Often to be admitted into a Pharmacy Technician Program you must fulfill certain prerequisite courses (or demonstrate that you have applicable knowledge and skills in these areas). Depending on the college, such courses may be from high school and/or college. However, prior healthcare experience or training may waive some or all of these prerequisites.
Examples of prerequisite courses and/or skills that may be required include:
- Math/Algebra
- Keyboarding/Computer Skills
- Medical Terminology
- English Composition/Communication
- CPR
- Biology/Anatomy
Meeting the Pharmacy Tech Course Prerequisites
1. Contact the pharmacy technician school(s) you are considering and find out exactly what the requirements for entry into the program are. Talk to an advisor telling them about your entire educational background (the courses you took in high school and if applicable from any post secondary institution) as well as any relevant work experience. Ask the advisor which, if any, courses you still need to take.
2. If you need to take courses at the high school level:
- Contact your state’s Department of Education, Adult Education or Continuing Education to find out about earning individual high school credits, either online or in the classroom. (Some municipalities also have such offices that facilitate high school courses for adults). Before enrolling in a course, make sure that it meets the college’s prerequisite. (Also ask about grant and funding options for completing individual courses.)
- Also, the prospective colleges you are applying to may have a Department of Continuing Education/Distance Education that offers high school credits online and in the classroom.
3. If you need to take college level courses, talk to the advisor at your prospective college(s) to find out when the school will be offering them next.
Note in some cases courses and skills will be recommended instead of 100% required. But in any case, it’s wise to brush up or familiarize yourself with some of these skills. Local libraries, job search centers and learning centers might offer free tutoring and skill-building sessions in areas such as writing, math and computers. Before starting the program, you might also want to get a head start on course readings if the text books are available. Plus there is a plethora of online resources to help you practice and foster skills, such as www.coolmath.com, www.getbodysmart.com and www.dmu.edu/medterms.
