Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy Technicians are critical members of the healthcare team and are essential to providing patients with safe and effective medications.

Pharmacy Technicians often act as the bridge between patients and physicians or pharmacists. As a Pharmacy Technician, you’ll be integral to the success of any pharmacy. You’ll be responsible for helping licensed pharmacists fill and dispense medications prescribed to patients by medical professionals.

Program Mission. To equip the graduate with the skills, knowledge, and abilities to perform the duties that are required of a pharmacy technician in a pharmacy environment.

Program Objective. Students will learn the basic pharmacology skills, pharmacy operations, preparing medications for dispensing, labeling, and refill authorization, transcribing physician’s orders and hospital charts, drug product election, business communication, computer applications, job readiness, keyboarding, and procedures for acquiring all necessary information. This program will assist students in preparing for the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) exam. Although the program is designed to prepare students to take CPhT exam, the school cannot guarantee students will pass the exam.

Program length. The student must complete a total of 775 clock hours (55.0 Quarter Credit Hours). For Day Classes, the Pharmacy Technician program takes just under 8 Months* to complete. For Night Classes and Weekend Classes, it takes just under 12 Months* to complete. (*Program length when completed in normal time.)

Career-Focused Training – Southwest School of Business & Technical Careers’ programs are designed to provide the relevant, up-to-date skills employers are looking for in viable career fields. As a student at our San Antonio trade school, all of your time will be spent on relevant skills you’ll use on the job.

Convenient Schedules – With everything on your plate, whether that’s work, family, personal commitments or all of the above, you likely don’t have time to put your entire life on hold to train for a new career. That’s why Southwest School of Business & Technical Careers offers Day, Evening, and Weekend class options.

No Waiting List – Unlike other vocational schools in San Antonio, you will never get stuck on a waiting list or wait months for the next class to start. We have frequent start dates throughout the year. Get going on your new future on your timeline.

Conveniently Located – There are a variety of stores, restaurants and coffee shops located within walking distance of our campus, as well as major transit lines nearby to make travel to and from campus easy.

A Culture of Caring – At Southwest School of Business & Technical Careers, we see our students as family. Whatever program you choose, our friendly and knowledgeable instructors will give you the attention you need and help you to learn the skills that will lead to your new career.

Small classes. At Southwest School, we know your time is valuable. That’s why we take pride in our ability to provide small class sizes so that students get personal teacher attention.

At SWS, the classes are small and the instructors and staff are there for you every step of the way to help you achieve your career goals. SWS instructors have real-world career-related experience, so they help you get hands-on training to prepare for your career!

An admission representative conducts an initial interview with the prospective student at the school. The representative will describe the school, define its objective, and ascertain what type of classes or program the student is interested in. This is determined by asking the student questions about his/her background, career desires, and prior education or work history.

The representative will go over the appropriate course outline with the student and answer any questions concerning the course the student has selected or about the school. The student is then invited to take a guided tour of the facility to inspect the classrooms and/or the equipment that will be utilized in the course the student is interested in. The representative will explain the total cost of the program, including registration fees, tuition, and cost of books and supplies.

General admissions requirements. Applicants must be at least 17 years of age and must have a high school diploma or G.E.D. Ability-to-benefit students were accepted up until June 30, 2012. Ability-to-benefit students may be accepted for enrollment if it can be verified that they have been previously enrolled as an ATB student at an accredited institution.

Proof of high school completion. It is the policy of the school to only accept documentation that adequately demonstrates that a person attended and completed their education at a legitimate high school, earned a GED, or earned an approved home school certificate. High school diplomas or official transcripts that appear to be altered or created fraudulently will not be accepted.

Pharmacy Technician students. Students enrolling in the Pharmacy Technician program must have a high school diploma, GED, or be working to achieve a high school diploma or equivalent for no more than two years and may not have any felony convictions. In addition, the following are requirements and information for the Pharmacy Technician student:

• They are required to register with the Board as a pharmacy technician trainee and that within two years they will have to register as a pharmacy technician.
• They must have a criminal background check, including submitting fingerprint.
• They must take and pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s National Certification Examination in order to register as a pharmacy technician.
• The National Certification Examination fee is $129, and the fee to register as a pharmacy technician is $84, and the fee for registration as pharmacy technician trainee is $55.

Enrollment. The representative then assists the student in completion of an application for admission, enrollment forms, and explains what documentation is required. When the student completes the forms and pays the registration fee, the student is then officially enrolled in a future class and is informed of the class start date. The school retains the right to accept or reject an applicant based on the applicant’s character references and/or scholastic performance.

Credit for previous training. A prospective student requesting credit for previous training must do so prior to starting school and must provide an official transcript for review. If prior credit is accepted, SWS will make the appropriate adjustments to the program length and charges, within the guidelines of state and federal law. Acceptance of credits earned at SWS is determined solely by the receiving institution.

Non-discrimination. SWS admits students without regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, age, disability, or any other factor prohibited by law.

Day Classes: Monday – Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. with a 10-minute break for every 60 minutes of scheduled time and a 30-minute break for lunch from 12:10 to 12:40.

Night Classes: Monday – Thursday 5:45 p.m. to 9:55 p.m. with a 10-minute break for every 60 minutes of scheduled time.

Weekend Classes: Saturday and Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. with a 10-minute break for every 60 minutes of scheduled time and a 30-minute break for lunch from 12:10 to 12:40.

Length of program. Approximately 33 weeks day, 49 weeks night and weekend, 775 clock hours. Externship approximately 5 weeks.

The program page states: Weekdays: 33 Weeks classroom study + 5 Weeks Externship. Night Classes & Weekend Classes: 49 Weeks classroom study + 5 Weeks Externship.

Enrollment periods. Generally, enrollment periods are on every three weeks, except when specifically designated by the Director of the School. Students may be scheduled to enter at other times to coincide with class availability. Southwest School of Business & Technical Careers is on a quarter credit hours basis and therefore has a continuous term. Our school year is the same as the calendar year.

Our start dates are as follows: