Pharmacy Technician

Gateway Technical College’s Pharmacy Technician technical diploma will prepare you to become a critical member of the healthcare team in a career as a pharmacy technician. Pharmacy technicians perform a variety of functions in community pharmacies including preparation of prescriptions, record-keeping, inventory control, handling monetary transactions and filing third-party claims. In some pharmacies technicians collaborate with pharmacists in vaccine administration and the emerging trend of medication therapy management (MTM). Technician duties performed in an alternative or hospital setting include preparation of unit dose medications, preparation of IV admixtures and additives, compounds, delivering medications to nursing stations or units, and maintaining automated dispensing machines. Some technicians receive additional training to prepare chemotherapy and nuclear medications.

Our computer simulated lab uses innovative software which gives pharmacy technician students the opportunity to learn real pharmacy management scenarios on how to perform day to day tasks. Gateway students learn step by step how to perform the following:

• Add new patients to a database
• Determine possible adverse reactions
• Fill and refill prescriptions
• Examine a patient’s prescription history and add relevant medical conditions
• Identify potential allergic reactions to medications
• Use case study scenarios that include more in-depth pharmacy tasks such as refill-too-soon, DUR’s, PA’s, inventory, and how to resolve other third party claims and much more!

Simulated labs are combined with hands-on labs to help pharmacy technician students become prepared to work as a pharmacy technician in retail or institutional settings. Our hands-on pharmacy lab scenarios include:

• Learning how to measure, mix, and count the appropriate prescribed medication
• Simulated working under a laminar and vertical flow hood
• Simulated working with a biosafety cabinet
• Compounding
• Working with sterile products
• Filling bottles with prescribed medications and affixing appropriate auxiliary labels 
• Perform tech-check tech scenarios
• Interviewing patients to obtain their medication history
• How to clean and maintain equipment and work areas and much more!

Pharmacy technician students complete offsite clinical experiences applying the skills learned in their classroom and lab activities.  Students are assigned two separate externship sites gaining 160 hours of experience in varied pharmacy settings while still in school.  Externships are offered in local pharmacies giving students the opportunity to network with their future potential employers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to grow 20 percent from 2012 to 2022. Higher rates of chronic disease states such as diabetes and hypertension among all age groups has led to an increase in demand for prescription medications. Advances in pharmaceutical research have continued to provide patient with alternative medication options. The median annual salary for pharmacy technicians is $29,550 in 2014. The earning potential for pharmacy technicians vary depending on experience, skill level, certifications and locations.

As the need for clinical pharmacists on multidisciplinary hospital care teams increases, the need for well-trained, highly-skilled, and competent pharmacy technicians will continue to increase. Many states require technicians to have formal education in addition to completing a competency certification or license examination. Currently, there is a National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Examination that provides an opportunity for a pharmacy technician to demonstrate competency. Upon passing the exam, students are considered a certified pharmacy technician (CPhT). Students are able to take their certification exam at an authorized Pearson Vue testing center. For additional information, visit the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board website.