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Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program
Train to be a
Pharmacy Tech
Complete our
Online
Pre-Application
Without ACT College, I would not be where I am today!
Someone was always there to help.
ACT College helped turn my dream into a reality.
~ Valencia Essex
The Right Skills
The Pharmacy Technician diploma program provides the entry-level skills necessary to assist pharmacists in the following:
- Preparing and dispensing medications
- Maintaining written and computerized patient medication records
- Stocking and inventorying drugs and medications
- Labeling and packaging prescription medications
- Demonstrating effective customer service skills
Pharmacy Technician Program Accreditations & Approvals
Extensive Hands-On Clinical Experience
Upon completion of all on campus coursework, students will be required to complete a 180 hour clinical externship at one of the college's clinical education sites.
These sites may be hospitals, clinics or retail pharmacy locations throughout the greater metropolitan area.
Get It Fast: The Schedule
The Pharmacy Technician diploma program is available in both day and evening sessions.
Day Sessions: 40 Weeks including 180 hours of hands-on clinical experience
Evening Sessions: 55 Weeks including 180 hours of hands-on clinical experience
Are You Qualified?
- No High School Diploma or GED Required - Learn More
- Students under 18 years of age must have the signature of a parent or guardian
- Students must acheive a passing score on the admissions evaluation
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Clinical coursework includes: Pharmacy Math and Dosage Calculations, Interpretation of Medication Orders, Extemporaneous Compounding and IV admixtures, Applied Pharmacy Keyboarding |
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Clinical Education: Required Clinical Externship |
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Theory coursework includes: Drug Classification, Pharmacy Law, Inventory Management/Cost Control, Pharmacy Settings |
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Professional Foundations coursework includes: Computer Basics, Career Development, Customer Service, Human Relations |
Get Your Credentials
Graduates of this program will be eligible for the following certification exams:
- National certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (required in Commonwealth of Virginia)
- Registration/licensing through the Department of Health Professions and the Virginia Board of Pharmacy.
Get Started In A Growth Industry
According to statistics from the US Department of Labor, pharmacy technician careers fall into these categories:
- 66% -- Retail pharmacies
- 20% -- Hospitals
- 14% -- Mail order / Internet pharmacies (growing) and pharmaceutical wholesalers
Industry Statistics
The US Department of Labor expects employment of pharmacy technicians to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2010 due to the increased pharmaceutical needs of a larger and older population, and the greater use of medication. The increased number of middle-aged and elderly people-who, on average, use more prescription drugs than do younger people-will spur demand for technicians in all practice settings. With advances in science, more medications are becoming available to treat more conditions.
Technicians work the same hours as pharmacists. This may include evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Because some hospital and retail pharmacies are open 24 hours a day, technicians may work varying shifts. As their seniority increases, technicians often have increased control over the hours they work. There are many opportunities for part-time work in both retail and hospital settings.