TLU News
Pharmacy Technician Program starts Aug. 25
July 25th, 2008
| Contact | Dr. Rosemary Dawson
Director, Center for Professional Development
Phone: 830-372-8047
E-mail: rdawson@tlu.edu | |
SEGUIN – The Center for Professional Development at Texas Lutheran University will offer a 50-hour pharmacy technician class, Aug. 25-Oct. 15. The class, which meets 6-9:30 p.m., Monday and Wednesdays on the TLU campus, prepares students to become pharmacy technicians and to pass the mandatory national Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE).
Pharmacy technician is one of the fastest growing professions in the U.S. According to the National Pharmacy Technician Association, more than 39,000 pharmacy technician jobs open each year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that pharmacy technician jobs will grow more than 32 percent over the next decade. This high demand is the result of the increased availability of new drugs, the national shortage of registered pharmacists, the establishment of certified pharmacy technicians, and the aging population. The number of prescriptions filled increased by 60 percent in the span of a decade, rising from 1.9 million in 1992 to 3.1 million in 2002, according to the Association of Counter Drug Stores.
Pharmacy technicians work in retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, home infusion pharmacies, long term care facilities, hospitals, clinics, pharmacy benefit organizations, and large industrial complexes.
With increased demand, the role of pharmacy technicians is changing as they assume responsibilities for a range of tasks that were previously reserved for pharmacists or pharmacy aides. Pharmacy technicians are responsible for measuring, recording and labeling medications, and they are also taking on more administrative duties, including updating patient profiles, preparing insurance claims, and taking inventory of pharmacy stock.
The fee for the Center for Professional Development pharmacy tech class is $999, which includes texts and materials. This program has been approved for payment by the Texas Workforce Commission for eligible TWC clients. Students may apply for Sallie Mae loans through TLU’s partner, Condensed Curriculum International, Inc. (CCI).
For additional information, contact the Center for Professional Development at TLU at 830-372-8047 or
cpd@tlu.edu or visit the Web site at
www.tlu.edu/cpd/pharmacy_technician_certification_program.
Previous page
Categories: Academic
