Pharmacy Technician I (Entry Level)
Course Overview
Information for Pharmacy Technician I
The Pharmacy Technician program at MTI provides students with the technical and practical training necessary to work as an entry-level assistant to a licensed pharmacist.
Students will study pharmacy computing, medication preparation, inventory and billing, quarterly customer service care. The program seeks to prepare students to work under a licensed pharmacist’s supervision in the preparation and dispensing of medications, maintaining patient records, setting up, packaging, and labeling routine orders from stock supplies, and mixing drugs with parenteral fluids.
The core curriculum is structured to include a lecture component, a laboratory component, and an Internship component. The final externship portion of the curriculum consists of supervised experiences in a clinical environment, which requires competencies, logs, and evaluations completed by the student.
At the conclusion of the program, graduates who have diligently attended class and their externship and studied and practiced their skills should have the skills to seek entry-level employment as Pharmacy Technician I
Program Summary
Course overview
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Program Schedule Guidelines
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MTI Mission & Goals
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Program Curriculum
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Grading Scale and Methods of Evaluation
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Admission
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Tuition, Books & Technology Fees
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Instructor
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What does a Pharmacy Technician do?
Pharmacy Technicians typically work for pharmacies, hospitals or health clinics to receive prescription orders from Physicians and fill prescriptions as needed. They work closely with Pharmacists and other Pharmacy Technicians to prepare prescriptions and help customers. Their job is to receive stock orders from pharmaceutical companies and review order requests from Physicians to determine new prescriptions or changes to existing customer prescriptions. They may also be responsible for helping customers update their contact or insurance information on file.
Pharmacy Technician skills and qualifications
A professional Pharmacy Technician should possess numerous skills in order to complete their duties effectively, such as:
- Supply and inventory management skills
- Attention to detail and analytical skills
- Ability to create a safe and productive environment
- Exemplary customer service skills
- Excellent organizational and time management skills
- Dependable team player
- Advanced verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
Sterile and Non-Sterile Compounding
ENTRY-LEVEL
- Prepare medications requiring compounding of sterile products.
- Define and explain key elements of USP 797.
- Collect the correct ingredients for sterile products requiring compounding.
- Accurately determine the correct amounts of ingredients for a compounded product.
- Compound sterile products using appropriate techniques, equipment, and devices.
- Prepare medications requiring compounding of non-sterile products.
- Compound non-sterile products using appropriate techniques.
Nonsterile Compounding Seminar
Compounding is becoming a niche market for many pharmacies. Pharmacy technicians in this course develop skills in compounding a variety of formulations. Students will learn to prepare prod uct in a variety of dosage forms including ointments, creams, suppositories, and suspensions for oral and topical use. Students will be introduced to the resources provided by Professional Compounding Corporation of America (PCCA).
- Accurately compute amount of drug needed to compound product.
- Demonstrate proper use and care of compounding equipment.
- Demonstrate proper weighing and measurement technique.
- Demonst rate appropriate product formulation techniques.
- Identify potential drug incompatibility problems.
Community Practice Settings: Retail Store
This course is designed to provide skills necessary to effectively practice in retail stores (CVS/Walgreen Pharmacy) and ambulatory care settings. Students learn to interpret prescription contents, familiarize the top 100 drugs, inventory control procedures, tasks associated with procurement of pharmaceuticals, completing and filing records for third-party reimbursement, and requirements for completing and filing prescription records. Students are also introduced to non-sterile compounding.
Institutional Care Settings: Hospital
IV Admixture and Aseptic Technique IThis course is designed to provide skills necessary to effectively practice in retail stores (CVS/Walgreen Pharmacy) and ambulatory care settings. Students learn to interpret prescription contents, familiarize the top 100 drugs, inventory control procedures, tasks associated with procurement of pharmaceuticals, completing and filing records for third-party reimbursement, and requirements for completing and filing prescription records. Students are also introduced to non-sterile compounding.
This course is a continuation of IV Admixture and Aseptic Technique I, focusing on the preparation of cardiac and other titratable drips, IV antibiotics, chemotherapy, large volume parenteral solutions, and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) solutions. Students learn the basic indications, mechanism of actions of specific cardiac drugs, and calculations for selected drug concentrations. Proper technique for mixing and labeling thrombolytic, cardiac drips, and chemotherapeutic drugs are introduced. Laboratory sessions provide the opportunity for students to practice their techniques.
PHARMACY TECHNOLOGY: OMNICELL AND PYXIS TRAINING
An area of great progress in Healthcare technology has been the wide adoption of automated dispensing cabinets for medications and supplies in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
This technology employs the use of storage units that operate somewhat like vending machines for medical products, but also have sophisticated software on the back-end that handles patient orders, medication dosing documentation, inventory management, and billing transactions. This course will cover automated dispensing cabinets as well as centralized pharmacy automation products.
In a hospital or other clinical setting, the units are installed at most units where patients are seen, such as General Medicine, ICU, the OR, and the ER. Supplies and/or meds are enclosed in the cabinets that are locked until the clinician accesses them.
If you are looking to get started in Healthcare IT, have basic technology skills, and are willing to travel, you have a decent chance of getting a job as an Implementation Consultant or Field Engineer. Having some Microsoft or Network+ certification helps, as well as having a Pharmacy Technician background. If you have programming and/or HL7 experience, then you would have a good chance at a developer position.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
- Orientation to Pharmacy Practice
- Medical Terminology/Vocabulary
- Pharmacy Calculations
- Communication Skills in Pharmacy
- Pharmacy Law
- Community Practice, Pharmacy, Record and Inventory Management
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Pharmacology I &II
- Applied Pharmacy Technology I&II
- Admixture and Aseptic Technique I&II
- Pharmacy Ethics
- Pharmacy Insurance Billing
- Pharmacy Internship
- PTCB Exam Review and Prep
WHO WILL BENEFIT
Those Considering Pharmacy School
If your goal is to become a Pharmacist, starting out as a Pharmacy Technician is a great opportunity to explore the Pharmacy field. You'll get the chance to work alongside Registered Pharmacist and PharmDs’ (Doctor of Pharmacist) in a variety of healthcare settings, earning invaluable experience and skills along the way.
Aspiring Medical Professionals
Working as a Pharmacy Technician gives many of us our first taste of working in the medical field. You might gain inspiration to continue that career path and get a more in-depth understanding of the medical world. It's okay to share this desire with your interviewer. It shows your dedication to the field and a willingness to learn
Job Stability
Job outlook for Pharmacy TechniciansAccording to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technician jobs number around 422,000 in the United States and the agency expects around 4% growth over the next decade. That puts pharmacy technician jobs at about the national average for job growth. There is no specific data available on job outlook for individual certification levels, but some employers might prefer a pharmacy technician with a higher certification level like II or III, as they often can bring more advanced skills and knowledge to the job.
Pharmacy Technician Job Market GrowthThe 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.
In addition, pharmacy technicians will be needed to take on a greater role in pharmacy operations because pharmacists are increasingly performing more patient care activities, such as giving flu shots. Technicians will need to perform tasks—such as collecting patient information, preparing more types of medications, and verifying the work of other technicians—that were previously done by pharmacists
Pharmacy Technician Job Market GrowthThe average national salary for a pharmacy technician is about $30,247 per year. However, pharmacy technicians with a higher education level or additional credentials may negotiate a higher salary. Some pharmacy technician positions may require more advanced knowledge or training, which can also affect their salary. For example, if a pharmacy technician works in a retail environment, they might also act as a retail sales associate besides a pharmacy technician.
A pharmacy technician working in a long-term care facility like a nursing home might also need first aid and CPR certification or other medical credentials to supplement their pharmacy technician skills, which could help increase their salary.
Pharmacy technicians often operate in a support role, providing administrative, clinical and clerical support to licensed pharmacists. There are multiple pharmacy technician certification levels, and each has its own education pathway, requirements, skills and duties. Understanding the difference between pharmacy technician II and III can help you determine if gaining additional certifications is an option for your career. In this article, we show you the roles of pharmacy technician II vs. III and highlight some of the key differences between the two career paths.
A pharmacy technician II is a medical professional who has completed the state pharmacy technician training requirements. This can include an accredited pharmacy technician training program, completion of the PTCB, or Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, exam and experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Experience requirements may vary by state, but typically, pharmacy technicians have at least one year of experience working under a certified pharmacist before advancing to pharmacy technician II.
A pharmacy technician III is a medical professional who has completed all the pharmacy technician I and II requirements and advances to the higher levels of study. A pharmacy technician III is typically the highest level of certification in the career path and requires more experience and training. Pharmacy tech III positions typically require a minimum of six months to one year as a pharmacy technician and up to three to five years of experience performing more advanced duties than pharmacy technician I or II. This might include light management duties or other duties as requested by the pharmacist.
Pharmacy technician II and III are very similar career pathways, with a few credentials, duties and experience requirements separating each specialization, for example:
Both pharmacy technicians II and III hold state certifications. The state certification process can vary by state, but typically it requires:
- Completion of an accredited pharmacy technician course at an institution such as MTI of New York school
- New York State licensing
- PTCB certification
Both pharmacy technicians II and III study similar topics, including medical ethics, medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, chemistry and pharmacology. These topics can help prepare you for a career in medicine as a support figure to the pharmacist.
Pharmacy technicians at all levels have the option to pursue higher education and advance to the position of a pharmacist. The education and experience they gain as pharmacy technicians can help prepare them for more advanced coursework and concepts and for managing a pharmacy.
Pharmacy technicians II and III work in similar environments. Some pharmacy technicians may work in a customer-service setting where others may work in a more private setting, such as online pharmacies. Here are some typical work environments for pharmacy technicians II and III:
Retail pharmacy:This is one of the most common workplaces for pharmacy technicians. Retail pharmacies include drug stores, department stores and standalone pharmacies. These pharmacy technicians may serve a dual role as pharmacy technicians and store associates.
Online Pharmacies:Online pharmacies deliver prescriptions directly to patients. Pharmacy technicians II and III perform many of the same duties as they would while working in retail or in a hospital.
Pharmacy technicians of both levels can also work in medical facilities such as hospitals, long-term care centers or nursing homes. These facilities may require additional skills and knowledge, like first aid or CPR.
Education:Pharmacy technicians II and III can work to educate new pharmacy techs and help advise them on their career paths. They can work at private universities or technical schools or private company education centers.
While pharmacy technician II and pharmacy technician III may perform similar duties, some key differences in their everyday responsibilities highlight the differences in education and skill level. These differences include:
Here are some primary responsibilities for a pharmacy technician II:
- Using pharmacy equipment, including software
- Using medical packaging and labeling prescriptions
- Assisting with prescription preparation
- Entering data for work reports and patient paperwork
- Engaging customers and patients
- Collecting and maintaining data
- Following medical ethics codes
- Storing and organizing medication
- Locating correct prescriptions by name
- Filing insurance paperwork
Here are some primary responsibilities for a pharmacy technician III:
- Classifying pharmaceuticals
- Preparing daily work reports
- Supervising other pharmacy technicians
- Ensuring the pharmacy team meets goals and expectations
- Performing advanced prescription preparation
- Performing performance evaluations for other technicians
- Conducting quality assurance audits
- Following state and local narcotics storage regulations
- Answering patient questions and comments
- Performing inventory maintenance and control
Genevieve-Marie Louis
Program Curriculum
Curriculum Summary
DOWNLOAD CURRICULUM (PDF)| Units | Modules | Clinical Lab Skills | Takeaways |
UNIT 1 Orientation |
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| Units | Modules | Clinical Lab Skills | Takeaways |
UNIT 2 Pharmacy Law and Ethics |
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THE MTI ADVANTAGE
- State-of-the-Art Cleanrooms- UPS 797 and UPS 800
- Experience Faculty and Staff
- 100% Medical and Healthcare Programs
- State-of-the-Art Medical Equipment’s
- All instructors are Practitioners in their field
- Workshops to enter the Workforce
- Guaranteed Internships/Externships (Hands-on Training)
- Affiliated with top Hospitals and clinics, Pharmacy Stores
- Career Development Skill
- Job placement Assistant
Total Program Cost
| Program | Pharmacy Technician I |
| Hours | 400 |
| Registration Fee | $100 |
| Tuition | $2,800 |
| Technology Fees | $300 |
| Clinical Lab Fee | $450 |
| Total Program Cost | $3,650 |
Fees
Registration Fee:
A non-refundable Registration Fee of $100 was due during registration to reserve a seat.
Clinical/Lab Fee:
Clinical/Lab Fee is used to cover the cost of Liability insurance policy and student lab operations and to provide students with Liability Insurance at clinical rotation internship sites.
Technology Fees:
Technology Fee provides students with Online Learning Resources, the learning management system, and the student portal.
Books:
Students are required to purchase all textbooks on their own. Textbook costs are estimated at $600.00. Required books can be purchased from the school bookstore or online at portal.mtiofnewyork.com/stores.
Uniform Fee:
Students are required to purchase MTI logo Lab coat and scrubs on their own. MTI logo scrubs can be purchased from the school bookstore or online at portal.mtiofnewyork.com/stores.
Tuition:
Pharmacy Technician I is $983.33 for each of the program's three (3) quarters, and a total of $3,650 for the entire program, with tuition payments due as follows:
| Quarter | Cost |
| Prior to Quarter 1 | $1,825 |
| Prior to Quarter 2 | $1,825 |
The pharmacy technician internship is designed to enable students to obtain hands-on experience in a pharmacy setting. The primary objective of the internship is to be sure the student gains practical experience, knowledge, skills, and insight into the various aspects of the pharmacy technician job. It is structured to be a learning experience, so the student and preceptor/teaching personnel should commit themselves to working toward that objective. This internship brings together all of the academic knowledge gained in the classroom with practical hands-on participation in various pharmacy settings. The clinical experience gained at these sites is invaluable in ensuring that the student becomes a competent pharmacy technician in all settings. Evaluation forms for both the student and preceptor must be completed separately. Ambulatory care settings include chain pharmacy, independent pharmacy, and outpatient hospital/clinic pharmacy.
Pharmacy Technician Internship II is similar to the Community Practice externship except that students are exposed to pharmacy practice in a Hospital or institutional care setting. The primary objective of internship is to be sure the student gains practical experience, knowledge, skills, and insight into the various aspects of the pharmacy technician job in a structured learning environment. This internship brings together all of the academic knowledge gained in the classroom, with an emphasis on aseptic technique and sterile product preparation. Evaluation forms for both the student and preceptor must be completed separately. Inpatient settings include nursing home, inpatient hospital, and home infusion
Pharmacy Technician Exam Review and PTCB Exam Preparation
- Course is designed to assist students with preparation for the national certification test with PTCB and NHA.
- Practice tests are formatted similarly to the national exam (multiple-choice) relative to the curriculum taught.
- Course content will include taking new prescriptions, assisting the pharmacist, record keeping, and preparing controlled substances for delivery.
- Other tasks include understanding formulary, preparing and/or repackaging medications, calibrating equipment, and calculations