Pharmacy Technology

NOTE: This program is being terminated and is not accepting new students. A non-degree Pharmacy Technician Training program is available for interested individuals. Advisors will work with current Pharmacy Technology students to finish their degree or diploma by May 2027.

Pharmacy technicians assist and support licensed pharmacists in providing the following services for customers:

• Prescription medications
• Over-the-counter drugs
• Medical equipment and supplies
• Pharmaceutical care services
• Other health care products and services

The Pharmacy Technology program combines classroom, laboratory and clinical components covering the following topics:

• Prescription medications
• Over-the-counter drugs
• Pharmacology
• Medication uses and indications
• Medication therapies for prevention and treatment
• Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
• Drug interactions and side-effects
• Pharmaceutical calculations
• Sterile intravenous admixture compounding
• Non-sterile medication compounding
• Medication dosage forms and administration
• Controlled substance procedures and management
• Pharmacy purchasing and inventory management
• Clinical pharmacy services
• Pharmacy law, regulations and standards
• Professional ethics

Pharmacy Technology classes are held at the Perry Health Sciences Campus, next to WakeMed's flagship hospital in Raleigh.

Clinical experience allows students to work in pharmacy settings under the supervision of licensed pharmacists and alongside certified pharmacy technicians. It takes place in hospitals and medical centers, community and outpatient pharmacies and specialty pharmacies. Students also research and observe compounding, long-term care, home infusion, nuclear and central community pharmacies.

Clinical site locations are located across the Triangle region. The student is responsible for providing transportation to an assigned clinical site, which could be up to 40 miles from the Perry Health Sciences Campus. The program cannot accommodate special requests for clinical site placement.

Pharmacy technicians are in high demand in the health care and pharmaceutical care industries. With a larger and older population, advances in science and increases in medication availability and usage, the demand for pharmacy technicians in all practice settings will likely increase and their roles expand. As health care becomes more technically complex, the need for educated, skilled and competent support personnel will become more important.

Federal and state laws and regulations and professional standards govern the use of technicians in pharmacies and the requirements for certification and training. More states and employers are requiring certification and training to decrease medication errors and improve the quality of services provided. Most hospitals and community pharmacies in the Wake Tech area require certification for employment.

Professional licensure

Wake Tech academic programs (degree and non-degree) that are designed to lead to professional licenses are tied to North Carolina or national certifications. If you intend to pursue professional licenses outside North Carolina once you have completed your academic program at Wake Tech, please refer to the Professional Licensure section of the college's distance education authorization page for additional information.

The North Carolina Board of Pharmacy requires the following to register as a pharmacy technician:

• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent or is currently enrolled in a program that awards a high school diploma
• Employed by a pharmacy holding a valid in-state pharmacy permit
• Hold a current pharmacy technician certification issued by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or complete a training program approved by the supervising pharmacist-manager that includes the following:
  • Pharmacy terminology
  • Pharmacy calculations, dispensing systems and labeling requirements
  • Pharmacy laws and regulations
  • Record keeping and documentation
  • Proper handling and storage of medications
• Pay a $30 annual registration fee

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) requires the following for certification:

• Hold a high school diploma or equivalent educational diploma
• Completed a PTCB-recognized education or training program or equivalent work experience
• Full disclosure of all criminal and State Board of Pharmacy registration or licensure actions
• Compliance with all applicable PTCB certification policies
• Passing score on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam
• Pay $129 for examination and $40 every two years to renew certification (20 hours of continuing education also is required for renewal)

Accreditation

Wake Tech's Pharmacy Technology program is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. The program is operated in compliance with their standards for accredited pharmacy technician education and training programs.

The program also is a recognized PTCB education and training program.