Nowadays, Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) becomes more and more desirable career choice, because of the rapid development of the Pharmaceutical Industry over the past few years and the increased need of qualified Technicians.

Despite the fact that in most states of America possessing a certification is not obligatory for starting a Pharmacy Technician job, more and more licensed pharmaceutists prefer to employ certified personnel. In order to be able to enroll a Pharmacy Technician course, a secondary education diploma or GED is required (Prospective Pharmacy Technicians can enroll Pharmacy Technician program at the age of 16, but the document will be given only after presenting a secondary education diploma). After passing a Pharmacy Technician education program, prospective Pharmacy Technicians need to take a certification exam with the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians оr Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. In order to receive a Pharmacy Technician certificate, the candidate has to attest that he is with clear criminal record for the last 5 years and that he has no penalties and sentences relevant to drugs.

Pharmacy Technician Education can be gained in college and/or online. Considering the course duration (one year in average and more than 1000 study hours), every prospective Pharmacy Technician should estimate which of the options is more suitable. Pharmacy Technician schools give better opportunity for development of practical skills, provide training on the selected subject, which helps for fast career start as Pharmacy Technician after successful certification. One of the online education advantages is that the prospective Technician can individually adjust his schedule to the course and also pay attention to those topics that hamper him and quickly go through those lessons, which he learns with ease.

The Pharmacy Technician courses involve:

- The History of the Pharmaceutical Industry;
- Medical denominations (translation of the most widely used abbreviations in Pharmacy), indications and dosage;
-Medicine and Pharmaceutical terminology;
- The main procedures on prescription processing and implementation,
- Mathematical computations and medicinal products technologies;
- Legal information and etiquette for patient’s health protection; Federal and State laws (CDC, FDA) ;
- Personal control and confidentiality;
- Fire security and protection of labour in Pharmacy;
- Maintenance of stock-taking;
- Interaction between different drugs;
-Techniques for sterilization and washing by hand in Pharmacy;
- Computer use, creation of index, etc.

Along with the theoretical subjects, the Pharmacy Technician course involves a certain number of lessons for practical laboratory exercises. The prospective Pharmacy Technician is also obligate to pass practice in a Pharmacy Institution. To have the right to take his practice as a Pharmacy Technician, the student has to attest that he has all current required immunizations.

Both forms of education provide good enough preparation and after completion, every student is well-prepared for the pharmacy certification exam and can successfully build a Pharmacy Technician career in any branch (Pharmacy Technician, Senior Certified Pharmacy Technician or Hospital Pharmacy Technician).

Pharmacy Technician is a suitable career choice for those who would like to work in the healthcare field and who do not embarrass to associate with people. Pharmacy Technician works under the direct supervision of licensed pharmacist most often in pharmacy or hospital environment. In order to begin career as a Pharmacy Technician, the prospective technician needs to have a secondary education, then to enroll in Training for Pharmacy Technician and after that to receive the required Pharmacy Technician certificate. Usually the Pharmacy Technician training course lasts between 6 months and 2 years, and after successful program completion, prospective Pharmacy Technicians are allowed to sit the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam.

Some of the basic Pharmacy Technician job duties include checking drugs expiration date, checking pharmacy inventory status, lay claims against insurance companies, replying to phone calls, data entry into pharmacy’s systems, actualization of patient profiles, maintenance of equipment and consumables. Depending on the level of qualification gained, a Pharmacy Technician could even prepare drugs on the patient prescription, but before giving them, they obligatorily need to be checked by a pharmacist. A certified Pharmacy Technician can also work with cash using a cash machine; and to help patients on the counter. Generally speaking, Pharmacy Technician helps the pharmacist in everything that requires licensed pharmaceutic skills.

Pharmacy Technician does not have the right to consult the patients about the correct drug intake!

Depending on work environment, a Pharmacy Technician can accomplish different tasks. If a Pharmacy Technician works in a hospital institution, technician’s obligations will be of a different nature. Certified technicians can be responsible for organization of round-the-clock reception of drugs for patients in hospital institution or Elderly House; or to group the prescribed drugs in accordance to the patient’s intake for a certain period.

The tendency of the last years is more responsibilities to be transferred to the certified Pharmacy Technician, so the licensed pharmacist could have more time to consult patients.

The larger part of Pharmacy Technicians (about 65%) work in small private pharmacies or in drug stores located in hospitals, while the remaining percentage of Pharmacy Assistants and Technicians works for online drug stores on the Internet or in the drug wholesale trade. For the greater part of the working day, a Pharmacy Technician stands, sometimes heavy boxes has to be lifted.

Pharmacy Technician takes care of the work in pharmacy to make sure it goes smoothly.

In Pharmacy Technician Schools, prospective Pharmacy Technicians gain extensive theoretical knowledge and practice expertise in laboratories, preparing them for the duties and responsibilities of their future profession. The basic theoretical subjects included in the Pharmacy Technician education course are Sterile Product Preparation, Home Health Care, Pharmacy Law, Pharmacology, Hospital Pharmacy Procedures, Hospital Pharmacy Procedures, Retail Pharmacy Procedures, Retail Pharmacy Operations, etc. After successful completion of pharmacy educational program, prospective Pharmacy Technicians are well prepared and have the right to sit for certification exam with the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians оr Pharmacy Technician Certification Board to receive their pharmacy technician certificate.
Below is a list of selected colleges and universities that offer Pharmacy Technician education. You can see more information about specific programs and their conditions on the respective website of each college or university.

Allied College – Provides the opportunity to study in small groups with selected specialized material.
Associate of Applied Science: Pharmacy Technician

American Career College – In most cases the course duration is no longer than one year. The college is for medicinal purposes and it prepares various types of specialists, such as medical assistants, pharmacy technicians, medical health claims exclaimers, optical technicians, vocational nurses, and surgical technicians.
Diploma: Pharmacy Technician

Apollo College – Provides technical, theoretical and practical preparation for Pharmacy Technician and the program includes 260 hours for Pharmacy practice.
Diploma: Pharmacy Technician

ATI Career Training Center – Enrolls people, who would like to change their lifestyle via education. The Center assists in finding a job and provides accreditation to those who cover all the Pharmacy Technician job description requirements.
Diploma: Pharmacy Technician (PT)

Berdan Institute – Provides theoretical and practical education for the following subjects: Massage Therapy, Medical Assistant, Pharmacy Technician, Medical Coding, Dental Assisting, and more.
Certificate: Pharmacy Technician

Cambridge College – Forms small classes with highly specialized educational program. The school undertakes to provide job to those pharmacy technicians, who show excellent educational results.
Associate Degree: Pharmacy Technician

CHI Institute – Provides new and well-maintained educational basis, and all the classes are led by excellently prepared teachers. Prospective Pharmacy Technicians have an access to libraries and internet. The Institute strives to prepare perfectly the students for their future Technician career.
Diploma: Pharmacy Technician

Concorde Career College – Accrediting Commission of Career Schools & Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT) accredits this school. The Technician educational program consists of everything that is essential for the Pharmacy Technician job description.
Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program

Everest College – Educational programs in the medicine sphere and office applications are constantly actualized and evaluated in this college.
Diploma Program: Pharmacy Technician

Everest University – Offers day and evening programs as well as options for education during the weekends. Priority is given to the practical part of studies.
Pharmacy Technician Diploma

Fortis College – Prepares specialists for the most demanded branches of healthcare.
Pharmacy Technology – Associate Degree

Heald College – Offers educational course with duration of 18 months, and 90% of trained students succeed to find job during the first 6 months after graduation.
Associate Degree – Pharmacy Technology

High-Tech Institute – The education takes less then 2 years and provides a good preparation for starting Pharmacy Technician career after the program graduation.
Pharmacy Technician Diploma

Institute of Business and Medical Careers – Provides small classes, personal attention, flexible schedule of educational lessons, and covers all the skills, which are necessary for further Pharmacy Technician career.
Associate Degree – Pharmacy Technician

Kaplan College – Offers flexible and accelerated educational programs in sphere of fashion, design, healthcare and justice, suitable for busy lifestyle.
Diploma: Pharmacy Technician

Keiser Career College – Offers experienced teachers and acquisition of practical skills in the field of healthcare.
Pharmacy Technology Diploma; Pharmacy Technology Associate Degree

Lansdale School of Business – A private school. Offers consultations to prospective Pharmacy Technician in order to help them in taking the right decision about choosing the right educational program.
Pharmacy Technician Diploma

MedVance Institute – Provides pharmacy technician education with duration between 6 months and 2 years. After successful program graduation, pharmacy technician certification exam should be taken before the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.
Pharmacy Technician Diploma

National American University – There are two possible forms of education – class presence in the university or online. Educational programs for Pharmacy Technician subject vary for the different university campuses.
Associate Degrees: A.A.S. Pharmacy Technician

National College – A college with 120 years tradition in professionals education in the most demanded healthcare fields.
Associate Degree – Pharmacy Technician

Northwestern Business College – Offers 24 completely accredited educational programs and provides a practice as a Technician prior to taking the pharmacy technician certification exam.
Diploma: Pharmacy Technician Certificate

Pioneer Pacific College – Offers a Bachelor degree and trains both, traditional students and adults. There is a possibility for accreditation after covering the requirements.
Pharmacy Technician Diploma

Rasmussen College – An accredited private college, which offers a form of education that takes 2 years. It provides specialized classes in various directions, among which is Pharmacy Tech.
Pharmacy Technician Associate Degree

Remington College – Possesses a good educational campus and laboratories, in which the prospective Technician can practice exactly the same method, which later he will use in his work. There are possibilities for accreditation.
Diploma Program: Pharmacy Technician

South Texas Vocational Technical Institute – Possesses a new, modern technical equipment, and offers a professional education for successful career in the field of healthcare and intensive training in English language.
Pharmacy Technician Diploma

Technical Career Institute – Provides highly qualified training, an excellent material basis and laboratories, provide all necessary skills to start a Pharmacy Technician career.
Associate Degree – Pharmacy Technician

TechSkills – Offers education in the field of healthcare, personal attention and laboratories identical to working technicians environment.
Pharmacy Technician Diploma

TESST College of Technology – Offers a program where the prospective Pharmacy Technician can acquire all practical skills needed to be able to work under the supervision of licensed pharmacist after the course completion. 160 training hours on Pharmacy subjects.
Certificate: Pharmacy Technician

The Bryman School of Phoenix – Offers small classes and felicitous subjects in the educational program.
Diploma: Pharmacy Technician

United Education Institute – The program of Pharmacy Tech education takes about 8 months. The program prepares the prospective healthcare professionals for specialities like Hospital Inpatient (Outpatient) Pharmacy Technician, Home Health Care Pharmacy Technician, Inventory Technician, Pharmacy Technician Customer Service Clerk, Retail Technician, Mail Order Pharmacy Tech or Drug Manufacturing Companies Pharmacy Technician.
Diploma: Pharmacy Technician

Utah Career College – leads morning or evening classes with a flexible schedule of education. There is a possibility for online or distance education. The schedule is conformable to the students’ time.
Pharmacy Technician Associate Degree

Western Career College – Provides a certain level of preparation and qualification for those, who wish to be certified.
Associate of Science Degree: Pharmacy Technology

York Technical Institute – Its laboratories, in which the training is spent, are exactly the same as in the place of work. Highly qualified and experienced teachers.
Pharmacy Technician Diploma