TWENTY STUDENTS GRADUATE FROM BLINN PHARMACY TECHNICIAN PROGRAM
Twenty students recently completed the Blinn College District Pharmacy Technician Program and are prepared to seek national licensure.
Pharmacy technicians measure, mix, count out, label, and record medication dosages according to prescription orders. They work closely with pharmacists to answer patient questions and correctly identify and manage medication inventory. Pharmacy technicians are employed in hospitals, pharmaceutical laboratories, mail-order pharmacies, and other pharmacy settings. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technicians earn a median salary of $35,100 per year.
The recent graduates include Crystal Brantley (Bryan), Kimberly Brown (Normangee), Steven Cherry (Brenham), Lucas Cunningham (Madisonville), Cassie Dabney (Mexia), Renee Gegantoca (College Station), Tamara Gnecco (Bocca Raton, Fla.), Katy Goodman (Bellville), Haley Gronewald (College Station), Kayleigh Hamilton (College Station), Ignacio Jimenez (Bryan), Ellie Jones (Bryan), Karen Lopez (Caldwell), Reagan Nguyen (College Station), Brianna Normore (De Soto), Jacqueline Paquette-Davis (Bryan), Whitney Pratt (Bryan), Sarah Redd (College Station), Christy Tucker (Somerville), and Debra Womac (College Station).
“Pharmacy technicians are instrumental members of the healthcare industry and fulfill a vital role in ensuring optimal patient care through medication adherence,” said Karla Flanagan, Dean of Technical and Community Education.
Blinn’s 160-hour Pharmacy Technician Program currently is offered online. Classes include pharmacology, pharmacy law and regulations, sterile and non-sterile compounding, medical safety, quality assurance, medication order entry, inventory management, billing, and information services. The total cost for the program is $1,450.
Blinn’s program is certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Graduates are eligible to take the National PTCB Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam. After they pass the national exam, students can obtain their state licensure from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.
The Pharmacy Technician Program is part of Blinn’s Division of Technical and Community Education, which includes courses designed to provide students with the knowledge and ability they need to enter the workforce immediately after completion. Many of these classes do not require a high school diploma. For non-credit courses, students do not need to go through the College’s admissions process to enroll.
The next offering of Blinn’s Pharmacy Technician Program begins Monday, June 7. Students must first participate in a mandatory online healthcare information session before registering.
For more information, visit www.blinn.edu/pharmacy-technician.
(Story courtesy Richard Bray, Blinn Information)