PTEC Recommended Pharmacy Technology Program Content

PTEC strongly recommends that all pharmacy technician education and training programs seek American Society of Health-System Pharmacists’ accreditation of their programs.

Prerequisites: A strong background in reading, writing and mathematics, or remediation which enables the student to succeed in the program.

PTEC recommends a minimum of 760 contact hours (45 quarter or 32 semester credits) for each training program, in which at least the following information is covered:

Introduction to Pharmacy and the Healthcare System

Pharmacy Law and Ethics

Pharmacology, including:

Anatomy & Physiology

Prescription & OTC Medications

Chemistry

Microbiology

Pharmacy Operations including:

Drug Distribution Systems

Records Management & Inventory Control

Ambulatory & Institutional Practice

Compounding, including:

Aseptic Technique

Non-Sterile Compounding

General Education, including:

Medical Terminology

Interpersonal Relations

Communications

Computers / Keyboarding

Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

Experiential Training

PTEC recommends at least 320 hours be devoted to experiential contact, excluding laboratory hours. The experience should be obtained in multiple situations exposing the student to the broadest range of experience available to the training program.