Pharmacy Technician
Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career in Eight Weeks!
Prepare to Earn CPhT Certification That Leads to a Rewarding Job.
Get Certified and Find Employment Through Our Employer Partners
Earn $17/Hour
Become Certified in Eight Weeks and Start Working
Becoming CPhT-certified can often be expensive, time-consuming and exhausting. At UTC, we have developed an affordable Pharmacy Tech certification program that will prepare you for a job in as little as eight weeks!
Next Steps:
1. Enroll in Our Pharmacy Tech Academy
2. Pass Your PTCB Exam and Earn That Sweet CPhT Certification
3. Get a Job With One of Our Employer Partners
Do you still have questions?
Academy at a Glance
Program Format:
Face-to-Face
Length
Eight Weeks
Program Hours
50 hours + Optional Clinical Externship
Meeting Days and Times
Student Tuition
$1,750 includes course textbooks, certification exam fee and one set of navy scrubs. Students do not need to complete a FAFSA nor be officially admitted to the university to enroll.
Registration Deadline
August 30, 2022
Registration must be complete seven days prior to the course starting to receive scrubs.
Make a Difference in Healthcare! Become a Certified Pharmacy Tech in Eight Weeks
In eight weeks, you will learn the pharmacy tech skills needed to become a certified pharmacy technician and start your new career.
Pharmacy tech certification gives you access to more career opportunities and maximizes how much money you can earn.
UTC’s Pharmacy Technician Academy combines in-depth classroom lectures with hands-on pharmacy tech training to ensure your career success.
What is a Pharmacy Technician?
Pharmacy technicians perform a variety of meaningful tasks. Their main goal is to help pharmacists supply the medicine patients need. Pharmacy techs spend most of their day on their feet. They are involved in the prescription process from beginning to end as they take inventory, package medications and answer patient questions. Pharmacy techs locate, dispense, pack and label prescriptions that are reviewed by a pharmacist before being distributed to patients. They also communicate with doctors to process insurance claims.
Why are Pharmacy Techs Valuable?
Pharmacy techs play an important part in making sure patients have healthier and happier lives and receive the dedicated care they need.
Pharmacy techs are team players who act as a middleman between patients and pharmacists. The most crucial part of pharmacy techs’ jobs is to ensure the health and safety of their patients. Pharmacists are accountable for the safe distribution of prescriptions, but a pharmacy tech’s attention to detail and careful packaging plays a significant role in the process.
The pharmacy tech position can serve as a stepping stone to other healthcare professions. For instance, pharmacy techs often become pharmacists.
Who Should Enroll?
UTC’s Pharmacy Technician Academy is suited for any individual wanting to work in the healthcare field. If you enjoy serving others and interacting with patients, but are not interested in clinical work, becoming a pharmacy tech may be a great option for you.
Our fast-paced program requires dedication and attentiveness to see the full benefits.
Students who want or need patient care hours are strongly encouraged to enroll.
Do I Need Prior Work Experience?
You do not need any prior work experience to participate in CPE’s Pharmacy Technician Academy. The pharmacy technician program is designed for all experience levels.
Are There Any Prerequisites?
There are no prerequisites or pharmacy tech experience requirements to enroll in the Pharmacy Technician Academy.
However, to participate in the optional externship, pharmacy technician students must be at least 18 years old and be willing to submit to a background check and drug screening as well as provide immunization records. Certification exams require pharmacy technician students to be at least 18 years old with at least a GED or high school diploma.
Which Pharmacy Tech Certification Will the Program Prepare Me For?
UTC prepares students for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) which is administered through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). After passing the exam, the student becomes a CPhT (Certified Pharmacy Tech). The CPhT certification is nationally-recognized.
The pharmacy tech certification exam cost is included in the cost of the course.
How Long Does the Certification Exam Take?
The PTCE has 90 multiple choice questions with a two-hour time limit.
Do I Have to Renew my Certification?
Because of the rapid changes in the healthcare field, the PTCB requires certification renewal every two years. Certification renewal allows certified pharmacy techs to maintain their CPhT credentials.
I Want to Earn My Pharmacy Tech Certification! But Why Should I Prep With UTC?
- UTC is one of the few pharmacy tech schools in Tennessee that is a Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Recognized Education Program. When you choose UTC for your education, you are choosing quality. Our program and course content align with the PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician Exam.
- With UTC, your pharmacy tech training lasts five weeks. Alternate pharmacy tech programs can take several months to complete!
- UTC has a strong brand and is ranked among the top 10 of all colleges and universities in Tennessee.
- The class size of 20 is small enough to allow individuals to receive the personalized attention they need from the instructor.
What Will I Learn?
- Dosage calculations and conversions
- Drug classifications and compounding
- The "top 200 drugs"
- Pharmacy-specific medical terminology
- Skills to read and interpret prescriptions
- Skills to identify drugs by generic and brand names
- Sterile compounding and the handling of sterile products
- Total parental nutrition (TPN)
- Dispensing of prescriptions
- Inventory control and billing and reimbursement
How Will I Benefit?
- Earn a relevant and up-to-date education
- Gain real-world and practical experience
- Participate in externships to hone skills and knowledge
- Access to job opportunities and employers
What is the Clinical Externship?
Pharmacy Technician Academy students have the option to participate in an externship at a local medical facility. Clinical externships allow students to interact with physicians, staff, pharmacists and patients to better understand pharmacy tech job responsibilities and gain extensive pharmacy tech training.
To be eligible for the optional clinical rotation, students must successfully complete the 50-hour program, submit to a thorough background check, drug screening and have up-to-date immunization records. You can view the full required documentation list here.
How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make?
The average pharmacy technician’s salary in the United States is $33,918 annually or $17.31 per hour.
What Pharmacy Tech Jobs Are Available?
Popular job titles that a certified Pharmacy Technician can do include:
- Pharmacy Technician
- Compounding Pharmacy Technician
- Inpatient Pharmacy Technician
- Lead Pharmacy Technician
- Pharmacy Aide
- Pharmacy Associate
- Pharmacy Sales Representative
- Pharmacy Service Clerk
- Pharmacy Buyer
- Pharmacy Intake Coordinator
- Patient Services Coordinator
There are even remote pharmacy tech jobs available, giving you the ability to work from home!
Where Can Pharmacy Techs Work?
Pharmacy techs work in a variety of settings including:
- Hospitals
- Retail Pharmacies
- Independent Pharmacies
- Compounding Pharmacies
- Mail Service Pharmacies
- Grocery Stores
- Long-Term Care Facilities
- Insurance Companies
- Drug Wholesale Companies
What is the Difference Between a Pharmacy Tech and a Pharmacist?
Pharmacy tech and pharmacists are both skilled professionals that are vital for a pharmacy to run properly. However, pharmacist and pharmacy tech requirements are unique. Pharmacy techs are not able to perform various duties without the direct supervision of a pharmacist. These duties include dispensing medication without prescription verification, making judgment calls for drug substitutions or giving instructions for preparing prescriptions.
The pharmacist and pharmacy tech educational requirements also differ. Pharmacists earn a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD.) degree that requires a bachelor’s degree and then an additional four years of schooling. Additionally, a residency program may be required for pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians typically need a high school diploma. Many states also require pharmacy techs to become certified through an accrediting body.
How Do I Go From Pharmacy Tech to Pharmacist?
- Earn A Bachelor’s Degree. During this time, many aspiring pharmacists will work as pharmacy technicians to earn patient care hours that will determine pharmacy school acceptance.
- Take the Pharmacy College Admissions Test (PCAT)
- Attend Pharmacy School
- Pass Your State Board and Law Exams
What Students Are Saying
"Taking UTC's Pharmacy Tech Academy is a worthwhile investment of time and tuition for someone who wants a fast on-ramp to a new career."
Toni Martin, CPhT
"UTC's Pharmacy Tech Academy is fast-paced, and the content is thorough and teaches you everything you need to know to succeed."
Brittney Wooten, CPhT
Meet the Instructor
Artur Barva
Artur Barva graduated from South College School of Pharmacy in April 2021. After graduation, he has worked as a practicing pharmacist for Publix. While in pharmacy school, Artur was a member of organizations such as South College’s Chapter of the American Pharmacists Association Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA) and the Tennessee Pharmacists Association (TPA). He was also inducted into the Rho Chi Pharmacy Honors Society. Artur earned his bachelor’s degree in biology at the University of Buffalo. He has previously worked as a peer tutor and enjoys teaching others new skills. In Artur’s spare time, he enjoys spending time outdoors and with friends.
Additional Resources
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Financial Aid
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