Pharmacy Technician

Do you like interacting with people? Would you enjoy working in a Pharmacy or Hospital setting?  Are you looking for a rewarding career that is in demand?  If you enjoy making a difference in the lives of others and you enjoy work that requires a strong attention to detail, a Pharmacy Technician career may be for you!

Pharmacy Technicians work as part of a team under the supervision of a licensed Pharmacist. Pharmacy Technicians fill requisitions for drugs using unit-dose or appropriate packaging.  They also review the physicians' orders for drug allergies, proper dosing, interactions and incompatibilities.  Pharmacy Technicians receive and fill prescription requests, count tablets, label bottles, compound medications, and review orders for patient drug interactions. Depending on the size of the Pharmacy, at times they may also perform administrative duties such as answering phones, stocking shelves, performing inventory counts and operating cash registers.

Arizona College’s Pharmacy Technician program is designed to provide the education and hands-on training for you to reach your goal of becoming a Pharmacy Technician.  We learn in our Pharmacy lab using equipment such as laminar air flow hoods, ointment slabs, prescription balances, counting trays, pill crushers and various teaching aids.  We also provide computer training on Pharmacy Management Software.

We offer accelerated morning and evening classes to help you make your dream a reality.  We invite you to visit our campus to learn more about us and our programs.  Contact us today to start on the path to fulfilling your dream of working as a Pharmacy Technician.  Change Lives, Choose Arizona College!

Responsibilities

Pharmacy Technicians work in a variety of settings including retail pharmacy, hospitals, care centers and mail order pharmacies to name a few.  Responsibilities may include:

• Fill requisitions for drugs using unit-dose or appropriate packaging
• Review physicians orders for drug allergies, dosing, interactions and incompatibilities
• Participate in drug utilization, evaluation and quality assurance programs
• Perform inventory on all drugs including verification of expiration dates, or recalled or unusable drugs
• Administrative tasks such as answering phones and operating cash registers
• Act as a liaison between the Pharmacy and Physician’s offices for prescription requests and authorizations

Bureau of Labor Statistics Information

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Pharmacy Technicians held approximately 333,500 jobs as of May, 2010.  The BLS projects Pharmacy Technician employment to grow faster than average, increasing by 31% from 2008 to 2018 and projecting 426,000 jobs by 2018.  For more information about Pharmacy Technician careers, visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code is 29-2052.

Arizona College Program Details

The Pharmacy Technician diploma program is three quarters.  Each quarter is ten weeks divided into two five-week sessions.  After the on-campus portion of the program, each student completes an off-campus four week (160 hours is required) clinical externship in the last session of the program.  Including the externship, the entire program requires approximately thirty-four weeks.

Certification Information

Arizona College graduates are eligible to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).  Arizona College recommends our graduates become certified as a way to enhance their resume and as additional validation of the knowledge they have gained.  Also, the CPhT is required for the Pharmacy Technician Full License in Arizona.

Licensing Information
To practice as a Pharmacy Technician in Arizona, you must obtain a license from the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy.  There are two levels of licenses:  the Trainee License and the Full License.

The Trainee License is required for our students to practice during their externships.  To obtain a Trainee License, students apply at the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy with their U.S. birth certificate and high school diploma or GED.  The fee is $46 for a two-year license.  Later, graduates may also work under a Trainee License while going through process to become certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board in order to obtain a Full License.

Eventually, to practice as a Pharmacy Technician, graduates must obtain a Full License from the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy.  To qualify for a Full License, graduates must obtain their certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board by registering for and passing the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.  The fee to take the exam is $129.  Once the graduate has passed the exam, they will return to the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy with their results, and will be able to convert their Trainee License into a Full License.  The fee for the Full License is prorated based on how much time is remaining on the Trainee License.