What is Pharmacy Technology?
A pharmacy technician works under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist to fill and dispense prescriptions, maintain drug supply inventories, prepare sterile compounds, provide assistance to customers and patients, and other duties found in a pharmacy setting.
The State of Texas requires that all pharmacy technicians be certified and this program prepares its graduates to take the National Pharmacy Technician Certification examinations administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
(PTCB) and become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
Earnings
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to increase 36 percent or more for all occupations through 2012 due to the increased pharmaceutical needs of a larger and older population, and to 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.(1)
(1) U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Outlook Handbook -Pharmacy Technicians
Job Opportunities
Certified Pharmacy Technicians can find work in traditional pharmacy settings such as retail pharmacies and hospitals as well as non-traditional settings such as compounding and nuclear pharmacies.
Admissions Requirements
Lone Star College System is an open enrollment community college, which means you’re automatically accepted when you apply.
However, all students enrolling in a Texas public institution must take College Readiness Assessments (i.e. THEA or THEA-Alternative tests) or be otherwise exempt to determine your placement in college-level courses.
College-Level Minimum Scores web site
The chart shows the minimum test scores for college-level course placement. The complete placement chart will reflect all scores including developmental course placement.
Admissions Criteria
Interested individuals should complete the Lone Star College–Tomball Online Admissions Application and the Pharmacy Technology Application form.
The applicant will be contacted by the program director to schedule an interview in order to determine eligibility and qualifications of the applicant.
- Applicants must be a high school graduate or possess a GED prior to applying to the program and must not have a history of felony conduct.
- Official documentation of college-level reading, completion or test equivalent of ENGL 0306 (Writing) and completion or test equivalent of MATH 0308 is required.
- A maximum of 20 students will be admitted in the fall semester.
Students admitted to the program starting in the fall of the year will have a fulltime, daytime schedule and will complete the program in May of the following year.
Certificate Requirements:
First Semester:
- PHRA 1102 Pharmacy Law
- PHRA 1305 Drug Classification
- PHRA 1309 Pharmaceutical Mathematics I
- PHRA 1361 Clinical-Community Pharmacy
- PHRA 1413 Community Pharmacy Practice
Second Semester
- PHRA 1143 Pharmacy Tech Certification Review
- PHRA 1304 Pharmacotherapy & Disease Process
- PHRA 1345 Intravenous Admixture & Sterile Compounding
- PHRA 1347 Pharmaceutical Mathematics II
- PHRA 1449 Institutional Pharmacy Practice
- PHRA 2361 Clinical-Institutional Pharmacy
Are Scholarships and Financial Aid Available?
Students are encouraged to contact the Financial Aid office and obtain a list of the many different scholarships and financial aid packets available. Financial aid information is available from the Financial Aid web page or by calling 281.351.3310