Pharmacy Technician Schools
In an incredibly fast-growing field, pharmacy technicians are in high demand by retail pharmacies, grocery and department stores, and in many other locations. Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists by locating the right medicine to fill a prescription, counting the exact dosage, correctly adding medicinal labels and warnings to medicine bottles, and more. Technicians may also be responsible for completing administrative tasks in the pharmacy, such as keeping up-to-date paperwork, answering phones and patient questions, or processing patient's prescriptions and payment plans.
Browse Pharmacy Technician Schools schools by State:
AB | AL | AZ | BC | CA | CO | FL | GA | HI | ID | IL | IN | KY | LA | MA | MB | MD | MI | MN | MO | NC | NE | NJ | NM | NV | OH | ON | OR | PA | RI | SC | SD | TN | TX | UT | VA | WA | WI | WV | WYRecommended Schools
Associate of Applied Science in Pharmacy Technology
Ohio, Missouri, Kentucky, Georgia, New Mexico, Texas, Florida
Other Pharmacy Technician Schools
Pharmacy Assistant: As a result of pharmacists taking a more active role in drug therapy and the counseling of their patients, the Pharmacy Assistant has become an increasingly essential team member in retail, community and institutional pharmacies. If you are interested in a rewarding health care career that requires you to rely on your analytical and problem solving skills, consider enrolling in the Pharmacy Assistant program at Vancouver Career College.
Other programs available at Vancouver Career College: Pharmacy Assistant / Technician, Medical Pharmacy Assistant
British Columbia
National American University Campus
AssociatePharmacy Technician: The growing use of prescription medications has created a need for formally trained pharmacy technicians. National American University's Associate of Applied Science program provides the knowledge necessary to achieve pharmacy technician certification.
Other programs available at National American University Campus: A.A.S. Pharmacy Technician
Minnesota, Colorado, Missouri, South Dakota, Texas
Pharmacy Technology: This is a comprehensive course that teaches prospective pharmacy technicians all about the indications, side effects, dosage calculations and administration methods of the major classes of drugs.
Other programs available at Ashworth College: Pharmacy Technician
Online School
AS in Pharmacy Technology: This degree program provides instruction in how to assist the pharmacist in the packing and distribution of medication. Graduates can find employment in hospitals (private and government), nursing care facilities, private and chain drug stores, drug manufactures, wholesale drug houses and health maintenance organizations.
Other programs available at Keiser Career College: Pharmacy Technology
Florida
Pharmacy Technician
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Florida
Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacy Technician - Retail, Pharmacy Assistant
British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario
Diploma - Pharmacy Technician, AS - Pharmacy Technician
Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee, Indiana, West Virginia
Pharmacy Technician Associates Degree
Wisconsin, Florida, Minnesota, Illinois
Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacy Technology
Pennsylvania, Florida, Maryland, Alabama
Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacy Technology
Florida, Pennsylvania, Maryland
Pharmacy Technician (Diploma)
Texas, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, Florida, Georgia
Diploma: Pharmacy Technician: Pharmacy technicians help licensed pharmacists provide medication and other health care products to patients. Their specific duties may include counting tablets, labeling bottles, and a variety of other duties that vary according to state rules and regulations. As a pharmacy technician you could work directly under the supervision of a registered pharmacist, preparing prescription medications for distribution to patients.
Other programs available at Kaplan College: Certificate: Pharmacy Technician
Nevada, Wisconsin, California, Arizona, Ohio, Texas
Diploma - Pharmacy Technician
Utah, Oregon, Virginia, California, Texas, Colorado, Washington, Illinois, Missouri
Pharmacy Technician
Ohio, North Carolina, Minnesota, California, Indiana, Wisconsin
Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacy Office Assistant, Pharmacy Assistant
Nebraska, Missouri
Certificate: Pharmacy Technician: The Pharmacy Technician program can prepare students with the knowledge, technical skills, and work habits required for an entry-level position in the pharmacy field or related area. Graduates of this program work directly under the supervision of a Registered Pharmacist. General duties may include transcribing physician's orders and hospital charts; drug product selection; preparing medications for dispensing, labeling, and refill authorization; computer data entry for patient profile maintenance; and procedures for acquiring all necessary information.
Other programs available at Career Centers of Texas: Certificate: Pharmacy Technician
Texas
Diploma in Pharmacy Technician, Associate of Science in Pharmacy Technician
Utah
Diploma in Pharmacy Technician, Associate of Science in Pharmacy Technician
Utah
Pharmacy Technician
Minnesota, Texas, California, Nevada, Florida, Tennessee
Pharmacy Technician, Pharmacy Technology
New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, Washington
Pharmacy Technician Salaries
Employment summary:
people employed: 331890 people
yearly change: +7780 people (+2%)
workforce fraction: 0.3% (1 in 394)
median wage: $28070 per year (US dollars per year)
median wage yearly change: +$360 per year (US dollars per year) (+1%)
50% range: $(23020 to 33820) per year
80% range: $(19480 to 40160) per year
(2009 data)
Related occupations:
| people employed | mean wage | |
|---|---|---|
| dietetic technicians | 24510 people | $28530 per year |
| psychiatric technicians | 70730 people | $30730 per year |
| respiratory therapy technicians | 15100 people | $45680 per year |
| surgical technologists | 91250 people | $40710 per year |
| veterinary technologists and technicians | 79200 people | $30580 per year |
Standard occupational classification information:
SOC code: 29-2052
SOC parent occupation: health diagnosing and treating practitioner support technicians
Employment history:

Other Community and Technical Colleges
next >Community College of the Air Force
130 W Maxwell Blvd, Montgomery, 36112Telephone:(334) 953-2223
http://www.maxwell.af.mil/au/ccaf/
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
801 Main St NW, Hanceville, 35077Telephone:(256) 352-8000
http://www.wallacestate.edu
Virginia College-Mobile
2970 Cottage Hill Road, Mobile, 36606Telephone:(251) 343-7227
http://www.vc.edu
Arizona College of Allied Health
4425 W Olive Avenue Suite 300, Glendale, 85302Telephone:(602) 222-9300
http://www.arizonacollege.edu
Central Arizona College
8470 N Overfield Rd, Coolidge, 85228Telephone:(520) 494-5444
http://www.centralaz.edu
Eastern Arizona College
615 N. Stadium Ave., Thatcher, 85552Telephone:(928) 428-8322
http://www.eac.edu
GateWay Community College
108 N. 40th Street, Phoenix, 85034Telephone:(602) 392-5000
http://www.gwc.maricopa.edu 60 Sargent Dr, New Haven, 06511
Telephone:(203) 285-2000
http://www.gwctc.commnet.edu
Pima Community College
401 North Bonita Avenue, Tucson, 85709Telephone:(520) 206-4500
http://www.pima.edu
Pima Medical Institute
957 S. Dobson Road, Mesa, 85202Telephone:(480) 644-0267
http://www.pmi.edu 3350 East Grant Road, Tucson, 85716
Telephone:(520) 326-1600
http://www.pmi.edu/locations/tucson.asp 780 Bay Blvd Suite101, Chula Vista, 91910
Telephone:(619) 425-3200
http://www.pmi.edu 7475 Dakin St Suite 100, Denver, 80221
Telephone:(303) 426-1800
http://www.pmi.edu 3333 East Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, 89121
Telephone:(702) 458-9650
http://www.pmi.edu 2301 San Pedro Ne, Albuquerque, 87110
Telephone:(505) 881-1234
http://www.pmi.edu 2201 San Pedro NE Bldg 3 Ste 100, Albuquerque, 87110
Telephone:(505) 881-1234
http://www.pmi.edu 9709 Third Ave NE Suite 400, Seattle, 98115
Telephone:(206) 322-6100
http://www.pmi.edu 555 South Renton Village Pl-Ste 110, Renton, 98055
Telephone:(425) 228-9600
http://www.pmi.edu
What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do?
Pharmacy technicians will work under the supervision of a pharmacist in a variety of environments to assist in the filling of prescriptions and consumer needs, as according to company guidelines. Pharmacy technicians may choose to work in retail pharmacies, assisted living facilities, or nursing homes. The responsibilities will vary from position to position, with those working in retail pharmacies traditionally having less than others, simply because of the difference in work environment. read more [+]
In the retail pharmacy setting, a pharmacy technician will handle:
- Taking prescriptions from the consumer and ensuring their accuracy
- Processing the prescription either by manually entering it into the database or scanning it
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Filling the prescription
- Counting the correct number of pills
- Making sure the dosage is correct
- Printing the label
- Handing the filled prescription over to the customer
- Answering any questions the customer may have
The pharmacist will check over the technicians work to ensure the medication has been properly filled and handled before it reaches the consumer, and will also be on call if the customer has any questions about the medication the pharmacy tech cannot answer. If at any point questions arise about the prescription in terms of legibility or comprehension, the pharmacy tech must follow up with the prescribing physician to ensure the accuracy of the medication, dosage, and information to keep the patient safe.
Other responsibilities may include cashiering from time to time; rotating medication stock to ensure older medication gets used before its expiration, ordering and handling supplies, keeping over-the-counter medication fresh, and dealing with health insurance companies and claims. Though some may consider this as busy work, a pharmacy technician who does these jobs helps keep the pharmacy running smoothly and the pharmacist available to consumers.
A Rewarding Career
In patient care facilities, the pharmacy technician will still be monitored by a pharmacist, though he or she will be required to look at the patient chart to find out information about medication and dosage, make notations regarding the last administered dose, and other pertinent information. He or she will fill prescriptions for patients who can take their own medication, and once the information has been checked for accuracy by the pharmacist, he or she will release the medication to be administered by the nurse or other faculty member in charge of medication distribution, where it will once again be checked for accuracy before reaching the patient. The pharmacy technician will also put together medication packages for patients who require daily treatments.
These will be checked by the pharmacist, released to the medicine cart for the nurse, and checked again before making it to the patient to ensure everyone gets the medication required, and nothing else.
Depending on the employer, some pharmacy technicians may be required to work odd hours in order to meet consumer demand. It is important to recognize these requirements prior to accepting positions with any company. Though pharmacy technicians live under a bit of pressure to make sure medications are correct, this is a rewarding career for many which opens the door to further opportunities such as becoming a pharmacist later.



























































