Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program

Step Into a High-Demand Pharmacy Career

The Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program at St. Augustine College provides students with the skills and knowledge needed to work in retail and hospital pharmacies, assisting pharmacists in medication dispensing, inventory management, and patient care. Through a blend of classroom instruction and hands-on experience, students develop the technical expertise required to excel in this growing field.

Employment for pharmacy technicians is projected to grow 6% by 2032, as pharmacists take on more direct patient care responsibilities. This 9-month program includes a 160-hour externship, ensuring that graduates have real-world experience before entering the workforce.

The Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. With dedicated faculty, career-focused coursework, and hands-on learning, St. Augustine College prepares students for success in pharmacy settings across the country.

Take the First Step Toward Your Career

A rewarding career as a pharmacy technician starts here. Apply today and begin your journey at St. Augustine College.

*This program will have in-person classes for the clinical skills classes as well as Externship.

Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program Details:

Program Length: 36 weeks (9 months) including 160 hours of externship – 30 credit hours

The Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program will prepare you to learn the following administrative and clinical skills:

1. 1. Dispensing medication under a licensed pharmacist
   2. IM injection with training
   3. Compounding
   4. Electronic health records in pharmacy
   5. Trained in basic life support (CPR)

More than half of all pharmacy technicians work in retail pharmacies such as Walgreens, CVS, Jewl-Osco, etc. Some of the pharmacy technicians also work in hospital pharmacies.

Admission Requirements:

1. General Admission Requirements
   1. Be 17 years of age or older
   2. Be a high school graduate or hold an official transcript of the General Education Development (GED) test.
   3. Have an acceptable level of English and Math proficiency
2. Other Program Requirements
   1. An acceptable Criminal Background Check is required before externship.
   2. Physical Examination form will be provided by the Director of Allied Health, which will be filled out by the student’s primary care physician.
   3. The vaccinations and tests that will be required by clinical sites are the following:
      1. Hepatitis B vaccine – 3 series; at lease the first dose of the three series have been administered before the start of externship
      2. COVID-19 vaccines – primary doses as well as the booster doses
      3. TB testing – Quantiferon or PPD test

Accreditations:

Lewis University’s Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has been approved by the Illinois Board of Higher Education to be offered at the Chicago campus of Lewis University.

Will be applying for specialized program accreditation with the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP).

Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program Academic Requirements:

General Education Requirements:

1. ENGL 11100: College Writing 1

Program Core Requirements

1. BIO 115 (3 credit hours) – Medical Terminology
2. BIOL 10800 – Introduction to Human Biology
3. PHT 105 – Law and Ethics and Principles of Pharmacy Practice
4. PHT 115 – Hospital Pharmacy Practice
5. PHT 125 – Billing, Records, and Inventory Management
6. PHT 210 – Pharmacy Externship – Retail- or Hospital-Based

Pharmacy Technician Career Outlook:

The occupational demand and employment opportunities available to graduates of the Pharmacy Technician program are immense. Employment of pharmacy technicians is projected to grow 6% from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. The role of pharmacy technicians have also expanded, and they are now administering vaccines to pharmacy patrons. Demands for pharmacy services are expected to increase because of the large number of older people, who typically use more prescription medicines than younger people.

Higher rates of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, among all age groups also will lead to increased demand for prescription medications. In addition, pharmacy technicians will be needed to take on a greater role in pharmacy operations because pharmacists are increasingly performing more patient care activities. Technicians will need to perform tasks – such as collecting patient information, handling prescription transfers, and verifying the work of other technicians – that were previously done by pharmacists.