PHARMACY TECHNICIAN

Online Learning

The Pharmacy Technician program is taught using an online learning environment. All academic courses and labs will be taught fully online via a Learning Management System (LMS). Practical training will take place at a clinical site.

Online classes will be taught synchronously. Synchronous instruction is real-time instruction that requires students to attend classes at scheduled times.

Pharmacy Technician Clinical Internship

If you're exploring how to become a pharmacy technician in NJ or throughout the U.S., gaining hands-on experience is crucial. The Pharmacy Technician program includes a mandatory 225-hour clinical internship course, where students are placed at a clinical site by the AIMS Internship Department. This internship offers practical training in a real work environment, with a dedicated mentor to guide and support students throughout the experience.

AIMS Education has clinical affiliations with numerous healthcare systems and private facilities. Students will be placed at one or more of these clinical sites and must complete their clinical hours based on the schedule provided by the school. Internship schedules are based on the availability of clinical sites. All students (Day and Evening) must be prepared to complete their internship during normal business hours (Monday through Friday). The majority of clinical sites do not allow students to complete clinical hours in the evening or on the weekend. Clinical hours for the Pharmacy Technician program run concurrently with the online classes and are typically scheduled on Thursday and Friday.

Out-of-state students are required to confirm the availability of a clinical site with the admissions department prior to enrollment.

Employment for Pharmacy Technicians

Pharmacy technicians play an essential role in ensuring patients receive effective, safe medication therapy. As critical members of the health care team, pharmacy technicians work closely with health care professionals and pharmacists in diverse settings.

Where Can a Pharmacy Technician Work?

Pharmacy technicians are employed in both local pharmacies, including those found in grocery, general merchandise, and drug stores, and hospitals. While many pharmacy technicians work part-time, most work full-time. 

Job opportunities for pharmacy technicians may also be found with online pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, nursing homes, and insurance companies. Job growth is expected to increase over the next ten years, so job prospects are very good for qualified technicians.

Pharmacy Technician Responsibilities

Pharmacy technicians support the pharmacy's patient care efforts with continually evolving responsibilities. Pharmacy technicians generally perform the following duties:

• Assist pharmacists in dispensing prescription medication to health professionals or customers.
• Work directly with patients to obtain reconciliation and medical histories.
• Arrange for customers to speak with pharmacists if they have questions about health matters or medications.
• Answer phone calls from customers and organize inventory.
• Enter patient or customer information into a computer system, including any prescriptions taken.
• Process insurance claims and accept payment methods.
• Alert pharmacists to any shortages of supplies or medications.
• Package and label prescriptions and measure amounts of medication for prescriptions.
• Assist in the management of investigational drug studies.
• Collect information needed to fill a prescription from customers or health professionals.
• Assist with prior authorization completion and process third-party billing claims.
• Use technology to maintain accurate orders, medication inventory, and patient records.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Pharmacy Technician Requirements

The path to becoming a pharmacy technician consists of the following steps:

1. Attain a high school diploma or the equivalent: Successful pharmacy technicians have strong physiology, biology, chemistry, and mathematics backgrounds. At this stage, some students may choose to volunteer at a hospital or in another healthcare setting to get exposure in the field and strengthen their interpersonal skills.
2. Graduate from a PTCB-recognized pharmacy technician training program: The Pharmacy Technician certificate program from AIMS Education will prepare students to become entry-level pharmacy techs with a myriad of skills. AIMS Education has clinical affiliations with numerous health care facilities throughout New Jersey and the surrounding areas. As a PTCB-recognized education/training program, graduates of the program will be eligible to take the PTCE national exam offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.
3. Get certified by a national certification body: Employers prefer to hire PTCB certified pharmacy technicians; many employers require it.
4. Maintain active certification every two years: As a pharmacy technician, you must renew your certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) every two years. 

Pharmacy Technician License vs. Certification 

Pharmacy technician certification is quite different from a pharmacy technician license. Certification involves showing your skills and expertise by passing a non-government agency exam, while licensure or registration is about becoming a pharmacy technician by fulfilling state requirements.

Pharmacy technicians must adhere to individual state registration and licensure criteria, following an initial application to their State Board of Pharmacy.

Certification / Registry Exam Eligibility

Pharmacy technician graduates are eligible to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Graduates who pass the exam will earn the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential.

Eligibility requirements for the CPhT credential are solely determined by PTCB, and are subject to change at any time. PTCB is an independent organization. AIMS does not guarantee certification/registry exam eligibility.

Pharmacy technicians in New Jersey are required to register and obtain a license from the State Board of Pharmacy.

Program Length

The Pharmacy Technician program is a non-term program and will be taught using a block schedule. Students will enroll as a cohort and take one course at a time.

• 5 Months
• 27 Credit Hours
• 225 Clinical Hours

Employment Opportunities

• Hospitals
• Local Pharmacies
• Nursing Homes
• Online Pharmacies
• Pharmaceutical Companies

Minimum Admission Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Passing score on the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam
• Additional Requirements