PHARMACY TECHNICIAN

Program Description
A Pharmacy Technician works intimately with a licensed pharmacist to facilitate the increasing demands of patients’ needs in pharmaceuticals.  A properly trained and well-educated technician will work directly with the public, meeting and greeting patients to establish records; communicate findings through industry-driven computer software; have a working knowledge of prescriptions, as well as the body and its functions; and process medication requests meticulously and with confidence.  

The demand for Pharmacy Technicians is projected to grow much faster than the national average for most occupations—25 percent and higher—over the next decade, with a previously stated employment in 2008 of over 381,000 individuals!*

The exclusive Pharmacy Technician Program at InterCoast prepares you with the educational tools necessary to become a qualified Pharmacy Technician.  As a graduate, you will be readied to take the PTCB exam and gain entrance to a field where mere work becomes a satisfying career—and the potential for consistent income for you!

Prepare for the PTCB

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) was established in 1995, advocating for a single national standard for pharmacy technician certification that is nationally recognized, supported by the profession, and protects the interests of patients.  Establishing a single standard for pharmacy technician certification through PTCB is consistent with the approach used by other health professions, as well as the approach utilized within the pharmacist licensure process.**

What can I expect to learn in the Pharmacy Technician Education Program?

This fully accredited program is designed to provide students like you—with or without prior experience in the field of Pharmacy Technician—with a complete, formal educational program that meets and exceeds certification standards.  This will prepare you to become a marketable professional who is able to competently comply with requirements in the pharmaceutical profession, providing excellent service to the general public.  

 

In the Pharmacy Technician Program, you will delve into in-depth instruction that is evolving from the role of making transactions at the pharmacy, to filling prescriptions with preciseness.  All instruction will be given in the comfortable surroundings of an InterCoast College campus and in the presence of instructors who care to teach you their best so that you may give your best to your employer and society in return.

You will be skilled in a number of job-related tasks associated with the pharmacy that may assist you in:

• Filling and verifying prescription requests.
• Counting, measuring, and bottling tablets.
• Preparing medications to dispense according to instructions.
• Maintaining pharmacy inventory and security of drugs.
• Creating prescription labels and completing dosage forms.
• Keeping patient records and confidentiality.
• Understanding and submitting insurance claim forms.
• Handling transactions involving monetary exchanges.
• Staying focused and professional in a demanding environment.

Program Objectives

The pharmacy technician courses at InterCoast will prepare you up to be a capable Pharmacy Technician, proficient in communicating on a professional level with the public during patient consultation; understanding the medical language as it relates to pharmacology, anatomy, and physiology; dispensing medications in varying forms; as well as learning appropriate record-keeping, adhering to the applicable healthcare laws and ethics.

With the proper education and hands-on approach, you will learn the following and more:

• Professional communication and human relations.
• Medical terminology and abbreviations.
• Human diseases and medical conditions.
• Alternative medicines.
• Hospital and retail pharmacy procedures.
• Drug classifications.
• HIPAA regulations, laws, and ethics.
• Prescription processing.
• Body systems and kinesiology.
• CPR and first aid.

Where can my Pharmacy Technician Training take me?

Pharmacy Technicians are needed in pharmacies throughout the nation.  The stated curriculum at InterCoast will give you the know-how and experience to succeed in any pharmacy environment—putting you ahead of other less-qualified applicants searching for pharmaceutical-industry work.

Records show that properly educated and well-trained Pharmacy Technicians are in high demand.  If you have an outgoing personality, a critical eye for detail, and are compassionate about the needs of others, the rewarding career as a Pharmacy Technician could be for you.  

After satisfactorily completing all courses, you will be encouraged to sit for the PTCB examination, and upon passing the exam, will receive the status of Certified Pharmacy Technician.**  You are then free to pursue a full- or part-time career, giving your employer the results they have come to expect from today’s Pharmacy Technician graduates.  

Your Future Within Reach

Compounded by an aging community in need of more pharmaceutical support, the role of a pharmacy technician is increasing.  So, now is the time to take advantage of the Pharmacy Technician Program offered through InterCoast.  No prior experience is required to begin!

 

Financial assistance is available for those that qualify, so don’t let that hold you back!  Call to find out more today and you could be one step closer to fulfilling your goal of becoming a Certified Pharmacy Technician!  

 

Pick up the phone and chat with InterCoast’s Friendly Enrollment Advisors.  They are standing by with the answers to your questions.  Call 877-227-3377.

Occupational Objectives

Although there is no national training standard for Pharmacy Technicians, employers prefer hiring those with formal training, certification, or previous experience.  That is why InterCoast College has made it part of its mission:  to promote a fully functioning pharmacy technician that exceeds expectations in the pharmaceutical industry.

The best Pharmacy Technicians work well with others under a direct line of authority (either in person, on the phone, or in written communications); they are detail-oriented and follow directions scrupulously using logic and reasoning skills; and adapt well to functioning in a highly organized and controlled environment.  They are cooperative in a number of scenarios, and with sick or distraught individuals, yet maintain the necessary tactfulness and professionalism for the position.  

InterCoast offers the Pharmacy Technician education you need to secure employment in entry-level positions.  Upon obtaining registration in the State Board of Pharmacy, graduates of Pharmacy Technician Education may find work in both hospital and retail drug store pharmacies, nursing homes, and other care facilities, and will be fully qualified to offer services to the general public.

Post-education, possible job titles include:

• Pharmacy Technician

• Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)

• IV Certified Pharmacy Technician

• Pharmaceutical Care Associate

When can I expect to finish my Pharmacy Technician Program?

For over 26 years, InterCoast College has been helping career-focused individuals obtain their degrees in high-quality, nationally-recognized and accredited programs, achieving their educational goals in the shortest time possible.  In just 35 weeks or 800 hours, you can complete your education and be awarded your Pharmacy Technician diploma.  

 

CIP CODE: 51.0805                                          O*NET: 29-2052.00                            SOC CODE: 29-2052

Click on this link for more detailed information about the Pharmacy Technician career from the U.S. Department of Labor. http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2052.00

Educational Requirements

The InterCoast Pharmacy Technician curriculum is devoted to job-related subjects and tasks, which will enable you to focus solely on the major areas of interest and employment skills development.

Campuses are conveniently located and offer a flexible schedule of morning, afternoon, evening, and weekend classes.  What’s more is the small student-teacher ratio, which equates to greater individualized attention given to you.  

Through the unique, InterCoast experience, you will be better equipped to meet the highest expectations of your future employers and clientele through the most innovative courses of study available.  Don’t settle for less!  

Caring Instructors

The InterCoast faculty is comprised of experienced industry veterans who possess superior job-related knowledge, skills, and enthusiasm in teaching.  They are sensitive to your needs as a student and concerned for your progress.  You will work with the novel materials, and learn the newest healthcare fundamentals inside a supportive atmosphere conducive to learning and self-improvement.  Now it can be that much easier to obtain success in your Pharmacy Technician Education Program!

What specific Pharmacy Technician Courses are required?

Class Title                  Total Clock Hours
 

High School Diploma or GED Required for Admission.


*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11.
**Source: https://www.ptcb.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=About

For more information about graduation rates, the median debt of students who completed the program and other important information, visit www.intercoast.edu

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