Pharmacy Technology

Overview

Pharmacy technology programs prepare people to help dispense drugs to patients in hospitals and customers in pharmacies.

Pharmacy technology programs include topics such as:

Measuring drugs
Patient communication and education
Medical and pharmaceutical terminology
Pharmacy business operations
Recordkeeping

This program prepares people to work in drugstores, hospitals, clinics, and drug companies.

Schools

Community colleges and other two-year schools offer certificate and associate degree programs in pharmacy technology. A certificate program usually takes a year of full-time study. An associate degree usually takes two years to complete.

See schools that offer this program.

Related Educational Programs

Related Careers

Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study

Pharmacy Technicians

Other Careers Related to this Program of Study

Pharmacy Aides

Program Admission

Proprietary schools, colleges, and universities all offer this program. If you want to study at a proprietary school, you can prepare for this program of study by completing your high school diploma or getting a GED. If you want to study at a college or university, you can prepare for this program by taking the following courses: four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.

Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:

Anatomy and Physiology
Community Health
Consumer Law
General Computer Applications
Health Education
Healthcare Occupations
Healthcare Sciences Work Experience
Probability and Statistics
Safety and First Aid

Typical Course Work

Program Courses

This program typically includes courses in the following subjects:

Chemistry for Pharmacy
Computer Applications in Pharmacy
Drug Information Research
First Aid and CPR
Intermediate Algebra
Medical Terminology
Nonprescription Drugs and Devices
Oral Communication
Pharmaceutical Compounding
Pharmacy Anatomy and Physiology
Pharmacy Law and Ethics
Pharmacy Math and Dosage Calculations
Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals
Pharmacology
Survey of Pharmacy

Some schools require students to complete general education courses along with pharmacy courses as part of an associate degree program. This might include courses in English composition, social science, and physical and natural sciences.

In addition, many programs include externships or clerkships as part of their curriculum. These are valuable hands-on opportunities to apply the information you have learned and the skills you have developed in an actual pharmacy setting.