Associate in Applied Science in Pharmacy Technician
Start a career as a Certified Pharmacy Technician
The objectives of the Pharmacy Technician program are to educate and provide technicians capable of assisting pharmacists in the preparation and dispensing of medications. Graduates of the pharmacy technician program are prepared to work in a variety of home health care settings such as hospitals, retail, long-term care facilities, home health care agencies, clinic pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, and drug wholesalers. Upon completion of the pharmaceutical tech program, students will have been taught the necessary knowledge and skills to practice competently as pharmacy technicians. If you want to earn your pharmacist technician degree, request more information about our Associate of Applied Science in Pharmacy Technician program.
Completion of the Pharmacy Technician Program is acknowledged by the awarding of an associate of applied science degree. Graduates of the pharmacy degree program may wish to take the certification exam given through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Pharmacy degree graduates will also be eligible to sit for certification exams by the National Association of Health Professionals (NAHP), the Nationally Registered Title of Certified Pharmacology Technicians (NRCPhT), and the National Healthcareer Association of Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT).
Pharmacy Technician Program Requirements and Online Options
Students can complete the program through classroom instruction at our pharmacist colleges in Virginia. Arts and Sciences courses can also be completed online. It typically takes weeks 60 weeks (6 quarters) to complete the entire pharmaceutical technician associate’s program without breaks.
| Credits Required | Number of Classes |
|---|
| Core Component |
67.5 |
15 |
| Arts and Sciences |
22.5 |
5 |
| Total Required for Graduation |
90 |
20 |
Student Disclosures
The U.S. Department of Education requires that we report and disclose certain information about our school programs in a clear, prominent, user-friendly, and easily understood manner. The intent of the requirement is to enable students to make an informed choice about a program of study. To this end, we have developed documents containing the following information:
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U.S. Department of Education references from 34 Code of Federal Regulations:
- Occupation (Sections 600.2, 600.4, 600.5, 600.6, 668.6, and 668.8)
- Gainful Employment Reporting and Disclosure Requirements (Section 668.6)
- Student Right-to-Know Act (Section 668.45(d)(3))
ACICS-Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. Program level standards reporting requirement of student achievements.
- Retention rate by programs
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Click on each group of courses below to expand the course list and descriptions.
Core Requirements
Anatomy and Physiology I
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course is a scientific study of the structure of the human body and
its parts including organization of the body, the relationships and
functions of the digestive, urinary, cardiovascular, lymphatic,
respiratory, reproductive systems, nutrition and metabolism. Laboratory
activities coincide with lectures to enhance understanding of each topic
by providing visual and hands-on experiments. Supplemental Lab Fee
required. Prerequisite: None. Lecture Hours: 30; Lab Hours 30
MED110
Anatomy and Physiology I
4.5
Medical Terminology
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course presents a study of basic medical terminology. Prefixes, suffixes, word roots, combining forms, special endings, plural forms, abbreviations, and symbols are included in the content. A programmed learning, word building systems approach is used to learn word parts for constructing or analyzing new terms. This provides the opportunity to decipher unfamiliar terms and check their spelling. Emphasis is placed on spelling, definition, usage, and pronunciation. Abbreviations introduced as related terms are presented with each unit. Prerequisite: None.
MED120
Medical Terminology
4.5
Basic Clinical Procedures
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course focuses on universal precautions in the medical environment, including understanding blood borne pathogens, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, infection control, collecting and handling specimens and an introduction to microbiology. In addition, the student will gain proficiency in medical asepsis in a simulated setting. Also covered will be emergency procedures. Prerequisite: MED110. Lecture Hours: 30; Lab Hours: 30.
MED140
Basic Clinical Procedures
4.5
Anatomy and Physiology II
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course is a scientific study of the structure of the human body and
its parts including relationships and functions of the Integumentary,
muscular-skeletal, nervous, and endocrine systems. Laboratory activities
coincide with lectures to enhance understanding of each topic by
providing visual and hands-on experiments.
Supplemental Lab Fee required. Prerequisite: MED110. Lecture Hours:
30; Lab Hours 30
MED210
Anatomy and Physiology II
4.5
Pharmacology
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
Various aspects of clinical pharmacology will be discussed including a study of the various medications currently prescribed for the treatment of illnesses and diseases based on a systems method. Included in the course are common abbreviations used in prescription writing, interpretation of prescriptions, and legal aspects of prescriptions. In addition, dosage calculations and administration will be taught and practiced. Prerequisite: MED110 & MED210. Lecture Hours: 30; Lab Hours: 30.
MED240
Pharmacology
4.5
Pharmacology II
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course is a continuation of MED 240 (Pharmacology). Students will examine physiological effects and medicinal treatments of diseases related to the respiratory, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, immune, renal, endocrine, reproductive, muscular and nervous systems. In addition, students will review the Physicians Desk Reference and the Top 200 drugs used in today’s most common diseases/conditions. Prerequisite: MED210 & MED240.
MED245
Pharmacology II
4.5
Medical Office Practice
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course introduces the student to the administrative functions of the medical office or clinic. Emphasis is placed on written and oral communication, scheduling, medical records, documentation and filing. In addition, telephone techniques, etiquette and management/human resource skills will be covered. Prerequisite: MED120.
MED250
Medical Office Practice
4.5
Pharmacy Calculations
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course covers a review of basic math and algebraic principles, including numerical systems, fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions, and percentages. Emphasis is placed on systems of measurement, concentrations, dilutions, allegations, and basic pharmacological accounting. This course also covers advanced technical dosage and pharmaceutical calculations. Students will learn to calculate dosages, milliequivalents, and IV flow rates. Prerequisite: exemption from or successful completion of MAT110.
PHT110
Pharmacy Calculations
4.5
Institutional & Community Pharmacy Ops
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course covers the process of reading and filling prescriptions in the ambulatory, community, retail, institutional, and hospital practice setting. The course also examines the evolution of health care up to and including an in-depth overview of the modern pharmacy in addition to the role of Pharmacy technicians in home care, long-term care settings, and infusion. Prerequisite: MED240.
PHT220
Institutional & Community Pharmacy Ops
4.5
Institutional & Community Pharmacy Lab I
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
Students will practice receiving, interpreting, entering, and filling various prescription orders common to community pharmacies. In addition, laboratory assignments will guide students through the documentation required by pharmacies. The course also introduces students to the machinery, equipment, software programs, and supplies used in pharmacies. Prerequisite: MED240. Lecutre Hours: 30; Lab Hours: 30.
PHT230
Institutional & Community Pharmacy Lab I
4.5
Institutional & Community Pharmacy Lab 2
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course is a continuation of PHT 230 Insert into event values (Institutional and Community Pharmacy Lab I). Students will practice in the preparation of non-compounded products, non-sterile and sterile compounded products, cytological, and hazardous medication products. Prerequisite: PHT220 & PHT230. Lecture Hors: 30; Lab Hours: 30.
PHT240
Institutional & Community Pharmacy Lab 2
4.5
Advanced Administration Technical Lab
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
Students will learn current methods for administering and documenting medications in various practice settings. Topics will include the monitoring of medication therapies and the theoretical skills necessary for the intravenous admixture of advanced technique. Students will engage in patient case scenarios of common complications experienced in routine drug administration. Skills sets learned in MED 240 will be revisited. Prerequisite: MED240. Lecture Hours: 30; Lab Hours: 30.
PHT250
Advanced Administration Technical Lab
4.5
Pharmacy Maintenance, Safety & Quality A
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
Students will learn the laws and regulations regarding the entr of prescription into a database and the preparation of labels. In addition, the student will learn teh counting, measuring, compounding, packaging, labeling, and repackaging of drugs to be dispensed under both national and state levels. Also, teh laws regarding drug recall, prior authorization, and the stocking of automated dispensing devices. Thsi course will also focus on maintaining the security of inventory to deter theft. Quality control and assurance methods will be discussed to prevent errors or violations. Prerequisite: None.
PHT260
Pharmacy Maintenance, Safety & Quality A
4.5
Administrative Inpatient and Outpatient
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
This course teaches students how to assist the pharmacist in collecting, organizing, and evaluating information for direct patient care, medication use review, and departmental management. Students learn to secure information from the patient medical chart, record, and patient profile. Students also practice creating a new patient profile or entering data into an existing profile according to an established manual procedure or electronic procedure. In addition, students learn billing as well as the collection of payment for pharmacy goods and services. Students also learn methods of payment and the verification of coverage by third party payers. Students learn how to interview patients, their representatives, caregivers, and health care professionals. Finally, students learn how to use various forms of technology for storing, accessing, and recording data. Prerequisite: PHT220.
PHT270
Administrative Inpatient and Outpatient
4.5
Pharmacy Externship
Credits:: 4.5
Prerequisites:
The students complete a minimum of 135 hours in a selected community/retail or institutional/hospital pharmacy under the supervision of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and health care workers. Students perform skills to assist in dosage calculations, reading, and the filling of prescriptions and medication orders. The externship contains a balance of administrative and clinical experiences. Upon completion of the course, students will have acquired the necessary knowledge and skills to practice competently as pharmacy technicians. Prerequisite: 81 Quarter Credit Hours from their program. Lecture Hours: 0; Externship Hours: 135.
PHT290
Pharmacy Externship
4.5
Arts and Sciences Requirements
See the Arts and Sciences Elective Pool Requirements