Pharmacy Tech

Course Title:    PHARMACY TECH
Course Instructor:    Ms. Bray
No. Credits:    3/Semester (3 Periods)
Semester Offered:  2 Semesters
Prerequisite:    Return Enrollment Information Sheet to Counselor
Grade Levels Eligible:    12
Diploma:  Core 40 and AHD Elective Course
NOTE:  College credits will be available for this program through Vincennes University

A pharmacy technician helps licensed pharmacists provide medication and other healthcare products to patients.  The technician usually performs routine tasks to help prepare prescribed medication for patients, such as counting tablets and labeling bottles.  The technician refers any questions regarding prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist.  The purpose of this program is to assist students in beginning their preparation as a pharmacy technician.  Students will need to continue and finish their pharmacy technician training at a post-secondary institution and pursue the state license for a pharmacy technician. 

The contents of a pharmacy training program include specific training in duties required to assist a pharmacist in the technical functions associated with the practice of pharmacy.  The curriculum for this program may include such topics as:  understanding the duties and  responsibilities of a pharmacy technician and a pharmacist, including the standards of patient confidentiality and ethics governing pharmacy practice; tasks and technical skills, policies, and procedures related to a pharmacy tech position; working knowledge of the general storage, packaging, and labeling requirements of drugs, prescriptions, and drug orders; ability to perform the arithmetic calculations required for a usual dosage determinations, working knowledge and understanding of the essential functions related to drug purchasing and inventory control; and record keeping functions associated with prescriptions and drug orders.

Job shadowing and other work-based learning activities may also be included in the program.