Pharmacy Technician I

This certificate program is designed for students to explore and apply the fundamentals of pharmacy practice, pharmacy law, regulations and ethics, prescription interpretation and pharmacy calculations. Successful completion of this course qualifies students to enroll in Pharmacy Technician II to complete the program sequence and fulfill the requirements of the Virginia Board of Pharmacy and prepare students to take the national examinations, the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) Examination from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the Examination for Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) from the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), when the student has reached the age of 18. Trained, experienced pharmacy technicians, who can demonstrate clinical skills and knowledge, have many exciting and respected career options and are well-positioned to pursue postsecondary study in the pharmacy field.

Pharmacy technician programs must maintain regulatory compliance for all enrolled students. For students to receive credit for completion of an accredited pharmacy technician training program, the program requirements must be met, to include both classroom and clinical portions of the program. Furthermore, clinical experiences must include a minimum of 130 hours in a dispensing pharmacy setting where the students will utilize skills learned during the course.