PHARMACY TECHNICIAN

Pharmacy Technician Training

Hybrid / Distance Education Program

The Pharmacy Technician certificate program is a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program. It will prepare students to become skilled, entry-level pharmacy techs. In addition to industry leading training, students will receive practical, hands-on experience. The training program will instruct students in a number of areas including medical terminology, proper drug administration, drug classifications, and pharmacy management.

Pharmacy technicians are multi-faceted members of the pharmacy team. They work closely with a licensed pharmacist and other pharmacy staff. Some of their daily job responsibilities may include assisting customers over the phone or in person, handling prescriptions, compounding, preparing medications for dispersal, and performing a variety of other administrative tasks.

The Pharmacy Technician program at AIMS is also a PTCB-recognized sterile compounding program.

Hybrid Learning

The Pharmacy Technician program is taught using a hybrid learning environment. All hybrid courses will utilize online and in-person instruction. Lectures may be offered on campus or remotely via a Learning Management System (LMS). Laboratory classes and practical training will be held on campus or at a clinical site.

Online classes will be taught synchronously. Synchronous instruction is real-time instruction that requires students to attend classes at scheduled times.

Clinical Internship

The Pharmacy Technician program requires students to complete a mandatory 200-hour clinical internship. Students will be placed at a clinical site by the AIMS Internship Department. The internship is designed to provide practical training in a real work environment; students will have a mentor who trains and guides them. Students are not permitted to begin the internship until all required classroom and lab hours are completed.

AIMS Education has clinical affiliations with numerous healthcare facilities throughout New Jersey and the surrounding areas. Students will be placed at one or more of these clinical sites and must complete their clinical hours based on the schedule provided by the school. Internship schedules are based on the availability of clinical sites. All students (Day and Evening) must be prepared to complete their internship during normal business hours (Monday through Friday). The majority of clinical sites do not allow students to complete clinical hours in the evening or on the weekend.

Employment for Pharmacy Technicians

Pharmacy technicians play an essential role in ensuring patients receive effective, safe medication therapy. As critical members of the health care team, pharmacy technicians work closely with health care professionals and pharmacists in diverse settings.

Where Can a Pharmacy Technician Work?

Pharmacy technicians are employed in both local pharmacies, including those found in grocery, general merchandise, and drug stores, and hospitals. While many pharmacy technicians work part-time, most work full-time. 

Job opportunities for pharmacy technicians may also be found with online pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, nursing homes, and insurance companies. Job growth is expected to increase over the next ten years, so job prospects are very good for qualified technicians.

Pharmacy Technician Responsibilities

Pharmacy technicians support the pharmacy's patient care efforts with continually evolving responsibilities. Pharmacy technicians generally perform the following duties:

• Assist pharmacists in dispensing prescription medication to health professionals or customers.
• Work directly with patients to obtain reconciliation and medical histories.
• Arrange for customers to speak with pharmacists if they have questions about health matters or medications.
• Answer phone calls from customers and organize inventory.
• Enter patient or customer information into a computer system, including any prescriptions taken.
• Process insurance claims and accept payment methods.
• Alert pharmacists to any shortages of supplies or medications.
• Package and label prescriptions and measure amounts of medication for prescriptions.
• Assist in the management of investigational drug studies.
• Collect information needed to fill a prescription from customers or health professionals.
• Assist with prior authorization completion and process third-party billing claims.
• Use technology to maintain accurate orders, medication inventory, and patient records.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Pharmacy Technician Requirements

The path to becoming a pharmacy technician consists of the following steps:

1. Attain a high school diploma or the equivalent: Successful pharmacy technicians have strong physiology, biology, chemistry, and mathematics backgrounds. At this stage, some students may choose to volunteer at a hospital or in another healthcare setting to get exposure in the field and strengthen their interpersonal skills.
2. Graduate from a PTCB-recognized pharmacy technician training program: The Pharmacy Technician certificate program from AIMS Education will prepare students to become entry-level pharmacy techs with a myriad of skills. AIMS Education has clinical affiliations with numerous health care facilities throughout New Jersey and the surrounding areas.
3. Get certified by national certification bodies: Many employers prefer to hire PTCB certified pharmacy technicians, but only some require certification.
4. Maintain active certification every two years: As a pharmacy technician, you must renew your certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) every two years. 

Pharmacy Technician License vs. Certification 

Pharmacy technician certification is quite different from a pharmacy technician license. Certification involves showing your skills and expertise by passing a non-government agency exam, while licensure or registration is about becoming a pharmacy technician by fulfilling state requirements.

The requirements for pharmacy technician licensure will vary from one state to another. Some states will allow technicians to work in a pharmacy without a license, while others will mandate licensure or registration. Pharmacy technicians in New Jersey are required to register with the NJ State Board of Pharmacy.

Certification / Registry Exam Eligibility

Pharmacy technician graduates are eligible to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Graduates who pass the exam will earn the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential.

Eligibility requirements for the CPhT credential are solely determined by PTCB, and are subject to change at any time. PTCB is an independent organization. AIMS does not guarantee certification/registry exam eligibility.

Pharmacy technicians in New Jersey are required to register with the State Board of Pharmacy.

Program Length

• 650 clock hours
• Classroom instruction and lab - 450 hours
• Clinical internship - 200 hours
• The Pharmacy Technician program can be completed in approximately 9 months.

Employment Opportunities

• Hospitals
• Local Pharmacies
• Nursing Homes
• Online Pharmacies
• Pharmaceutical Companies

Minimum Admission Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Passing score on the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam 
• Additional Requirements