Pharmacy Technician
Certificate of Completion
Pharmacy Technicians are Allied Health professionals who assist Licensed Pharmacists to provide health care and medications to patients. They must have a broad knowledge of pharmacy practice and techniques required to fill prescriptions, constitute IV solutions, and prepare medications. Typical job duties include reading and interpreting prescriptions, preparing and packaging medications, managing pharmacy inventory, and mixing non-sterile and sterile pharmaceuticals. Good communication and interpersonal skills are essential to interact with patients and other health care professionals on a daily basis. Students accepted into the program will attend specialized classes and complete clinical rotations. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to take the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) administered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) to become a Nationally Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
Certified Pharmacy Technicians can find career opportunities in community pharmacies, drug manufacturing companies, drug wholesale companies, home-health care, hospital pharmacies, nuclear pharmacies, nursing homes, mail-order pharmacies, pharmacy state board and educational institutions.
The Vernon College Pharmacy Technician Program is fully accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)/Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the classes are designed in accordance with their guidelines.
For further information, contact the Program Coordinator at 940.696.8752 ext. 3231.
Program Admissions Requirements
Pharmacy Technician Program
- Complete the Vernon College admission procedure. A student must be first accepted by the College before being accepted by the Pharmacy Technician Program. Admission to the college does not guarantee admission to the program.
- Texas Success Initiative complete in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.
- Submit an application for admission to the Pharmacy Technician Program. Application deadline is June 30 for the day program beginning in August of each year and November 30 for the night program beginning in January of each year. Applications are available from the program coordinator and on the Vernon College web site.
- The applicant needs to register with Texas State Board of Pharmacy as a pharmacy technician trainee at www.tsbp.state.tx.us. There is a non-refundable on-line processing fee of $52.00 (this fee can change). Applicants will also have to have fingerprints taken and this will cost approximately $45 to $50. The Texas State Board of Pharmacy will complete a criminal background check and persons with felony convictions or drug and alcohol charges may be denied registration. The applicant will not be able to enter the program without this registration.
- Provide evidence that the following immunization requirements have been met prior to enrollment in the Pharmacy Technician Program: tetanus/diphtheria toxoid (TD), measles (students born after January 1, 1957), rubella, mumps (students born after January 1, 1957), Tuberculosis test (TB), Varicella, and Hepatitis B (three shots). Bacterial Meningitis vaccination is also required for students younger than 22 years of age (read the vaccine requirement and exemptions on the VC website). For immunizations exclusions and waivers and acceptable documentation of immunizations see shot records on the Pharmacy Technician home page.
- Once all the forms have been sent to the Pharmacy Technician Program Coordinator and the student meets the requirements for the program, an interview will be scheduled with the Program Coordinator.
- The Pharmacy Technician Admission and Review Committee will rank students to determine acceptance into the program based upon completion of the application process, completion of the technician trainee registration process, interview, and TSI Completion.
- In the event the application is rejected by the Pharmacy Technician Admission and Review Committee, the applicant may request a hearing before the College Admissions Committee. Such a request is to be submitted in writing and include reasons why the College Admissions Committee should review the petition.
- Information regarding program standards and policies is printed in the Pharmacy Technician Handbook.