Pharmacy Technician (Voucher Included)

This online pharmacy technician certification course will prepare aspiring pharmacy technicians in how to assist the pharmacist in the packing and distribution of medication. Students will receive didactic and hands-on training to develop the skills necessary for employment in the field.

This pharmacy technician training program will prepare you for entry-level pharm tech positions by teaching you medical and pharmaceutical terminology, basic anatomy related to the pharmacology of medications,...

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12 Months / 400 Course Hrs
Open Enrollment
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University of the District of Columbia

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Pharmacy Technician (Voucher Included)

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Course code: GES117

What you will learn

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of the pharmacy technician role, including essential professional skills and communication expectations necessary for success in a pharmacy setting
  • Understand pharmacy regulations and standards from regulatory agencies and professional associations to ensure patient safety, high-quality care, and proper medication handling
  • Gain practical knowledge of medication processing and handling procedures, including the ability to identify medication orders and read prescription forms accurately
  • Learn about medication storage guidelines and quality assurance procedures in the pharmacy department
  • Develop essential skills for success as a pharmacy technician, including accuracy, attention to detail, and effective communication

How you will benefit

  • Acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to excel as a pharmacy technician and perform all related tasks and responsibilities with confidence
  • Gain hands-on learning through an online lab module that provides practical experience in processing orders and identifying correct medication dosing and sourcing
  • Access a comprehensive work experience guide and receive personalized support from our work experience team to prepare for your future as a certified pharmacy technician
  • Prepare for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) and earn the highly respected Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential upon successful completion
  • Take advantage of a voucher for the certification exam and apply for a 100+ hour work Practicum Experience to gain valuable practical experience and further enhance your professional skills

How the course is taught

  • Self-paced, online course
  • 12 Months to complete
  • Open enrollment, begin anytime
  • 400 course hours
  1. Medical Terminology
    1. Introduction to Medical Terminology 
    2. The Musculoskeletal System 
    3. The Cardiovascular System 
    4. The Lymphatic and Immune Systems 
    5. The Respiratory System 
    6. The Digestive System 
    7. The Urinary System 
    8. The Nervous System 
    9. The Special Senses The Eyes and Ears 
    10. The Integumentary System 
    11. The Endocrine System 
    12. The Reproductive System 
    13. Diagnostic Procedures, Nuclear Medicine, Pharmacology 
  2. Pharmacy Technician 
    1. Pharmacy Practice Then and Now 
    2. The Pharmacy Technician 
    3. Pharmacy Laws and Regulations 
    4. Pharmacy Ethics  
    5. Controlled Substances  
    6. Workplace Safety  
    7. Prescription and Medication Order Requirements   
    8. Sterile and Non-Sterile Compounding  
    9. Pharmaceutical Calculations, Part 1 and Part 2  
    10. Pharmacology 
    11. Considerations in Special Populations  
    12. Pharmacology and the Nervous System  
    13. Pharmacology and the Cardiovascular System 
    14. Pharmacology and the Genitourinary System  
    15. Pharmacology and the Musculoskeletal System 
    16. Pharmacology and the Respiratory System 
    17. Pharmacology and the Gastrointestinal System 
    18. Pharmacology and the Endocrine System 
    19. Oncology 
    20. Infectious Disease 
    21. Wellness, Health Promotion, and Disease Prevention 
    22. Career Development 

Carline Dalgleish

Carline Dalgleish has worked in medical office administration for over 30 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in Business Information Systems, a master's degree in Leadership, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Health Information Management. She is a Registered Health Information Administrator and an AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer. Dalgleish is the author of an ICD-10 coding system and also owns her own consulting firm, AnnGrant Educational Services.

Sharon L. Blackford

Sharon L. Blackford, MA, BA, RMA, has over 30 years of experience in the medical field. She has a Master's degree in Organizational Management, a Bachelor's degree in Business Management, and has served as a Registered Medical Assistant since 1994. Sharon was an active-duty Clinical Specialist in the U.S. Army for 10 years. Sharon later moved to the Gulf Coast to accept a position as the Director of Education of Blue Cliff College and was promoted to Campus Director.

Stacey O'Brien

Stacey O'Brien has more than 10 years of experience in medical coding and reimbursement. Ms. O'Brien has been a risk adjustment coder for a Medicare Advantage plan, audited medical records for a consulting firm, and currently supervises the coding and electronic claims submission process for a group medical practice. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh and a CPC coding certification from the AAPC.

Leahnata Davis

Dr. Leahnata Davies has been a nurse public health expert and nurse leader for over 20 years. Her teaching philosophy for health education is grounded and intertwined with her philosophy of nursing. Her hands-on experience in the nursing field has shaped the kind of teacher and mentor she hopes to be. She would like to set a foundation integrated with evidence-based practice to provide the basis of professional practice while supporting students' emotional, intellectual, and educational needs. Her desire to teach is twofold: She is committed to improving care for patients, but also wants to continue to share her love of learning and passion for addressing the needs of the community, the healthcare system, and the learners. As an educator, she hopes to accomplish this through critical engagement, collaboration, and lifelong learning. Her health care experience includes progressive experience in clinical and public health, health care administration, case management, health education and instruction. As a public health expert, Dr. Davies has extensive experience assessing, planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating delivery of optimal care settings including managing and executing government-funded care programs. In addition too a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Health Science from Walden University, Dr. Davies holds a Master of Public Health degree from Walden University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Felician College, Lodi NJ.

Kate Moura Dos Santos

Kate Moura Dos Santos currently resides along the east coast in the beautiful state of Vermont. She started her career in the medical field in 1981 in the US ARMY as an active-duty Medical Secretary. After an honorable discharge, she became a Licensed Nursing Assistant (LNA) and Home Health Aide. She has worked in various capacities and disciplines including Med Surg, Neurology, ICU, Cardiac ICU, inpatient facilities as well as skilled nursing facilities, private homes, inpatient psych units and Alzheimer's memory units. She became so confident in her skills as an LNA, that in 2001, she became owner and operator of "Changing Seasons Home Health Care". She realized while operating her home care business, that she enjoyed teaching and training others in becoming proficient as an LNA, home health care aide.

Alexis M. Ramirez

Alexis M Ramirez, DNP, MSN, NPD-BC, CCRN has worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) for many years in cardiovascular critical care as well as taught in the acute care and academic settings. In addition to serving the community through care delivery, she has trained Patient Care Assistants, Monitor Technicians, Licensed Vocational Nurses, and Registered Nurses throughout her career.

Dr. Ramirez completed her Doctorate in Nursing Practice from California State University, Fresno in 2021. She completed her master's in nursing education from Chamberlain College of Nursing in 2014. She is board certified in Nursing Professional Development and as a Critical Care Nurse. 

Melissa Dunworth

Melissa Dunworth has been a pharmacy technician for over 13 years and has worked in retail, closed pharmacy, and training/education areas during her career. Melissa holds a bachelor’s degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences and works as a Developmental Specialist in Early Intervention for children ages 0 to 3 years. She has been a certified pharmacy technician since 1997. Melissa is also registered with the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy.

Betty Stahl

Betty Stahl holds a doctorate in pharmacy from Shenandoah University. Over the past several years, she has taught pharmacy technician programs at ASA College in New York City and ACT in Arlington, Virginia. Stahl has also worked as a pharmacist in independent and hospital settings.

Lorraine Zentz

Lorraine Zentz holds a bachelor’s degree in science (Biology/Chemistry), a master’s degree in education (Curriculum and Instruction), and Colorado Teaching License for middle and high school science and math. She is the original author of the Cengage Pharmacy Technician Program, facilitating students from 2003–2018. Working in hospital pharmacies for 30 years, along with teaching, has been her passion and remains so to this day.

Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.

Prerequisites:

To register for this course, you must be 18 years of age or older. You should be proficient in keyboarding (approximately 35 words per minute), have a basic understanding of a word-processing computer program (Microsoft Word is recommended), have a command of English grammar and punctuation, and have a basic understanding of high school math.

To participate in the competency activities and receive feedback from your instructor, you will need to have access to a video camera (on the phone or other device of familiarity) and be able to upload the video as an .mp4 file to the assignment pages for review. These activities are required in order to pass the course successfully.

Certification Requirements:

  • Reside in the United States of America or its territories (US)
  • Completion of a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program or equivalent Practicum Experience
  • Full disclosure of all criminal and State Board of Pharmacy registration or licensure actions
  • Compliance with all applicable PTCB Certification policies
  • Passing score on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam® (PTCE®)

State Requirements:

You must ensure that the Pharmacy Technician Course meets your state's requirements. For more information, visit your state's Board of Pharmacy site or view a map directly from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) website. You can also call the state board and ask for the current technician regulations. This course does not meet state requirements for students intending to work in North Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.

Practicum Experience Requirements:

As a student in our Pharmacy Technician course, you'll have the opportunity to participate in our exclusive Practicum Experience, which provides a valuable advantage in today's competitive job market. Through our nationwide agreement with several pharmacies, you can gain hands-on experience and assist pharmacists with prescriptions, patient inquiries, and administrative tasks.

To qualify for the Practicum Experience, you will need to meet certain requirements, including passing a drug screening test, obtaining professional liability insurance, completing a background check and employment verification, meeting current immunization standards, and conforming with state mandates such as registration, fingerprinting, licensing, etc. Additional forms may be necessary for participation in the Practicum Experience with certain pharmacies. Please note that while we strive to find available openings, a Practicum Experience placement is not guaranteed for the Pharmacy Technician course and may take up to 12 weeks to secure. As a candidate, you should start applying for the PTBC Trainee License 2 weeks before you take the final exam in the course.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook device.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 10 or later operating systems.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Microsoft Word Online
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader 
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
  • Other: Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment in Medical Terminology:

  • Medical Terminology for Health Professions

The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment in Pharmacy Technician:

  • Pharmaceutical Calculations for Pharmacy Technicians A Worktext
  • Law and Ethics for Pharmacy Technicians
  • Fundamental Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians
  • Workbook for Fundamental Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians
  • The Pharmacy Technician: A Comprehensive Approach
  • Pharmacy Lab Kit with Manual (only available for residents of U.S./Canada; additional information available in the FAQs section)

Please note: You will receive a digital book if the physical book is on backorder.

Additionally: Your Pharmacy Lab Kit with Manual will be sent separately from the rest of your materials and will be received within 3 months of enrollment, however, delivery times may be delayed further as a result of supply chain shortages.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pharmacy technician salary is $36,740, with the highest 10% earning more than $47,000 per year.

Pharmacy technicians are critical members of the healthcare field who work alongside pharmacists in hospitals, drug and grocery stores, and other medical settings, where they help with the health and safety of customers—ensuring key medication-related duties are met and fulfilled.

You will play an integral role in pharmacy operations as a pharmacy technician. Duties can include:

  • Assisting a pharmacist as they prepare and hand out prescription medication
  • Taking prescriptions, helping mix medicines, measuring medication, labeling medicines, and giving patients instructions for proper dosages and side effects
  • Taking payments and working with both health professionals and pharmacy customers daily.

Pharmacy technicians work in pharmacies. A pharmacy can be found in hospitals or healthcare facilities, drug and grocery stores, or may be independent.

Pharmacy technicians can't perform certain jobs without the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist. They aren't allowed to make judgment calls related to drug substitutions, interpret prescriptions, or give instructions for preparing prescriptions. In most areas, they also can't take a chart order or a new prescription over the phone. They also can't dispense medication unless the order for the prescription has been verified by a pharmacist.

Pharmacy technicians must have a high school diploma or equivalent and understand how to perform the essential pharmacy duties. Candidates can complete a certificate or postsecondary program to gain the knowledge and skills they need. Some can even gain the training they need on the job; however, most states regulate pharmacy technicians and require that they pass an exam or complete a formal training program. To work as a pharmacy technician in most states, you will need to either be licensed or have a professional certificate.

Not all states require a pharmacy tech license, so you should check your state's Board of Pharmacy website for more information. PTCB State Regulations

Many pharmacy technician programs can be completed in one year or less. This does not include the time you spend in a Practicum Experience program or preparing and sitting for state licensure.

Our Pharmacy Technician course is self-paced and completed in 12 months or less. As part of your program, you will also complete a 100-hour Practicum Experience if you qualify. Finally, you will receive a voucher as a part of your program to sit for your certification exam. Once you are certified, you'll have the qualifications you need to find an entry-level job in any pharmacy.

There are a few different ways to become a pharmacist after you gain experience working as a pharmacy technician. First, you will need to earn a bachelor's degree by earning an associate degree and rolling the credits into a 4-year program or enrolling directly into a pre-pharmacy bachelor's program. Second, after earning your bachelor's degree, you will need to take the Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT). Your scores on this standardized test, along with previous contributions to the pharmacy industry (such as volunteer hours, membership in pharmacy organizations, and of course, working as a pharmacy technician), will be used to determine your acceptance to pharmacy school. Once accepted, you will attend school for another 4-5 years before taking and passing your state pharmacy board and law exams. Finally, your hard work will pay off, and you will be granted a license to practice as a pharmacist in your state.

Yes, Pharmacy Technicians are currently in demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the jobs for Pharmacy Technicians with certification will increase by 12 percent over the next several years which is faster than average. Increased demand for prescription medications will be the primary driver of the growth in the number of positions. The BLS also suggests that people with formal training or certification will be more sought after to fill open positions.

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) administers the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE), which determines an individual's pharmacy technician knowledge. When you pass the exam, you become certified and may use the designation "CPhT". You will need to sit for the exam after this course; certification is not included. A voucher for the PTCE is included based on eligibility.

Online is a great resource for finding your state's requirements for certification. All states have a website with the Board of Pharmacy information. You can access this information directly or view a map from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) website at www.ptcb.org. Click on the "states" link for information. You can also call the state board and ask for the current technician regulations. This course does not meet state requirements for students intending to work in North Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.

Most states still offer employment prior to certification. This often comes with the stipulation that certification is acquired within a period of time (usually a year). During this period, you'll work as an unlicensed personnel member, clerk, or aide. On-the-job training or Practicum Experiences are a great way to obtain the number of hours required (many states require a minimum number of hours worked before you can be registered or certified with the board). If your goal is to work in a hospital pharmacy, finding that job while you're still a student will help you reach your employment requirements, along with the educational clinical requirements.

A Practicum Experience is a practical training program that fulfills the clinical hour requirement of a course. This experience allows you to gain real-world experience in a setting aligned to the job description, working alongside licensed personnel and technicians. You will develop the skills and confidence needed to work effectively as a technician through experience. The Practicum Experience is optional and not required for final grading.

Within the course, you will have the option to apply for an experience and will work with a coordinator to be placed once all eligibility requirements have been met.  If you are interested in applying for the Practicum Experience in a local pharmacy that is not a CVS, you may discuss these and other options with your coordinator. Practicum Experiences are optional and based on availability. Due to the increase in confidentiality and privacy regulations and liability issues in relation to health information, Practicum Experiences are not guaranteed.

In addition, by state regulation, you may be required to apply for your pharmacy technician license or register with the State Board of Pharmacy before you can apply for the Practicum Experience. Please check the website for your state's Board of Pharmacy regulations and additional information. The state's Board of Pharmacy has the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Unfortunately, you will not qualify for the Practicum Experience if you have a criminal record. While you can still enroll in the course, to participate in the Practicum Experience Program, you cannot have a criminal record. Background checks will be conducted prior to the student's admittance into the Practicum Experience Program.

Yes, this course does prepare you for a certification. You will be prepared to sit for the National Certification exam titled Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE), offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).

This course is non-credit, so it does not qualify for federal aid, FAFSA and Pell Grant. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses. Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll if they meet certain requirements. Financing is available from select schools. Learn more about financial assistance.

Yes, ed2go courses are completely online. However, keep in mind that not all certifying bodies or industry-specific certifications are recognized internationally. Please review your country's regulations prior to enrolling in courses that prepare for certification.

The Pharmacy Lab Kit with the Manual is only available for students who reside in the U.S./Canada; alternative options are available for international students. Delivery times may vary. Please contact us for additional information before enrolling.

This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.

The course instructor will be available by email to answer any questions and provide feedback on your performance. Occasionally, your course may be supported by a team of industry experts. You will also receive support from the student advising team.

After you register, you will receive 12 months to complete the course. The time allotted for completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. 

The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact the student advising team to see what options you may have available to work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.

Upon successfully completing the course and fulfilling the financial obligation, you'll be awarded a certificate of completion. In addition, you will receive an exam voucher to sit for the National Certification Exam which is the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE), offered by Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).

This course will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, representatives are available via LIVE chat. You can also call us at 1-877-221-5151 during regular business hours to have your questions promptly answered. If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please send us a question using the "Contact Us" form.

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