Pharmacy Technology

What is a pharmacy technician and what do they do? Pharmacy technicians assist licensed pharmacists prepare prescription medications, provide customer service, and perform administrative duties within a pharmacy setting. Pharmacy technicians generally are responsible for receiving prescription requests, counting tablets, and labeling bottles, perform administrative functions such as answering phones, stocking shelves, and operating cash registers.

• Delivery: Combination of daytime, hybrid, and online classes
• Start: Fall Semester, Full-Time
• Location: Nursing Allied Health Campus

Accreditation Information

The pharmacy technician program conducted by South Texas College, McAllen, Texas is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

Accreditation Services Office
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
4500 East West Highway, Suite 900
Bethesda, MD 20814
(866)279-0681
asd@ashp.org

PTCB-Recognized Sterile Compounding Education/Training Program

The Pharmacy Technology program at South Texas College is a Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)-Recognized Sterile Compounding Education/Training Program.

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
2215 Constitution Avenue NW, Suite 101
Washington, DC 20037
ptcb.org

Get Started at STC.

Apply Now Request Info

1-855-Go-To-STC

Selective/Competitive Entry Disclaimer

Admission Criteria

1. Participate in the required Prospective Student Information Session at the Nursing and Allied Health Campus. For the session schedule, access the information on the Pharmacy Technology Program website online at  https://nah.southtexascollege.edu/pharm/.
2. Be admitted to the college as a high school graduate or GED equivalent, except for dual credit students.
3. Meet TSI College Readiness Standards, or meet TSI exemption standards. If the student qualifies for exemption, college-readiness scores for Reading, Writing, and Math are required for accreditation purposes.
4. Earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for all courses completed at STC or, if currently a high school student, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale on the high school transcript.
5. Be 18-years of age or older for practicum experiences.
6. Pass a criminal background check, 10-panel drug screen through approved providers, and complete all required immunizations including Hepatitis B series. For more information on these requirements, visit the Clinical Affairs website at  https://nah.southtexascollege.edu/clinical_affairs.html.
7. Meet the NAH Functional Abilities Standards on the Clinical Affairs website.
8. Submit a completed program application by the stated deadline.

Note: Please see program web page for additional information regarding the application process at https://nah.southtexascollege.edu/.

Additional Information and Requirements

Program Estimated Cost

• Associate of Applied Science: $14,258.00.

Program Dismissal Policy

Students may be dismissed from the Pharmacy Technology program according to the following criteria:

1. Failure to comply with the clinical standards and standards of professional conduct outlined in the South Texas College Student Handbook/Code of Conduct, the Nursing and Allied Health Division Handbook, and the Pharmacy Technology Program Handbook.
2. Failure to complete all program courses in a semester with a final course grade of “C” or better.
3. The Texas State Board of Pharmacy refuses to issue pharmacy technician trainee registration or revokes or suspends pharmacy technician trainee registration at any time during the Pharmacy Technology program course of study.

Clinical Requirements

• Clinical requirements include a criminal background check, current immunization status, clear tuberculosis screen, a drug and alcohol urine screen, current CPR status, current accident/health insurance, meeting technical standards of the Pharmacy Technology Program, and maintenance of a COMPLIO account throughout the program.Find more information at https://nah.southtexascollege.edu/clinical_affairs.html.
• The Texas State Board of Pharmacy requires a separate fingerprint based criminal background check for application as a pharmacy technician trainee. A negative background check performed through South Texas College does not imply the Texas State Board of Pharmacy will not deny pharmacy technician registration if it determines there is an issue in the student’s criminal background.
• South Texas College Pharmacy Technology Program students must apply for registration with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy as a pharmacy technician trainee during the second semester of the program.  Texas law requires pharmacy technician students to be registered pharmacy technician trainees to attend practicum in pharmacies registered with the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.  This trainee registration requires the student to apply to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy and submit fingerprints for a criminal background check.

Gainful Employment - Licensure

Requirements for Texas State Board of Pharmacy Registration

• Candidates for registration as a pharmacy technician in Texas must submit an application to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, proof of certification by a national organization such as the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), and fingerprints for a criminal background check.

Requirements for National Certification

• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) requires candidates to:
  1. have a high school diploma or equivalent educational diploma (e.g., GED or foreign diploma) or be within 60 days of completion.
  2. fully disclose all criminal and State Board of Pharmacy registration or licensure actions.
  3. comply with all applicable PTCB certification policies.
  4. achieve a passing score on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE).

• National Healthcareer Association (NHA) awards Pharmacy Technician Certification for candidates who:
  1. are within 60 days or less of completing a high school diploma or equivalent such as a GED or foreign diploma.
  2. complete a pharmacy technician training program offered by an accredited or state-recognized institution or provider, any branch of the U.S. Military, employer, or a national pharmacy association recognized by the respective state’s Board of Pharmacy and approved by the candidate’s employer.
  3. meets the work experience criteria of 1200 hours of supervised pharmacy related work experience within any 1 year in the last 3 years, if 5 years or more have passed since the candidate completed a training program.
  4. achieves a passing score on the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians.

PTCE Pass Rate

• Degree Plans

  View Catalog

• Faculty

  Faculty

  Name	E-mail	Phone	Location
  Dr. Garza, Theresa	tmgarza	956-872-3102	NAHC East 106
  Rodriguez, Roger	rrodriguez_4029	956-872-3003	NAHC West 3.305
  Zuniga, Crystal	czuniga_4815	956-872-3018	NAHC West 3.306

  For faculty not listed, please contact the department.

• Staff

  Staff

  Name	E-mail	Phone	Location
  Lopez, Noah - Guided Pathway Specialist	nlopez32	956-872-3192	NAHA 100C
  Perez, Fred	fperez_5263	956-872-3194	NAHC West 3.308
  Salazar, Krystal - Faculty Secretary	ksalazar	956-872-3049	NAHB 3.304

• Career Exploration

  Work Environment

  Pharmacy technicians often work in retail, institutional, and mail-order pharmacies and have various responsibilities, depending on State rules and regulations. Technicians receive written prescription requests from patients. They also may receive prescriptions sent electronically from doctors' offices, and in some States they are permitted to process requests by phone. They must verify that the information on the prescription is complete and accurate. To prepare the prescription, technicians retrieve, count, pour, weigh, measure, and sometimes mix the medication. Then they prepare the prescription labels, select the type of container, and affix the prescription and auxiliary labels to the container. Once the prescription is filled, technicians price and file the prescription, which must be checked by a pharmacist before it is given to the patient. Technicians may establish and maintain patient profiles, as well as prepare insurance claim forms. Technicians always refer any questions regarding prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist.

  Pharmacy technicians and aides work in clean, organized, well-lighted, and well-ventilated areas. Most of their workday is spent on their feet. They may be required to lift heavy boxes or to use stepladders to retrieve supplies from high shelves.

  Technicians and aides often have varying schedules that include nights, weekends, and holidays. In facilities that are open 24 hours a day, such as hospital pharmacies, technicians and aides may be required to work nights. Many technicians and aides work part time.

  Salary Data

  National median wage: $19.37/hr; $40,30/year (BLS, August 2024)
  Texas median wage: $20.67/hr; $42,990/year (BLS, August 2024)
  McAllen, Edinburg, Mission Metropolitan Area median wage: $17.86/hr; $37,140/year (BLS, August 2024)
  Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pharmacy Technicians, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacy-technicians.htm (visited August 26, 2024).

• Resources

  Download

  • Prospective Student Information

  Useful Links

  • Texas State Board of Pharmacy
  • American Society of Health System Pharmacists
  • Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
  • National Healthcareer Association