Scottsdale Community College to begin offering fast-track pharmacy tech program
Oct 27, 2024, 2:55 PM | Updated: 2:59 pm
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PHOENIX — Scottsdale Community College has launched a new pharmacy tech program which can be completed in one semester.
The Accelerated Pharmacy Technician Certificate of Completion (CCL) is a new nine-credit program which begins in January and has been designed in tandem with local healthcare employers.
The program will offer students the chance to network with professionals in the field while completing coursework.
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board approved the program which promises to ready students for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT), a step that is mandatory before hiring.
Pharmacy practices in retail, hospital and institutional settings are some of the job opportunities the program will prepare students for.
These jobs are expected to grow 19% over the next decade in Arizona and offer an estimated starting salary of $45,260, higher than the national average.
“Using the feedback we’ve received from our healthcare partners, we’ve streamlined and improved the program to make it even more effective in giving students the practical skills and knowledge they need to provide outstanding patient care,” SCC President Dr. Eric Leshinskie said in a release.
Orientation sessions for new students are scheduled for noon-1 p.m. on Nov. 13 and 3-4 p.m. on Nov. 19.
Registration can be completed online.
Which topics will be covered in the pharmacy tech program?
The nine-credit program will cover a wide variety of topics including:
- medication preparation
- handling of a variety of substances (hazardous and non-hazardous)
- reporting guidelines (federal and state)
- OSHA guidelines and best practices
- patient safety and quality assurance
- order entry and processing
- inventory control and management
- administrative duties
- health and wellness guidelines
- billing and reimbursement principles and practices.