Pharmacy Technician
Admission
Admission into the program is on a FIRST QUALIFIED, FIRST ACCEPTED basis. The program has limited enrollment and you are strongly encouraged to register early to secure a seat.
Qualification or completion of both English 100 (Expository Writing) and Math 82 or higher are required for entry into this program. If you have not completed college-level English and math courses, you may take the ACCUPLACER or EdReady placement tests offered through our testing center at KCC. Minimum reading and math placement scores are required as noted above and valid within the last two years. Relevant course substitutions may be considered. Please inquire with the program coordinator.
Licensure & Certification
Students successfully completing the entire course (both classroom and externship) will receive a Certificate of Competence from KCC. Graduates will also be eligible to sit for the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination offered through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Those passing this exam will be given the designation of CPhT, or Certified Pharmacy Technician.
Spring 2024
January 22nd, 2024 to May 2nd, 2024
w/ Pharmacy Externship to follow
Online classes meet on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays 6:30pm-9:30pm with externship conducted at a pharmacy
The UH System has the Good Jobs Hawai‘i tuition stipend for those who qualify. More info is provided at the information sessions.
Program Overview
The Pharmacy Technician Program is a 240 hour non-credit program that prepares students with no background in the field for the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination offered through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).
Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in serving patients (receiving, processing, and filling prescriptions and medication orders; determining charges and obtaining reimbursements, including insurance and Medicare payments), maintaining medication and inventory control systems, and participating in the administration and management of the pharmacy practice. Graduates may find work at retail or hospital pharmacies.
The online class portion is approximately four months with in-person pharmacy externship to follow and consists of two parts as follows:
- Part 1 Pharmacy Technician Foundations —120 hours
- Part 2 Pharmacy Technician Externship —120 hours
The Part 1 Pharmacy Technician Foundations course includes online lecture.
The Part 2 Pharmacy Technician Externship course includes lab practice, lecture, test preparation, and externship hours at a pharmacy site. During externship, students have a wide range of days and times to choose from with the various community pharmacy sites. To qualify for participation in externship, a student will need to achieve a minimum of 70% on exams and other competency attainment requirements before being placed at a pharmacy site. Students are urged to complete these hours in a timely manner. A student who achieves a minimum of 70% in both Part 1 and Part 2 will earn the Certificate of Competence from Kapi`olani Community College.
To be eligible for entry into this program, the student will need to meet certain English and Math prerequisites to register. Please see the section on Program Admission.
Contact Information
- Program Coordinator: Martin Chong (808) 734-9540
Registration Procedure
As a first step, you must attend one of the following REQUIRED program information sessions listed below. They will be conducted through Zoom. Program information and expectations as well as registration and qualification procedures will be discussed. PLEASE BE PROMPT TO THE ZOOM SESSION.
Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 930 4729 9098
- November 22, 2023 Wednesday 4:00pm-5:00pm via Zoom
- December 13, 2023 Wednesday 4:00pm-5:00pm via Zoom
- January 3, 2024 Wednesday 4:00pm-5:00pm via Zoom
After you qualify for enrollment, you will be provided with online registration instructions. Once full payment has been received, you are enrolled in the program. There is limited seating and students are accepted on a First Qualified, First Accepted basis. Textbooks are provided on the first evening of class.
Note: We reserve the right to cancel the course due to insufficient enrollment or for other reasons. All dates, times, and other information may be subject to change with or without prior notice
Program Information
Refund Policy
A 100% refund is given if the cancellation of enrollment is made at least ten (10) business days before the start date of the course. A 50% refund is given if cancellation is made five to nine business days before the start of the program. No refunds will be given if cancellation is made less than five business days prior to the start of the program. Student Liability Insurance ($15) is non-refundable
Financial Aid
The tuition cost is $2300 and will include your textbook. The UH System is offering the Good Jobs Hawai‘i tuition stipend through a federal grant.
Those who qualify will be able to enroll tuition free. More information will be provided at the scheduled information sessions.
Learning Outcomes
- Understand the history and development of Pharmacy, laws and ethics
- Understand common human diseases and pathological states and its treatments
- Be able to identify the roots and origins of newly learned medical terminology including drug terms and definitions
- List factors that affect drug action and adverse effects and be able to identify common side effects of commonly prescribed drugs
- Demonstrate fluency with pharmacy calculations, dosage formulas, and solution calculations
- Demonstrate effective compounding and sterile preparations
- Demonstrate synthesis of knowledge and skills of an effective pharmacy technician to perform in a pharmacy setting under the supervision of a registered pharmacist