Program Details
Career Studies Certificate in Pharmacy Technician
Career Studies CertificateSouthwest Virginia Community College
This program is included in: G3
This Pharmacy Technician Career Studies Certificate is designed to prepare students to assist and support licensed pharmacists in providing health care and medications to patients. Students will obtain a broad knowledge of pharmacy practice and be skilled in the techniques required to order, stock, package, prepare, and dispense medications under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Upon completion of the curriculum, students will be eligible to take the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination.
Outcomes
• Prepare the student for a career in various pharmacy settings • Learn basic pharmacology • Become familiar with day-to-day job functions of pharmacy technicians • Learn importance of communication with coworkers and other healthcare providers • Learn brand/generic names of top 200 drugs • Integrate pharmacy practice with current pharmacy laws and regulations • Compare and contrast the roles of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians • Understand importance of record-keeping • Familiarize with compounding and infusion procedures • Prevent medication errors in the workplace • Be able to compare and contrast different medications and place them into their “drug classes” • Understanding the possibility of drug interactions • Recognize drugs based on prefix/suffix
Program Overview & Guidance

Program Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
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Considerations for Selecting Degree | ÿPharmacy technicians work in hospital, retail, home health care, nursing home, clinic, nuclear medicine, and mail order prescription pharmacies. Pharmacy technicians have been employed with medical insurance, medical computer software, drug manufacturing, drug wholesale, and food processing companies, and as instructors in pharmacy technician training programs. Currently, hospital, home health care, and retail pharmacies hire the majority of technicians. |
Considerations When Selecting Courses |
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Program Requirements Beyond Specific Courses | |
Doing More With Your Degree | |
Program Successes & Highlights | This curriculum provides face-to-face training to fully prepare the Pharmacy Technician. |
Related Programs & Certifications

Program Credit Requirements

The table below provides the requirements to complete this program if you are not following a Transfer Guide. If you have an account and have created a Portfolio, the table includes the "Applied Credits" column. This column shows how the credits you earned based on the experiences you entered may be applied to satisfy these requirements. You can find schools where you can take courses that will transfer and apply to this degree using the Where Can I Find An Equivalent Course feature in the Transfer Tools menu.
A formal determination of credits awarded for your prior learning and their applicability to the degree requirements can only be made by the institution. The formal determination and resulting map may reflect higher or lower number of credits to be completed to achieve this program.
What If I Have An Associate Degree Or Credit For Prior Learning?

Transfer Guidance Element | What You Need to Know |
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Associate Transfer Degree Completion | Completion of Associate Degree Concurrent with High School | No |
Credit for Prior Learning | |
Did You Know That... |
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College Level Information

College Fit Guidance | What You Need to Know |
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Is This College Right For Me? | Annual HC 3120, Transfer in per semester 97, Av Class size 12, Limited Foundation Owned Housing |
Transfer Student Catalog Year | Summer, Fall , Spring is a catalog year |
First Year Student Catalog Year | Summer, Fall , Spring is a catalog year |
Applying for Guaranteed Admissions |
Where Can This Degree Transfer

Institution | Title | Degree | Award Name | Award Level | Delivery Mode |
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Danville Community College | Associate of Applied Science in Health Science - Practical Nursing Specialization | Associate | Associate of Applied Science | 2-Year | In-Person, Hybrid |
Careers Where This Degree Applies

O*Net Code | Name | Description | Parent |
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25-1071.00 | Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | Teach courses in health specialties, in fields such as dentistry, laboratory technology, medicine, pharmacy, public health, therapy, and veterinary medicine. | Educational Instruction and Library Occupations |
29-2099.00 | Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | All health technologists and technicians not listed separately. | Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations |
29-2099.01 | Neurodiagnostic Technologists | Conduct electroneurodiagnostic (END) tests such as electroencephalograms, evoked potentials, polysomnograms, or electronystagmograms. May perform nerve conduction studies. | Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations |
29-2099.05 | Ophthalmic Medical Technologists | Assist ophthalmologists by performing ophthalmic clinical functions and ophthalmic photography. Provide instruction and supervision to other ophthalmic personnel. Assist with minor surgical procedures, applying aseptic techniques and preparing instruments. May perform eye exams, administer eye medications, and instruct patients in care and use of corrective lenses. | Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations |
29-2099.08 | Patient Representatives | Assist patients in obtaining services, understanding policies and making health care decisions. | Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations |
Cost To Complete
