Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Pharmacy Technician Program
1. How do I enroll for the Pharmacy Technician Program?
Download and complete the Pharmacy Technician Program Enrollment and Payment Form. You may also stop by the office to pick up a form or call (830.372.8047) to request that one be mailed to you. You may mail or hand carry the form and your payment to the Center for Professional Development, Tschoepe Hall Suite 125, 1000 W. Court Street, Seguin, TX 78133.
2. What are the academic requirements to enroll in the Pharmacy Technician Program?
You should have a high school diploma or equivalent.
3. What is included in the cost of the program?
The cost of $999.00 includes the tuition, books, and all materials. This 50-contact hour course covers the relevant material necessary to prepare you to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s PTCB exam.
4. Can I get financial aid to take the Pharmacy Technician Program?
Continuing education courses such as the Pharmacy Technician Program are not eligible for financial aid through Texas Lutheran University. However, you may apply for a personal Sallie Mae loan through TLU’s partner, Condensed Curriculum, International (CCI). Click here for the application form and instructions. For information about the Sallie Mae loans, contact Condensed Curriculum, International (CCI) at 1.800.441.8748.
In addition, some students may qualify for assistance from the Texas Workforce Commission to participate in the Pharmacy Technician Program. For more information, contact your local Workforce Center.
5. Do I get college credit for taking the Pharmacy Technician Program?
The Pharmacy Technician Program is a continuing education program for which you earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) not academic college credit. CEUs are a nationally recognized measure of skills or work-related training gained in a continuing education course that meets established criteria. One CEU represents 10 class hours of participation. Thus, you will earn five CEUs for the Pharmacy Technician Program.
You will receive a continuing education CEU certificate after you have completed the training successfully. Reprints of CEU certificates are available for $5.
6. Where are the classes held?
The classes are held in Tschoepe Hall, Room 130. Please see the campus map.
7. Parking
You may park in any lot on the TLU campus, including the one adjacent to Tschoepe Hall, after 5:00 pm without a parking permit. Please do not park in a space designated as handicapped.
8. What is the refund policy for the Pharmacy Technician Program?
Refunds may be requested from the Center for Professional Development.
The refund policy for this program is as follows:
a. 100% prior to the first class day
b. 100% if class is cancelled by TLU
c. 80% during the first class day
d. None thereafter
9. What is required of the students?
The public expects a good deal of health care personnel in knowledge, behavior, and dress. Therefore, as you begin your transition to your planned career:
- Act ethically.
- Dress professionally.
- Interact courteously.
- Present high quality work that puts you in the best possible light.
- Take responsibility for your own preparation and learning.
- Set goals and monitor your own progression to their accomplishment.
- Attend every session and arrive on time for each course session. Being absence or tardy in this class is considered a violation of professional ethics unless you have a medical excuse.
10. What support will I have in finding a job as a pharmacy technician?
- You will receive a Graduate Packet with specific guidelines for preparing a resume, writing a cover letter, preparing for an interview, following up on an interview, and conducting a job search.
- Additionally, your instructor will be a pharmaceutical professional from the area who will share helpful hints in locating a position.
- The Center for Professional Development notifies local pharmaceutical facilities of the program and encourages them to consider program completers for employment.
11. How much will I earn as a pharmacy technician?
According to Salary.com, entry level pharmacy technicians I in the Seguin area earn from $20,000 to $31,000 with an average salary of $25,600. Pharmacy technicians II earn up to $35,000.
12. Where do pharmacy technicians work?
Pharmacy technicians work in hospitals, home infusion pharmacies, community pharmacies and other health care settings - working under the supervision of a registered pharmacist.
13. What do pharmacy technicians do?
14. What is the job outlook for pharmacy technicians?
According to the US Department of Labor, “Employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2014 because as the population grows and ages, demand for pharmaceuticals will increase dramatically. The increased number of middle-aged and elderly people—who use more prescription drugs than younger people—will spur demand for technicians in all practice settings. With advances in science, more medications are becoming available to treat a greater number of conditions. In addition, cost-conscious insurers, pharmacies, and health systems will continue to expand the role of technicians. As a result, pharmacy technicians will assume responsibility for some of the more routine tasks previously performed by pharmacists.”
15. Do I need to register with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy?
Yes, you will need to register with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP) after you have passed the national PTCP exam (see below).
You will complete an online application to register as a pharmacy technician. Upon approval, a notice to pay the required registration fee will be mailed to the address provided on the application. Pharmacy technician registration is not complete until the fee is received. Once an applicant has successfully completed all requirements of registration, and the board has determined there are no grounds to refuse registration, the applicant will be notified of registration as a registered pharmacy technician and of his or her pharmacy technician registration number.
16. What exam do I need to pass to be eligible to be registered with TSBP?
Pharmacy technicians must sit for and pass the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE). Once you have passed the exam, you may use the designation of CPhT.
17. How can I find out about the PTCE?
Your instructor will give you complete information about the what, where, when, how, etc. of taking the exam. Information is at the PTCB website. The following information is from this website.
Beginning in 2007, the PTCB exam will be offered exclusively in a Computer-Based Testing (CBT) format. CBT allows for more examination dates, more testing locations, more scheduling flexibility, and rapid reporting of examination results. In 2007 the examination will be offered in four (4) five (5) week-long periods during the calendar year. These periods of testing are called Testing Windows. Please check the 2007 Examination Schedule to view the testing window dates for 2007. While the candidate will be testing in a CBT format, the content and difficulty of the examination will not change. Candidates will now be given two (2) hours to complete the 100 question examination, along with a brief tutorial and survey.
The content of the exam is characterized under three function areas:
1. Assisting the Pharmacist in Serving Patients – 66% of exam
2. Maintaining Medication and Inventory Control Systems – 22% of exam
3. Participating in the Administration and Management of Pharmacy Practice – 12% of exam
The PTCE is administered at Pearson VUE Professional Center locations all over the United States. There are test sites in Austin and San Antonio.
The fee to apply for and take the PTCE is $129.
18. How soon after the program can I take the PTCE?
The last exam window for 2007 is from November 26th to December 28th. If you want to take the exam immediately upon completion of the program, you need to register for it not later than November 2nd and take it not later than December 28th. As soon as the testing schedule for 2008 is available, we will post that information.
19. Where can I get more information about pharmacy technicians?
20. Where can I get more information?
For general information contact
The Center for Professional Development
Suite 125 – Tschoepe Hall
1000 Court Street
Seguin, TX, 78155
830.372-8047 or 372-6833
For additional information about the program, call Condensed Curriculum, International (CCI) at 1.866.441.8748.
For information about the Sallie Mae loans, contact Condensed Curriculum, International (CCI) at 1.800.441.8748.
