Pharmacy Technician
There are many pieces to becoming a Pharmacy Technician, including an undergraduate degree, specific child life related coursework, list of verified experiences, and other qualifications. Use the navigation below to explore each aspect of preparing to become a Pharmacy Technician.
Please note as of November 2019 there have been changes to becoming a pharmacy technician in California. More updates will be posted soon.
Pharmacy Technician Application Instructions
- What is a Pharmacy Technician?
- A pharmacy technician is involved in healthcare under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. As the link between patient and pharmacist, pharmacy technicians have a wide variety of responsibilities depending on their work environment. Those who are based in hospitals work with IV fluids, prepare medications, and update patient charts, while those who work in retail pharmacy fill prescriptions, maintain inventories, verify insurance coverage, and assist patients in purchasing their medications. Pharmacy technicians can also work in mail-order settings, in which they prepare and sort out medications that are to be mailed to customers, all while ensuring that prescriptions are accurate. There are 120+ pharmacy technician schools in the U.S., with 31 in California.
- How to Become a Pharmacy Technician
- How to Become a Pharmacy Technician Guide
Insider's Guide to Acing the PTCB Exam
- Obtain a high school diploma or the equivalent (e.g., GED)
- Obtain a diploma or certificate from an accredited in-person or online pharmacy technician program (preferred by most employers)
- Become certified through either:
- National Healthcareer Association (NHA) and take the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT), or
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE)
- Apply to pharmacy technician positions in hospital, retail, grocery store, nursing home, and/or mail-order settings
- Renew certification every 2 years - Prerequisites
- Depending on the pharmacy technician program, prerequisite courses or skills in the following may be required at the high school or college level:
- Math (Algebra)
- Medical terminology
- English composition
- Biology
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Keyboarding and computer skills
Always check with the program to see what prerequisites you might need to fulfill. A high school diploma is required to obtain certification after graduating from the program. - Experiences
- Many pharmacy technicians receive formal, on-the-job training during their program or once they begin working. Those intending to work as pharmacy technicians often undergo experiences such as:
- Working in an externship
- Working in a laboratory environment
- Working in customer service or retail
- Volunteering at a hospital or nursing home
- Tutoring - Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam
Exam Logistics
Two hour, computer- based exam
90 Multiple Choice Questions with 4 choices each
10 minutes at the end of the exam to fill out a post-exam surveyExam Content
13.75% ~ Pharmacology for Technicians
12.50% ~ Pharmacy Law and Regulations
8.75% ~ Sterile and Non-sterile Compounding
12.50% ~ Medication Safety
7.50% ~ Pharmacy Quality Assurance
17.50% ~ Medication Order Entry and Fill Process
8.75% ~ Pharmacy Inventory Management
8.75% ~ Pharmacy Billing and Reimbursement
10.00% ~ Pharmacy Information Systems Usage and ApplicationStudents can take the PTCE without going through a program (can self-study).
Official PTCB Practice ToolsTo sign up for the PTCE, register here.
- Accreditation/Find a Program
- The Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC) consists of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). PTAC serves as the committee that accredits pharmacy technician education and training programs. A directory of accredited pharmacy technician programs can be found here.
California Programs
American Career College - Anaheim
American Career College - Los Angeles
American Career College - Ontario
Carrington College - Citrus Heights
Carrington College - Pleasant Hill
Carrington College - Sacramento
Carrington College - San Jose
Carrington College - San Leandro
Carrington College - Stockton
Cerritos College
Charles A. Jones Career and Education Center, Sacramento City Unified School District
Cosumnes River College
East San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program/Technical Center (ESGVROP/TC)
Foothill College (Middlefield Campus)
Modesto Junior College
North Orange County Community College District, School of Continuing Education
North-West College - Glendale
North-West College - Pomona
North-West College - Van Nuys
North-West College - West Covina
Pima Medical Institute - Chula Vista
San Bernardino Valley College
San Diego Community Training Center
Santa Ana College
Therapeutic Research Center