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Pharmacy Technology Program
 
Seats are available in the fall 2012 class. Act now to apply!
AAS Degree and Technical Certificate in Pharmacy Technology
both include the following Pharmacy Tech courses

 
 
Technical Education Courses
Intro to Pharmacy     3
Pharmacy Calculations    3
Pharmacology I       4
Community Pharmacy Practice       3
Institutional Pharmacy Practice    3
Aseptic Technique/Compounding    2
Pharmacology II   4
Preparing for the Profession     2
Clinical Internship    5
 
View the degree plan for the Technical Certificate in Pharmacy Technician.

View the degree plan for the Associate of Applied Science in Pharmacy Technician.

Pharmacy Tech Application Packet

Pharmacy Tech Recommendation Form
For more information on this program, please contact: Lindsay Serbousek, AAS, CPhT
Pharmacy Technology Program Specialist
101 College Drive; Hot Springs, AR  71913
P: (501) 760.6416        F: (501) 760.4183
E-Mail: lserbousek@npcc.edu

Please follow these instructions to apply for the Pharmacy Technician Program:

  1. Complete online college admissions form if you have not attended NPCC.  
  2. Complete Pharmacy Technology Application
  3. Provide copy of official high school transcript or GED. 
  4. If you have attended NPCC or another college, attach an unofficial transcript to your application.
  5. Provide a copy of COMPASS, SAT or ACT test results that has been taken within the last three years.    A copy of the test results must be attached to your application.  Admission to the Pharmacy Technology Program requires the following scores:

    English score of Compass 75 - 100 or ACT score of 19, or equivalent
    Reading score of Compass 82 - 100 or ACT score of 19, or equivalent
    Intermediate Algebra score of Compass 36 - 41 or ACT score of 19, or equivalent

  6. Provide two (2) letters of recommendation (can use form provided on web-site or have persons type or handwrite recommendations) – We do not accept recommendations from family members.  Attach all to Pharmacy Technology Application.
  7. On a separate sheet of paper, please answer the following questions, in paragraph format.  Include 1-2 paragraphs per response:
    • Give your reasons for choosing Pharmacy Technology as a career.
    • Some of the Pharmacy Technology courses are very time intensive.  What plans have you made to prepare to meet this schedule?
    • What are your plans and aspirations for the future?

All paperwork is to be completed and returned to the Pharmacy Technology Office. You will turn your completed application packet into the Title III secretary; Title III secretary is located in the Nursing Division Offices reception area on the 2nd floor in the FD Bldg.

Admission Procedures:

Admission to the Pharmacy Technology Program is selective.   The Pharmacy Technology Technical Certificate and Associate Degree programs begin in the fall of 2011 and every fall thereafter.   Application packets are available from the Title III secretary in the Frederick Dierks building (501) 760-4160 or on the web page.   Applicants must apply each year to be considered for enrollment in the Pharmacy Technology Program.

Applicants will be determined eligible for program entry based on the following criteria:

  1. Grade point averages – a minimum of 2.5 GPA on high school or College level work at time of application.
  2. ACT or Compass scores
  3. Applicants with prior health care experience.
  4. Number of general education hours completed.
  5. Letter of references
  6. Following review of the above, an interview will be conducted. 

Acceptance:

All applications will be conditional accepted.  Conditions for admissions will include:

  1. Completion of a clear criminal background check and drug screening.  Please be advised that students must pay for this testing and the cost is approximately $69.    Click here for Information regarding the policy governing background checks and drug screening. Prospective students should be aware that violation of any federal, state, or local law or conviction of a crime may prohibit the student from obtaining state registration. 
  2. Please click here for a copy of the registration application. This application states the eligibility requirements you must meet to work in a pharmacy. Please contact the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy or the NPCC Pharmacy Technician Program Director with questions about state registration eligibility.
  3. Submit a copy of Health Data Form which will reflect TB skin testing and immunization records.  It is highly recommended that students complete the HepB vaccination series.   You may begin this series of injections now as the 3 shot series HepB requires 6-months to complete. 

Why Choose Pharmacy Technology as your Career?

What is a Pharmacy Technician?

Pharmacy has expanded its role within the health care delivery system from a profession focusing on preparation and dispensing of medications, to one in which the pharmacy team provides a range of patient-centered care and monitoring services. The Pharmacy Technician Program at NPCC will provide you with the skills necessary to work in a variety of Pharmacy settings.  A pharmacy technician will perform duties such as counting, labeling and preparing medications and assisting pharmacists and other healthcare professionals in providing patient care.  Pharmacy Technicians are employed in a variety of pharmacy settings including retail, hospital, long-term care, mail order, and specialty pharmacies, as in a compounding or nuclear pharmacy. 

How long does it take to become a Pharmacy Technician?

National Park Community College offers two degree plans to fit your career goals.  The Technical Certificate degree plan is a 12-month program, beginning in the fall and continuing through the summer semester.  The Associate Degree is a 24-month program, beginning in the fall of the student’s first year and continuing through the summer semester of the second year.  The state of Arkansas does not currently have a state law mandating a technician to become educated, but states across the country are quickly adopting a law of technician education and Arkansas will adopt the law in the coming years as well.

Do I need certification or licensing?

National Park Community College’s Pharmacy Technology Programs will fully prepare students to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) offered through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) during the last semester of the program.  Upon passing a national exam, the technician is granted national certification and bear the designation of ‘CPhT.’ Certified Pharmacy Technicians maintain their certification by obtaining twenty (20) hours of Continuing Education every two years.  National Certification is voluntary in some states, but is mandatory for employment in many.  Several employers in Arkansas are only hiring certified pharmacy technicians and this trend is becoming more prevalent.  National Certification demonstrates that the technician possesses a desired level of proficiency to become a valuable and effective employee within the pharmacy.

Will I get a job and how much will I earn?

The career outlook for Pharmacy Technicians is above average for well educated and trained technicians.  The pharmacy technician job outlook is expected to grow by 31% over the next decade.  This positive job outlook for educated, trained technicians is due to the aging population, changing state laws, and the expanding role of pharmacy technicians.

The earning potential for Pharmacy Technicians across the country has a wide range of hourly wages.  The average salary range for a beginning pharmacy technician is from $19,000 to $41,000 depending on the state of practice, pharmacy setting, and job responsibilities of the position.  Arkansas’ average annual salary for pharmacy technicians in 2007 was $23,770.  The beginning hourly wages for pharmacy technicians in the Arkansas area range from $10.00 to $13.00. 

NOTE: Certified and/or educated pharmacy technicians will more than likely have higher earnings than the disclosed values above, but does depend upon the employment site and job responsibilities.

National Park Community College
Division of Nursing, Frederick Dierks Bldg
101 College Drive; Hot Springs, AR  71913
P: (501) 760.4222        F: (501) 760.4183
Website: www.npcc.edu