Mission: Accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the program mission is to prepare students for employment as certified pharmacy technicians by developing quality skills and competencies while utilizing the latest technologies.  All of our students are eligible and are expected to take a national certification exam from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) upon completion of the program.

Program H170507 consists of a planned sequence of courses.

Basic Healthcare Worker - Course HSC0003 (90 hours) – Instruction covers basic health care and safety procedures, employability, communications, interpersonal skills, basic mathematics, science, and computer literacy.

Community Pharmacy Technician - Course PTN0080 (360 hours) – This course prepares a student for employment in retail and community pharmacy and includes medical terminology, abbreviations, prescription processing, inventory procurement, medication classifications, and dose calculations.

Pharmacy Technician 1 of 2 - Course PTN0082 (300 hours) – This course prepares the student for employment in hospital, home infusion and long-term care pharmacy with an emphasis on intravenous admixture. Instruction includes unit dose dispensing with automation, repackaging, delivery, intravenous admixture, sterile and non-sterile compounding, and outpatient experiential training.

Pharmacy Technician, 2 of 2 - Course PTN0083 (300 hours) – This course includes the final performances in intravenous admixture, hyperalimentation, and the intravenous admixture of chemotherapy products, concluding with an institutional inpatient experiential training.

Special Admission Requirements: A high school diploma or a GED is required for this program. Specific health occupations admission guidelines (immunizations, drug screening, background checks, etc.) are available in Admissions.

Distance Education:  Students with proficient computer skills may opt for enrollment into the blended online program which is a combination of both distance learning and live classroom activities. Whether the student chooses the blended online or the onsite class, the lessons are the same and available online to both groups.  Online students are expected to complete the same number of lessons as onsite students and report to class Monday and Friday for a total of 10 hours per week, whereas onsite students report to class Monday through Friday from 7:30 am-12:45 pm for a total of 25 hours per week.  Note: Schedule will vary during practicum hours and during summer sessions; see the instructor or counselor for more information.

Articulation Agreement(s):  Pinellas County Schools Centers for Wellness and Medical Professions

Program Accreditation:  American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)