Virginia Pharmacy Technician Requirements and Training Programs

Pharmacy technicians work pharmacy counters, attending to customers’ needs and dispensing medication. They work in various health care settings, from hospitals to retail locations, executing numerous tasks that don’t need the professional judgment of a pharmacist. Their primary responsibilities include managing inventory, labeling, dispensing and formulating medications, billing, and data entry. Pharmacy technicians must communicate effectively with customers and other medical professionals. They should be knowledgeable about the medications they dispense in order to respond to patient questions. Virginia’s pharmacy technician training programs, managed by the Board of Pharmacy, ensure prospective technicians obtain the knowledge and techniques required to support licensed pharmacists. A Board-developed state exam measures technicians’ knowledge of the basic responsibilities as required by Virginia Law.

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Pharmacy Technician Schools in VA:

Virginia Pharmacy Technician Requirements

License Requirement

Licensed pharmacies must, by law, hire board-registered pharmacy technicians only. If you’re enrolled in an approved pharmacy technician training program and must perform the duties of a pharmacy technician, you must first apply for and be issued a registration as a Pharmacy Technician Trainee. You may apply for registration as a pharmacy technician program after enrolling and completing a state-approved program.

After graduating from the program, you must obtain national certification before submitting your online application for registration. There are currently only two Board approved exams: the PTCB and the ExCPT exam.

Age Requirement

Applicants must be at least 18 years old to register as a pharmacy technician in Virginia.

Education Requirement

Virginia’s Board of Pharmacy does not prohibit non-high school graduates from registering as pharmacy technicians. However, national certification is required for registration, and a high school diploma is required to apply for the PTCB or ExCPT exam.

Other Requirements

The Board of Pharmacy requires all candidates seeking registration to complete a criminal background check. The Board may refuse to grant registration based on a review of your criminal history. Pending felony charges or crimes involving moral turpitude, and violations of state, federal or local drug laws can affect your ability to register as a pharmacy technician. If you have a history or substance abuse or drug dependency, the Board will need confirmation from your doctor that you’re capable of performing your duties as a pharmacy technician.

The Pharmacy Technician Program

Content

State approved training programs provide classroom instruction along with laboratory and a pharmacy externship to prepare graduates for employment as pharmacy technicians at hospitals, retail outlets, health care agencies, and other health care settings. In July 2022, the Board of Pharmacy has outlined specific requirements for pharmacy technician programs that are approved. A board-approved program must be:

Jointly accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), or
An accredited training program operated through the Department of Education’s (DOE) Career and Technical Education program, or
A program operated through a federal agency or branch of the military, or
A program accredited by an accreditation body approved by the board.

The training covers all aspects of federal and state laws as they pertain to the pharmaceuticals. Other essential topics include pharmacology (drugs and their interactions in the human body), side effects, and the use and abuse of drugs. Pharmaceutical calculations help students learn the basics of drug preparations, and package and distributions help them assist pharmacists with these common activities. To complete the training, students must participate in a practical learning experience by working for a stipulated period in a hospital or community pharmacy.

Program graduates are prepared to sit for the national PTCB or ExCPT exams to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician.

Duration and Cost

Pharmacy technician training costs depend on what the program offers in terms of certification. Certificate and diploma programs run for 6 to 20 weeks, and the average cost of tuition is $9,300. Some programs include extended practice hours for the pharmacy technician externship and can cost as much $23,500 for tuition only. All programs have associated costs attached, which students must budget for: textbooks, course materials, registration, background screening, CPR, uniform, immunization and exam fees are just some of the extra costs of pharmacy tech training.

National Exams

The Virginia Board of Pharmacy requires candidates for registration to obtain national certification from the PTCB or NHA. The NHA exam (ExCPT) is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. Successful completion of the exam will lead to the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential. National certification increases your employment opportunities nationwide. The cost for the exam is $117.

The other board-recognized option is the PTCB exam. The PTCB exam contains 90 multiple choice questions in the two-hour exam. You must score 650 out of 900 to pass the exam. The PTCB requires a high school diploma and criminal background check for certification. You must also meet the biennial continuing education requirements to maintain certification. Registration for the PTCB exam is $129.

Acquiring Your State License

Application

Currently, the Board of Pharmacy accepts online applications for pharmacy technician and pharmacy technician trainee registration.

Submit your completed application online
Must submit documentation of completing high school or equivalent
Must complete the documents required to initiate a criminal records check
Submit a recent passport-sized photo with your application
Request and submit proof of national certification to the Board of Pharmacy
Submit documents to validate US citizenship or residency

Renewal

You must maintain your registration in order to continue working as a pharmacy technician. Registration is due annually, and the cost for the renewal is $25. Pharmacy techs must also complete a minimum of 5 hours of continuing pharmacy education annually. The hours must be from an ACPE-approved program or certain Category 1 CME, or a program that the Board of Pharmacy approved. Credits earned outside of these requirements will not qualify for registration renewal.

Transfers

Virginia’s Board of Pharmacy does not approve transfers from other states through reciprocity or otherwise. Out-of-state technicians, certified by the PTCB, can apply for registration using their national certification. All other technicians must complete a state-approved training program and apply for registration as outlined above.

Virginia Board of Pharmacy
Perimeter Center
9960 Mayland Drive, Suite 300
Henrico, Virginia 23233-1463
Phone: (804) 367-4456
Fax: (804) 527-4472
Automated License Verification: (804) 270-6836
Email: pharmbd@dhp.virginia.gov

State-Approved Pharmacy Technician Training Programs in Virginia

Abingdon, VA Pharmacy Technician training programs:

Washington County Public Schools

225 Stanley Street, Abingdon, VA 24210

540-628-1870

Virginia Highlands Community College (online)

P.O. Box 828, Abingdon, VA 24210

276-739-2400

Arlington, VA Pharmacy Technician training programs:

Arlington Career Center

816 S. Walter Reed Drive, Arlington, VA 22204

703-228-5800

Big Stone Gap, VA Pharmacy Technician training programs:

Mountain Empire Community College

3441 Mountail Empire Rd., Big Stone Gap VA 24219

State-Approved Pharmacy Technician Training Programs in Virginia

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