Eleven students have completed Blinn College’s Pharmacy Technician Program.
Completing the program were Lutfun Begum, Madeleine Belinc, Madison Dishaw, Razane El Dabaja, Olivia Faires, Joey Hoang, Angelique Powell, Lauren Richmond, Shaylin Vickers, Carissa Vickers, and Melanie Wertz.
The graduates are now prepared to take the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam. Blinn is certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).
The online program consists of three courses and 160 hours of training that includes pharmacology, pharmacy law and regulations, sterile and non-sterile compounding, medical safety, quality assurance, medication order entry, inventory management, billing, and information services. Graduates are eligible to take the PTCB Pharmacy Technician Certification and/or National Healthcareer Association’s ExCPT certification.
Pharmacy technicians measure, mix, count out, label, and record medication dosages according to prescription orders.
Karla Flanagan, Dean of Technical and Community Education, said pharmacy technicians play an important role in health care.
“Pharmacy technicians are not only vital in ensuring optimal patient care through medication adherence, but also in ensuring quality assurance in the health care industry,” said Flanagan. “Certified Pharmacy Technicians work closely with pharmacists to answer patient questions and correctly identify and manage medication inventory.
“I am excited that these recent graduates have taken on this challenging career path. They will serve our communities well.”
Instructor Ashpreet Singh said the program attracts a diverse group of students.
“Some students enter this course with an undergraduate degree, some are in a health pathway and adding additional skills to their experience,” Singh said. “Some students are looking for a new trade and we have several students who recently graduated high school.”
After they pass the national exam, students can obtain their state licensure from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technicians earn a median salary of $33,950 per year.
For more information more information about Blinn’s Pharmacy Technician Program, visit www.blinn.edu/pharmacy-technician.
