Pharmacy technician classes available at STCC

Date: 1/31/2011

SPRINGFIELD — The Center for Business and Technology (CBT) at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) has announced that applications are now being accepted for their popular Professional Pharmacy Technician Program.

According to Mary Breeding, assistant vice president of economic and business development at STCC, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to increase significantly during the next few years as the increased number of middle-aged and elderly people — who use more prescription drugs than younger people — will spur demand for technicians. Annual salaries range from $23,000-$30,000 in the greater Springfield area.The 105-hour Professional Pharmacy Technician Program is designed to teach students the fundamentals and particulars of being a pharmacy technician and has been designated as an approved training program by the MA Board of Registration in Pharmacy.

The program is geared toward a variety of students including those interested in becoming pharmacy technicians, pre-pharmacy students, or those with a healthcare background looking to strengthen their current skills. This class introduces students to various pharmacy practice settings and covers drug classes, basic physiology, drug interactions and daily pharmacy operations.

Although on the job training is still an essential part of pharmacy training, this course will train individuals to effectively assist in pharmaceutical preparations and complete daily required tasks in any pharmacy environment. This class will introduce students to various pharmacy practice settings and will intensively cover drug classes, basic physiology, drug interactions, and daily pharmacy operation. This program provides participants with a preparation for national certification exams and meets the requirements of the Massachusetts and Connecticut Boards of Pharmacy for the registration of Pharmacy Technicians.

Interested individuals should go to http://cbt.stcc.edu or call CBT at 755-4502 or 755-4225 to enroll.