Pharmacy Technician

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Pharmacy Technician Externship!
Clinical Training is an essential part of health care for any specialty, including pharmacy technicians.  This course offers students who have completed a pharmacy technician training program an opportunity to complete an externship, including 90 hours of hands-on training at a pharmacy.  Students will be required to complete a drug test and background check.  Hours and schedule may vary depending on location. Students may enroll at any time during the semester.

Please contact Katie Rullo (708) 456-0300 ext. 3709 or katierullo@triton.edu for more information.

AHL-E24 Pharmacy Technician Course
Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of licensed pharmacists to perform technical duties in the systematic operation of the pharmacy – providing health care services and medications to patients. This 75-hour course will introduce students to various settings in pharmacy practice, including the community, hospital, managed care, mail order and long-term care. Information on qualifying for the pharmacy certification examination will be provided. Technicians may perform many of the same duties as pharmacists; however, all of a technician's work must be checked by a pharmacist before medicine can be dispensed to a patient. This program is designed to familiarize students with the role of the pharmacy technician and develop the skills required for assisting pharmacists. Instruction includes a review of mathematical principles as they apply to pharmacology, various disease states, basic physiology, pharmacy law, ethics, and the fundamentals of technician training. Emphasis will be given to pharmacology measurement, pharmacy abbreviations and generic medications, prescription processing and hands-on compounding techniques. 

Career Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of pharmacy technicians is projected to grow 12% from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations. Several factors will lead to increased demand for prescription medications. Depending on the position, the technician may also manage third-party billing, answer telephones, direct customers to items or to the pharmacist for medication consultation, receive written prescriptions, clean and sterilize dispensing bottles and instruments, answer questions regarding non-drug products, and operate a cash register.

Salaries vary depending on experience, hours, and location. The median annual wage for pharmacy technicians was $31,750 in May 2017. 

Educational Requirements
High school diploma or equivalent. Since pharmacy technicians interact daily with co-workers, patients and health care professionals, good communication and interpersonal skills are essential. It is recommended that students take the math placement exam to ensure their ability to do basic college math. 

Key areas and topics include:

  • Compounding (measuring, weighing and mixing) medicinal drugs
  • Preparing and labeling medicines
  • Filling bottles and capsules with the correct quantity of medicine
  • Issuing medicines to customers
  • Stocking and taking inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications
  • Maintaining patients' medication profiles on computerized or written records or forms
  • Filling orders for unit doses and pre-packaged pharmaceuticals
  • Preparing insurance claim forms

Fall 2019
Evening Session
September 3 to November 26, 2019
Tuesdays and Thursdays
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
On Campus, H Building, Room H-125

Morning Session
September 9 to November 4, 2019
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays
8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
On Campus, H Building, Room H-125

Saturday Session 
September 7 to November 23, 2019
Saturdays 
9 a.m. - 3 p.m. 
On Campus, H Building, Room H-125

Tuition: $1,200* (Textbooks not included)
* = Additional college registration and technology fees may apply.

Textbooks can be purchased in the Triton College Bookstore.

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
To register for PTCE (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam), please visit www.ptcb.org.
Exam Fee: $129

AND/OR
 
NHA - Pharmacy Technician ExCPT Exam
To register for the ExCPT (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam), please visit www.nhanow.com. 
Exam Fee: $117

For more information, please call (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3500, or email us.