How to Become a Pharmacy Technician - Foothill College

How
to
Become
a
Pharmacist/Pharmacy
Technician
Pharmacy
Technician
Requirements
for
the
license:
• A.A.
or
A.S.
Degree
in
Pharmacy
Tech
or
completion
of
accredited
Pharmacy
Tech
training
program;
• Minimum
of
1,500
hours
as
a
Pharmacy
Clerk
OR;
• 1
year
and
minimum
of
1,500
hours
performing
duties
as
a
Pharmacy
Technician;
• License
renewal
every
2
years
According
to
the
U.S.
Bureau
of
Labor
Statistics,
the
majority
of
states
within
the
United
States
require
Pharmacy
Technicians
to
register
with
the
State
Pharmacy
Board.

Despite
this
fact,
certification
as
a
Pharmacy
Technician
is
often
not
required.
Pharmacy
Technicians
who
choose
to
earn
certification
can
take
a
national
exam
developed
by
the
Institute
for
the
Certification
of
Pharmacy
Technicians
(ICPT)
or
the
Pharmacy
Technician
Certification
Board
(PTCB).
Warnings
If
you
are
becoming
a
Pharmacy
Technician,
there
are
a
few
things
to
watch
out
for.

When
you
begin
a
job,
ask
specifically
if
shift
and
on‐call
work
will
be
required.

Some
pharmacies
require
techs
to
work
on
call
during
the
weekends,
limiting
the
time
that
they
can
spend
with
their
families.
Be
prepared,
also,
to
be
on
your
feet
all
day
at
work.
Though
most
employers
provide
carpets
to
stand
on,
standing
for
8
hours
a
day
can
cause
back
and
neck
problems.
Sources
of
Additional
Information
Pharmacists
&
Pharmacy
Technicians
must
be
licensed
through:
California
Board
of
Pharmacy
625
North
Market
Blvd.,
Suite
N219
Sacramento,
Ca

95834
(916)
574‐7900
Accreditation
Council
on
Pharmaceutical
Education
(ACPE)
20
North
Clark
Street,
Ste.
2500
Chicago,
IL

60602‐5109
www.acpe‐accredit.org
(312)
644‐3575
American
Association
of
Colleges
of
Pharmacy
(AACP)
1426
Prince
St.
Alexandria,
VA

22314‐2541
www.aacp.org
(703)
739‐2330
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