The Pharmacy Technician program is a two-year program that can be completed entirely on the NCMC campus. The courses can either be taken in the classroom or online. There are a few courses that can only be taken online that will require you to come to campus a few times during the semester to attend a lab component of that course. At the end of the program, you will do an internship course allowing you to take what you have learned in the program and apply your skills at a facility. The core pharmacy courses are comprised of four courses and they are only offered during the spring semester of odd years.
What is a Pharmacy Technician?
Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists dispense prescription medication to customers or health professionals. They work in retail pharmacies and hospitals. Pharmacy Technicians may perform the following duties: collect information needed to fill a prescription from customers or health professionals, measure amounts of medication for prescriptions, package and label prescriptions, organize inventory and alert pharmacists of shortage, accept payment for prescriptions and process insurance claims, enter customer or patient information, answer phone calls from customers, and arrange for customers to speak with pharmacists if they have questions about medications or health matters.
First Year
First Semester
| CourseID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BI240 | Anatomy | 4 |
| AH160 | Basic Medical Terminology | 3 |
| BT160 | Microcomputer Applications | 3 |
| AH106 | Math for Allied Health OR | |
| *MT122 | College Algebra OR | |
| *MT125 | Elementary Statistics | 3 |
| Total | 13 | |
Second Semester
| CourseID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BI242 | **Physiology | 4 |
| PY121 | General Psychology | 3 |
| EN101 | *English 1 | 3 |
| AH211 | Medical Law & Ethics | 3 |
| Total | 13 | |
Third Semester
| CourseID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BI100 | *General Biology | 5 |
| BT240 | Employment Strategies | 1 |
| Total | 13 | |
Second Year
First Semester
| CourseID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BT130 | Business Communication | 3 |
| SP175 | Speech OR | |
| SP220 | Interpersonal Communications | 3 |
| HI103 | *American History to 1877 OR | |
| HI104 | *American History Since 1877 OR | |
| PL216 | *National Government | 3 |
| CH107 | Introductory to Chemistry | 4 |
| Total | 13 | |
Second Semester
| CourseID | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PM101 | Pharmacy Calculations (1st 8 weeks) | 3 |
| PM105 | Pharmacy Practice I (1st 8 weeks) | 4 |
| PM205 | **Pharmacy Practice II (2nd 8 weeks) | 4 |
| PM220 | ***Pharmacy Technician Internship (2nd 8 weeks) | 4 |
| Total | 15 | |
- *Testing Required
- **These courses require another course to be taken prior
- ***Student must have “C” or above in all courses to be eligible for the internship as well as program advisor’s permission.
- Dual credit/Transfer credit – This plan is designed for students with no dual or transfer credit. If you have taken courses at other colleges, you will need to provide official transcripts to NCMC.
- Developmental Studies – This plan assumes that the student does not need to take Developmental Studies courses. Placement test scores determine whether or not the student will need to complete Developmental Studies courses. You can learn more about Developmental Studies courses in the NCMC Academic Catalog.
Upon completion of the Pharmacy Technician AAS degree, the graduate will be able to:
• Create patient profiles, prescription order entry, and fill prescriptions with acceptable speed and accuracy;
• Communicate effectively;
• Maintain records;
• Facilitate communications for third-party reimbursement;
• Compound solutions, ointments, lotions, suppositories, and other medications;
• Utilize medical terminology common to the pharmaceutical environment;
• Practice legally and ethically;
• Package and label drugs for prescription dispensing;
• Prepare parenteral admixtures under aseptic and sterile conditions; and,
• Receive and inventory drug shipments.
- Entire curriculum is available at NCMC
- 2-Year Program
- Total of 60 credit hours
- Skills and internship incorporated in curriculum
- Minimum of “C” or above required in all courses
- Requirements to do your Internship course
- “C” or above in all courses
- Program Advisor Permission
- Four-Core Pharmacy courses offered Spring semester of odd years
- Two courses first-eight weeks
- Two courses second-eight weeks
- Federally Required Disclosure on State Licensing Requirements: This program is designed to prepare students to meet Missouri licensure or certification requirements for employment. To ensure that we provide only accurate and current information, NCMC has not made a determination as to whether this program meets all current licensure or certification requirements for other states or U.S. territories. Students intending to work in other states are strongly encouraged to verify licensing and certification requirements with the appropriate state board.
Program Contact Information
Kristi Cutsinger, MBA
Program Coordinator of Health Sciences
North Central Missouri College
1301 Main Street
Trenton, MO 64683
[email protected]
(660) 357-6284
