Area of Study

Pharmacy Technician

Nine months from now you could be working as a Pharmacy Technician! NPC's Pharmacy Technician program is a great way to become quickly employable and work in this high-demand, health-related field.

NPC offers a two-semester, fifteen-credit certification program that, upon completion, allows you to start working as a Pharmacy Technician. As a technician, you'll work under a pharmacist's supervision and will be tasked with supplying medicines to patients (prescription and over-the-counter), assembling medicines for prescriptions, providing information to patients and healthcare professionals, as well as managing medicine supply areas.

NPC's Pharmacy Technician certification program provides you with the broad range of knowledge necessary for employment — including an introduction to medical and pharmaceutical terminology, basic anatomy as related to the pharmacology of medications and studies in pharmaceutical calculations.

Upon completion, you'll have the knowledge required to pass the national certification exam offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PCTB). Certification gives you that helpful edge when seeking employment in this area and allows you to work in other states should you re-locate.

For more information about this program, please contact an NPC Academic Adviser. Also see the current NPC College Catalog and class schedule.
NPC Friends & Family offers scholarships to assist students wanting to enter this program. | Read more about the Fill-the Gaps and Leg-Up scholarships.

Read a story about the Pharmacy Technician program in our Career Focus magazine.

Complete a NPC Student Application Form

Labs and Classrooms

Class lectures are conducted at some NPC facilities.

Successful completion of the course requires a 120-hour paid or unpaid internship. NPC helps set up and supervises the internships at partnering facilities. Internships are overseen by NPC's Pharmacy Tech Faculty.

Supplies / Tools

Fees for the 2021-2022 Pharmacy Technician Program:

Estimated Costs*

HES 170, PHT 103/104 TUITION – 18 Credit hours ($40 per credit hour)	$1,476
Course Fees	$130
Media Fees	$90
Sub Total	$1,696

Pre-Requisites:

*Prior to PHT 103 registration
- Keyboarding skills equivalent to 20 words per minute
- Satisfactory reading and math placement (placement test fee of $20)
*Prior to PHT 104 registration
- EMT104 CPR and First Aid or the equivalent of CPR for Healthcare Providers and First Aid - Total fee of $56.
- DPS fingerprint clearance card $75. Learn how to apply.
- State Pharmacy Technician Trainee application fee *Requires legal residency and a background check - $60

Textbook & Workbook

Optional Certification Review Book

$213

$60

National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) fee (upon conclusion of PHT104 internship)

$129

*Estimated Total for Certification Program

$2,098

*Estimated costs do not include proof of immunizations and the annual TB test. Proof of immunity required before attending clinical.

Entry Requirements

Pharmacy Technician studies have been designed for students with basic keyboarding skills of approximately 20 words per minute. Students must also have satisfactory placement scores on reading and math tests, must be at least 18 years of age, have a high school diploma or equivalent and current Healthcare Provider CPR and First Aid (EMT 104 or equivalent) certification. The EMT 104 class is a co-requisite to the Pharmacy Technician program's PHT 103 course and a pre-requisite to the program's PHT 104 course.

Internship Requirements: Prior to starting the clinical internship, students must have a DPS Level I Fingerprint Clearance Card and a Pharmacy Technician Trainee license from the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy. Proof of legal U.S. residency is required to obtain the trainee licensure.

Work Environment

Pharmacy technicians work primarily in pharmacies, including those found in grocery and drug stores. Some technicians work in hospitals or other healthcare facilities. Pharmacy technicians spend most of the work day on their feet.

Job Outlook

Employment of pharmacy technicians is projected to grow 9 percent through 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. Several factors will lead to increased demand for prescription medications: the population is aging, and older people typically use more prescription medicines than younger people. Higher rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes among all age groups, also will lead to increased demand for prescription medications. Advances in pharmaceutical research will allow for more prescription medications to be used to fight diseases.

Potential Job Titles

Pharmacy technician, pharmacy aide

Accreditation/Affiliations

NPC's Pharmacy Technician program is a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program for pharmacy technician students pursuing their PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential. Pharmacy technician students who complete the NPC program will meet PTCB’s 2020 education/training eligibility requirements for CPhT Certification.

For details visit, ptcb.org.

Employment