Collin College prepares students to enter the pharmacy field and take the PTCB exam. The program will include instruction in the classroom as well as a pharmacy externship at a local pharmacy. Course content includes medical terminology specific to the pharmacy, reading and interpreting prescriptions, and defining drugs by generic and brand names. Students will also learn dosage calculations, I.V. flow rates, drug compounding, dose conversions, dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control, and billing and reimbursement. The curriculum covers 50 contact hours. The externship covers 120 hours. Graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Admission criteria:
- Must pass a skills competency exam
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must submit a completed application to the program
- Must be proficient in Mathematics
- Must complete the Health Career Success course before the externship
- Must have current immunizations – at the expense of the student
- Complete a background check and drug screen – good for 6 months
Tuition costs $1,557. The cost of the textbook is included. Insurance costs an additional $5 to $13.
- Website: https://www.collin.edu/
- Address: 3452 Spur 399 – McKinney, Texas 75069
- Phone: 972.548.6790
Dallas College – Richland Campus
The pharmacy technician program at Dallas College prepares students for employment in a retail or institutional pharmacy. The program also includes preparation for the national PTCB exam. Course topics include institutional pharmacy practice, introduction to pharmacy, community pharmacy practice, drug classification, and pharmaceutical math. Graduates will receive a CE Skills Award.
Admission criteria:
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be admitted to Dallas College to register for the program
- Must be proficient in English and Mathematics
- Must complete a criminal background check and drug screen
- Must meet the immunization requirements – Hepatitis B, Meningococcal, Tdap, MMR, Varicella, Influenza, TB test
- Must register as a pharmacy technician trainee with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy
Tuition costs $79 per credit hour for Dallas County Residents and $135 per credit hour for out-of-county residents.
- Website: https://www.dallascollege.edu/
- Address: 12800 Abrams Road, Dallas, TX 75243
- Phone: 972-238-6100
North Texas Community College
The pharmacy technician program at North Texas Community College leads to a Certificate of Completion. The curriculum covers 288 contact hours of lecture, lab, and internship training in the operation of a community pharmacy. Students will participate in a pharmacy externship at a local community pharmacy to gain experience in a retail environment. Instructors will cover the practical application of pharmacy mathematics, pharmaceutical terminology, drug packaging and labeling, dosage preparation, inventory systems and management, and customer service. Course modules include medical terminology, introduction to pharmacy, pharmaceutical mathematics, drug classification, and pharmacy technician clinical. Graduates will be eligible to apply to take the PTCB certification exam.
Admission criteria:
- Attend an appointment with the Continuing Education office
- Complete the pharmacy technician application
- Complete the Student Statement of Understanding
- Provide proof of age – driver’s license, birth certificate, etc
- Provide proof of high school graduation or GED
- Applicants who have never taken credit college-level coursework must complete an academic assessment – TABE
- Must have basic computer skills
- Must complete the Pharmacy Technician Trainee Registration application on the Board of Pharmacy’s website
- Submit TB test results and immunizations
- Must have current BLS – CPR for Health Professionals
Tuition costs $1,485. Financial aid is available for qualifying students. The Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG) is available to assist non-credit students with tuition expenses only.
- Website: https://www.ntcc.edu/
- Address: 2886 FM 1735, Chapel Hill Rd. Mt. Pleasant, TX 75455
- Phone: 903-434-8100
- Toll-Free: 800-870-0142
CCI Training Center
CCI Training Center offers a dual Pharmacy Technician and Lab Procedures program to prepare students for two professions in one program. The program covers 784-clock hours of in-classroom training, lab skills, and pharmacy externship. Course modules include computer fundamentals, certification test preparation, office communications, CPR, Allied Health math, anatomy and physiology, medical law and ethics, pharmacy calculations, fundamentals of pharmacy practice, pharmacology, sterile products, compounding certification, phlebotomy, and career development. Some of the coursework may be delivered online. The pharmacy externship will be scheduled at the end of the theoretical portion of the program. Graduates will be eligible to sit for the PTCB exam and seek employment as a Pharmacy Technician or Phlebotomist. The duration of the program is 9 months.
Admission criteria:
- A high school diploma or GED
- Pass a urine drug screen
- Obtain a clear background check
- Must register as a pharmacy technician trainee with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy
The total program cost of $14,950 includes tuition, books, and registration.
- Website: https://ccitraining.edu/
- Address: 9850 N Central Expressway – Suite 246 Dallas, TX 75231
- Phone: (214) 382-0370
Texas Career Institute
The Pharmacy Technician Program at TCI Career Institute covers fourteen weeks of training. During this time, students learn to prepare prescription orders, calculate dosages, update inventory, place orders, calculate payments, process insurance claims, and differentiate between generic and brand name drugs under the supervision of a licensed Pharmacist. Graduates of the program have the information they need to pass the PTCB exam and excel on the job.
Admission criteria:
- A high school diploma or GED
- Pass a urine drug screen
- Must register as a pharmacy technician trainee with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy
- Obtain a clear background check
Financial aid is available for this program.
- Website: http://tcidallas.com/
- Address: 3302 N. Buckner Blvd Ste. 116 Dallas TX 75228
- Phone: (214) 275-9600
Asher College
Asher College’s Pharmacy Technician program offers hands-on training and support to prepare students for success in the field of pharmacy. The program is tailored to meet the needs of adults who need a flexible schedule to fulfil their educational goals. Students will be prepared for success on the PTCE administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Course topics include HIPAA, Federal and State Regulations, filling prescriptions under the supervision of a pharmacist, use of software application relevant to the pharmacy, brand name and generic medications, classification and drugs and scheduled drugs, pharmacy billing software. Course modules include Microsoft Office Essentials, Career Success, Typing Fundamentals, Medical Terminology, Pharmacy Practice Essentials, Pharmacy Technology, Pharmacy Law and Ethics, Advanced Career Development, Pharmacology, Pharmaceutical Calculations, and Advanced Pharmacy Practice. Graduates will receive a Certificate of Completion. An associate degree option is also available. Day, evening and weekend schedules are available. The duration of the program is 39 weeks. New classes begin every two weeks.
Admission criteria:
- Must meet with an Admissions Advisor and Financial Aid Representative
- Take and pass the entrance exam – EduReady Assessment with a score of 70 or above
- Must provide proof of eligibility – high school diploma or GED
- Must demonstrate English proficiency
- Must submit to a background check
- Pass a urine drug screen
- Must register as a pharmacy technician trainee with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to participate in the pharmacy externship
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
The program cost of $14,500 includes tuition, books, and registration.
- Website: https://asher.edu/
- Address: 9330 Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway Suite 650, Dallas, TX 75243
- Phone: 972-600-2818
Global Health Education Network
The Pharmacy Technician Certificate program at Global Health Education Network prepares students with a broad working knowledge of pharmacy practice as well as the skills required to order, stock, package, and compound medications. The curriculum covers 96 contact hours of theory and practical instruction to enable students to perform the duties of a pharmacy technician in various pharmacy settings. Course topics include medical and pharmaceutical terminology, drug classification, packaging and labeling, pharmacy mathematics, unit dosage and solution preparation, aseptic compounding and parenteral IV admixture operations, record keeping, and drug distribution systems. Graduates will be able to perform the duties and responsibilities of Institutional Pharmacy Technician, describe and explain general chemical and physical properties of drugs handled in manufacturing and packaging operations, perform aseptic compounding and parenteral admixture operations, and perform manipulative and record keeping functions associated with dispensing prescriptions for inpatient and ambulatory patients. The duration of the program is 12 weeks.
Admission criteria:
- Must be at least 18 years old to enroll in the program
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Obtain a satisfactory TB skin test
- Must have basic computer skills
- Pass a criminal background check and fingerprinting
- Must have a valid CPR card
- Submit to a drug screen testing
- Provide a valid photo ID to validate age
- Register as a pharmacy technician trainee with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy
Tuition for the program is $999. Books and supplies are an additional $150.
- Website: https://www.ceglobalhealth.com/
- Address: 1311 Marketplace Dr., Ste 180, Garland, TX.
- Phone: 972-698-7792
- Fax: 972-698-7794
Tarrant County College
The pharmacy technician program at Tarrant County College awards an Occupational Skills Certificate. The curriculum covers 232 to 312 in the fundamentals of community pharmacy technician principles and procedures. Course modules include Introduction to Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacy Law, Pharmacotherapy and Disease, Drug Classification, Pharmacy Mathematics, and Pharmacy Technician Certification Review. Students will learn the role and responsibility of the pharmacy technician, how to identify brand name and generic drugs, the chemistry of drugs and their effect on the body, packaging and labeling medications, dosage calculations including unit dosages, the legal and ethical standards that govern practice, dispensing medications, and pharmacy terminology including abbreviations and symbols. Program graduates will be prepared to take the PTCB exam.
Admission criteria:
- A high school diploma or GED
- Must attend an online information session
- Complete and email application with supporting documents
- Obtain a passing score on The Adult Basic Education (TABE)/TSI test
- Comply with Texas State Board of Pharmacy regulations
- Pass a criminal background check – to participate in the pharmacy externship
- Must register as a pharmacy technician trainee with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to participate in the pharmacy externship
- Submit to a drug screen
- Register for the course and pay tuition
Tuition costs $1,255. The cost of textbooks and certification fees are not included.
- Website: https://www.tccd.edu/
- Address: 245 East Belknap, Fort Worth, TX 76102
- Phone: 817-515-8223