Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Technicians assist and support licensed pharmacists in providing healthcare and medications to patients. They must have a broad knowledge of pharmacy practice and be skilled in the techniques required to order, stock, package and prepare medications. A sound education in pharmacy technology and law, pharmacy calculations, drug distribution and the preparation of sterile dosages prepares participants to compete in the job market.

Students receive instruction in all aspects of retail and institutional pharmacy positions, while communication and interpersonal training prepares them for the profession. They acquire skills in computer applications, interpretation of prescriptions and pharmaceutical calculations. Graduates receive a diploma.

IOT’s pharmacy program partners with PioneerRx, a pharmacy management system that enhances the curriculum with a hands-on approach simulating the functions and workflow of today’s pharmacies.

• Upon graduation you may be eligible to sit for national certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).
• The Pharmacy Technician Registration Application and Requirement Package is provided during the program.
• The program’s total clock hours exceed the minimum requirements for state licensure by 620 hours, covering additional professional development and office management outcomes for retail and clinical sites.

All students interested in applying must first meet with an Admissions Representative and successfully pass a 12-minute assessment test. Students must be a minimum of 18 years of age, or 17 years of age with the written consent of a parent or guardian, and possess a high school diploma or equivalent, a valid government or state issued GED, or proof of completing an officially recognized and accredited home schooling program (home-school applicants must also pass an entrance examination). Foreign education documents that cannot be confirmed must be evaluated by a third-party agency at the applicant’s expense.

Non-ATB applicants take the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam; diploma programs require a minimum score of 10. Students with delinquent student loans must resolve them before being considered, and students who have defaulted on a student loan will not be considered for admission.

Hybrid (IDL) programs. Applicants must attest to their ability to succeed in a distance learning environment and pass the online “Computer Literacy and Internet Knowledge” (CLIK) pre-assessment with a score of 14 or higher. Minimum technology: a PC, laptop and/or tablet able to create documents in Microsoft or Google Docs, the ability to join Zoom or Microsoft Teams calls (speakers and microphone required), and continuous, reliable internet access.

Pharmacy Technician requirements. Applicants receive a copy of the California State Board of Pharmacy “Pharmacy Technician Registration Application Requirements” and must be a high school graduate or hold a valid GED equivalent and meet all requirements listed on it. Applicants must be approved for licensing by the Board of Pharmacy to work as a Pharmacy Technician and must sign a Pharmacy Technician Disclosure Statement prior to enrollment.

The program is 860 hours / 47.5 quarter credit hours. It is a hybrid or interactive distance learning (IDL) program: classes are a combination of on campus and online for 40 weeks, with on-campus classes held two days per week and the remaining coursework completed at a location determined by the student. See your admissions representative for available class times.

Graduates will be prepared to seek entry-level employment in a pharmacy, hospital or other health care facility as a Pharmacy Aide, Pharmacy Clerk or Registered Pharmacy Technician. The school lists pharmacies and drugstores, hospitals, general merchandise stores, grocery stores and ambulatory healthcare services among the places graduates can work.

To work as a Pharmacy Technician in California, all Pharmacy Technicians must be registered with the State.

A lab coat and supplies are required and are available for purchase; textbooks are provided as classroom resources or purchased by the student. All enrolled students are given a Pharmacy Technician Registration Application and Requirement Package prior to the third module of instruction.

Customer service skills are emphasized because pharmacy technicians interact with coworkers, patients and other healthcare professionals daily. The program ends with a 160-hour externship.