Certification, advanced training programs prepare pharmacy technicians for workforce

WASHINGTON — The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board said that its certification and advanced training programs, developed by the Pharmacy Technician Workforce Coalition of the Triad, support the development of a highly skilled pharmacy technician workforce in North Carolina.

The coalition’s two-year associate of applied science degree training program includes curriculum that covers pharmaceutical calculations, medical terminology, computer systems and critical thinking skills. The PTCB said the program prepares a “highly trained” and PTCB-certified pharmacy technician workforce to take on new medication distribution and administrative tasks. The coalition comprises health-system pharmacy employers and local community colleges.

“Graduates of the AAS program are qualified, have an appreciation for the work pharmacists do and are eager to support and take ownership in patient care services,” Novant Health VP pharmacy services and chief pharmacy officer Michael Nnadi said. “We have seen unprecedented response from community colleges.”