The Pharmacy Technician Certificate program teaches the skills needed to gain employment as a Pharmacy Tech in either the hospital or retail setting. Medical and pharmaceutical terminology will be introduced, and basic anatomy related to the pharmacology of medications will be a major component of the coursework along with pharmaceutical calculations. This program provides students the necessary information required to pass the National Certification Exam offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.

As part of this program, students are required to complete a Virtual Externship. You will also have an option to perform hands-on clinical rotations (also called an externship). To participate in the retail externships, you must apply and fulfill all state and local pharmacy requirements.  This will include a background check and drug screen.  There is no guarantee for externship placement.  Please see the View the course syllabus for more information.

Prerequisite: In order to sit for the national certification exam, candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent; therefore, it is recommended that students have this before enrolling for this program. No healthcare or medical office work experience is required. You should be proficient in keyboarding (approximately 35 words per minute), have a basic understanding of a word-processing computer program (Microsoft Word is recommended), and have a command of English grammar and punctuation. Exam fee is included.

Requirements: This program can be taken on either a Mac or PC, however, most medical offices currently use PCs.  Click here to download Adobe Acrobat Reader and Adobe Flash Player.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the laws that govern pharmacy, whether federal or state-mandated
• Discuss the HIPAA requirements and their application to the pharmacy
• Interpret physician orders and prescriptions
• Prepare and distribute medications
• Define medical and pharmaceutical terms and common abbreviations
• Understand the pharmacology of medications in relation to the anatomy affected
• Perform pharmaceutical calculations
• Communicate effectively with patients and medical professionals
• Process insurance billing or collect payments
• Pass the National Certification Exam

Materials Included: The Pharmacy Technician: A Comprehensive Approach; Pharmaceutical Calculations for Pharmacy Technicians; Law and Ethics; Fundamental Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians; Fundamental Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians Workbook; pharmacy Lab Kit and Manual (e-Science); Virtual Medication Safety for Technicians; Virtual Inventory Management for Technicians; Virtual Pharmacy Externship for Technicians; Externship packet and lab coat provided upon acceptance into the Externship Program; Access to the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) practice tests after completion of the program 

View the course syllabus

For our online course refund policy, click here.

You will receive a password and log-in information via email within 3-5 business days of registering for this course. Course materials are included and will be mailed to you within 10 business days. You have 12 months to complete this course. You must make an 70 or higher as your final grade to successfully complete the course and receive a certificate of completion.

There are no refunds for this course.

If you have questions about this course, please contact the online coordinator at 470-578-6693 or online@kennesaw.edu.