Pharmacy Technician Program

The Health Sciences Education Pharmacy Technician Program at IU Health is:

1 of 2 AHSP accredited programs in Indiana
Graduates are prepared for work in both hospital and retail settings
Accelerated, complete in only 4 months
The least expensive program in Indiana
The only accredited program located in Indianapolis

Pharmacy technicians are skilled professionals qualified through education to perform duties to assist pharmacists in a variety of pharmacy settings such as hospitals and retail pharmacies.

The responsibilities of a pharmacy technician can include preparing IV admixtures, tube feedings, investigational drugs, controlled substances, and cytotoxic/hazardous medications. They also assist with functions required for prescription processing including answering telephones, taking refill orders, receiving and entering prescriptions into the computer system, selecting medications and preparing prescriptions for the pharmacist's final check. Pharmacy technicians also serve as liaison's between third party payers, patients, families, physicians and nurses.

What They Do

Pharmacy technicians are skilled professionals qualified through education to perform duties to assist pharmacists in a variety of pharmacy settings such as hospitals and retail pharmacies.

The responsibilities of a pharmacy technician can include preparing IV admixtures, tube feedings, investigational drugs, controlled substances, and cytotoxic/hazardous medications. They also assist with functions required for prescription processing including answering telephones, taking refill orders, receiving and entering prescriptions into the computer system, selecting medications and preparing prescriptions for the pharmacist's final check. Pharmacy technicians also serve as liaison's between third party payers, patients, families, physicians and nurses.

Pharmacy Technician Duties

2024 Application Deadline: September 29, 2023
2024 Program Start Date: January 8, 2024

Key Dates

2024 Application Deadline: September 29, 2023
2024 Program Start Date: January 8, 2024

Complete our accelerated Pharmacy Technician Program in just 4 months. The program runs on a hybrid model allowing students to be at home for live online lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, and in class on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Fridays for the first 12 weeks. Typical hours are full-time days between 8 am - 3:30 pm.

Students will be placed in clinical rotation sites full-time during the last 6 weeks of the program for real hands on experience with typical hours between 6:30 am- 3:30 pm for their hospital rotation and 8 am - 6 pm for their outpatient rotation.

Duration of Program

Complete our accelerated Pharmacy Technician Program in just 4 months. The program runs on a hybrid model allowing students to be at home for live online lectures Mondays and Wednesdays, and in class on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Fridays for the first 12 weeks. Typical hours are full-time days between 8 am - 3:30 pm.

Students will be placed in clinical rotation sites full-time during the last 6 weeks of the program for real hands on experience with typical hours between 6:30 am- 3:30 pm for their hospital rotation and 8 am - 6 pm for their outpatient rotation.

$2,100 plus books/uniforms/fees

Cost

$2,100 plus books/uniforms/fees

Minimum 18 years of age by the start of the program
High school diploma or GED

Prerequisites

Minimum 18 years of age by the start of the program
High school diploma or GED

The program has been nationally accredited since 1999 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists/Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ASHP/ACPE).

Upon successful completion of the program, students are awarded a certificate and are also prepared to sit for the national certification exam given by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Students who pass this become Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT).

Accreditation and Certification

The program has been nationally accredited since 1999 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists/Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ASHP/ACPE).

Upon successful completion of the program, students are awarded a certificate and are also prepared to sit for the national certification exam given by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Students who pass this become Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT).

The overall Pharmacy Technician Certification Board exam pass rate for our graduates since May 2012 is 95 percent.

PTCB Exam Pass Rates

The overall Pharmacy Technician Certification Board exam pass rate for our graduates since May 2012 is 95 percent.

Upon completion of the program eligible students may apply to Vincennes University and could receive credit towards an Associate of Science degree in Pharmacy Technology for graduating from the IU Health Pharmacy Technician Program.

Vincennes University Crosswalk

Upon completion of the program eligible students may apply to Vincennes University and could receive credit towards an Associate of Science degree in Pharmacy Technology for graduating from the IU Health Pharmacy Technician Program.

Program Courses: Pharmaceutical Calculations, Pharmacy Practice for Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians, Sterile Products Laboratory, Dispensing Laboratory, Pharmacy Law, Professionalism for Technicians, National Certification Exam Review, and Clinical Practicum for the Pharmacy Technicians

Program courses are currently being delivered as a combination of live online lectures and in person labs.

Students must have:

Personal access to a computer with administrative rights for downloading and installing software applications and extensions if needed.
Web cam if computer does not already have one built-in.
Reliable internet access.
USB flash drive.
USB headset with microphone or a functional computer microphone.

Summary, Course of Study

Program Courses: Pharmaceutical Calculations, Pharmacy Practice for Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians, Sterile Products Laboratory, Dispensing Laboratory, Pharmacy Law, Professionalism for Technicians, National Certification Exam Review, and Clinical Practicum for the Pharmacy Technicians

Program courses are currently being delivered as a combination of live online lectures and in person labs.

Students must have:

Personal access to a computer with administrative rights for downloading and installing software applications and extensions if needed.
Web cam if computer does not already have one built-in.
Reliable internet access.
USB flash drive.
USB headset with microphone or a functional computer microphone.

Read, write, understand and verbally communicate in fluent English (includes questioning a patient, relaying information to others and receiving information)
Stand, walk or sit for up to eight hours a day, five days a week
Carry, reach, stoop and lift up to 30 pounds (putting away orders, making deliveries to floors)
Have sufficient manual dexterity (using a computer keyboard, handling needles and syringes, opening medication bottles)
Have a visual acuity (either on your own or with corrective lenses) that enables you to read information printed on medication labels and have sufficient color vision to recognize differences in pills and colors of solutions
Have an auditory acuity (either on your own or with auditory aids) that allows you to understand a normal speaking voice without seeing the speaker's face
Show proof of personal health insurance coverage for the duration of the program, or be willing to sign a waiver of insurance form

Technical Standards

Read, write, understand and verbally communicate in fluent English (includes questioning a patient, relaying information to others and receiving information)
Stand, walk or sit for up to eight hours a day, five days a week
Carry, reach, stoop and lift up to 30 pounds (putting away orders, making deliveries to floors)
Have sufficient manual dexterity (using a computer keyboard, handling needles and syringes, opening medication bottles)
Have a visual acuity (either on your own or with corrective lenses) that enables you to read information printed on medication labels and have sufficient color vision to recognize differences in pills and colors of solutions
Have an auditory acuity (either on your own or with auditory aids) that allows you to understand a normal speaking voice without seeing the speaker's face
Show proof of personal health insurance coverage for the duration of the program, or be willing to sign a waiver of insurance form

If interested in applying, please click the links below to download the program booklet, application, and reference form:

2024 program applications & booklets will be available July 1st, 2023.
2023 Pharmacy Technician Booklet

You may also request an application packet be mailed or you may pick up information in person.

Contact information:

Email: jfoxlee@iuhealth.org

IU Health Methodist Hospital
Wile Hall, Room 629
1812 N. Capitol Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Pharmacy Technician Program Director:

Jennie Fox-Lee, MHA, CPhT
Phone: 317.962.0919

Application/Contact Information