2023-2024 Catalog [Aug. 2023-Aug. 2024]
Pharmacy Technician (5771) (C.C.)
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Career Certificate (Clock Hour program)
This is a Limited Access program.
Florida Board of Pharmacy Provider Number RPPT407
Mission/Purpose
The program is designed to prepare students for employment as competent, confident entry-level pharmacy technicians in a non-discriminatory and supportive learning environment. The program is aligned with the Florida Board of Education State Frameworks and facilitates learning that can be applied in an array of pharmacy practice settings.
The Program
The program emphasis is on the health care industry and focuses on planning, management, finance, technical, and production skills, underlying principles of technology, labor issues, community issues, and health, safety, and environmental issues. The content of the program includes but is not limited to metric system, medical terminology, medicinal drugs, pharmaceutical compounding, USP 795 standards, sterile techniques, USP 797 standards, maintenance of inventory, IV preparation, receiving and handling of hazardous drug materials, preparing purchase orders, receiving and checking supplies purchased, printing labels, typing prescription labels, delivering medications, pricing prescription drug orders and supplies, prepackaging unit dose packages, patient record systems, control records, data processing automation in pharmacy, computer application, employability skills, leadership, and human relations skills, health and safety, including CPR.
A minimum grade of C or higher must be achieved in all professional coursework.
Internships/Externships/Rotations/Fieldwork
Clinical externships are scheduled in various healthcare settings and are a required part of your program of study to assist you in obtaining hands-on experience in your chosen discipline while learning in your student role.
The Career
Pharmacy technician is a growing profession with an array of career opportunities in various pharmacy practice settings such as general medical and surgical hospitals, electronic shopping and mail-order houses, offices of physicians, outpatient care centers, home health care services, other hospitals, psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals, commercial goods merchant wholesalers, and offices of other health practitioners.
Certification/Licensing
Upon completion of an approved program, completers are encouraged to take the National Pharmacy Technician Certification (NPTC) exam offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. This certification is highly recommended in obtaining employment. To work in the state of Florida, a pharmacy technician must be registered. Program completers who are successful on the Certified Pharmacy Technician exam can apply for registration through the Florida Board of Pharmacy. Program completers who are successful on the Certified Pharmacy Technician exam can apply for registration through the Florida Board of Pharmacy. The annual pass rate of first-time test takers on the NPTCC for this institution is 93% and for the most recent thirteen-year period can be found on the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board website at ptcb.org/about-ptcb/annual-progress-report#.VE-2F01OX4a.
For more information about the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, visit ptcb.org.
For more information about the Florida Board of Pharmacy, visit floridaspharmacy.gov.
Application Procedure
Admission to this program is limited and is based on academic performance and other criteria.
Adult Basic Skills are a major criterion in a student’s completion of the program. In order to earn the Career Certificate, students must achieve or surpass the designated exit score(s) on an approved adult basic skills assessment or qualify for a waiver. Visit fscj.edu/assessment-and-certification/available-assessments for program exit scores. College Assessment and Certification locations and information can be found at fscj.edu/assessment. For students who need assistance in order to meet the exit requirement(s), the College offers remediation through tutoring, referral to online resources and/or completion of Academic Skills Building (ASB) coursework in Mathematics and Reasoning through Language Arts.
Upon acceptance into the pharmacy technician program:
- Successful completion of the background and drug screening process will be required upon acceptance into the program.
- A physical examination will be required upon acceptance into the program. Practicum experience is required part of the Pharmacy Technician program. In order to participate in a hospital or medical office-based clinical, a student will be expected to submit health history information (physical exam), proof of immunizations, proof of immunity, successful drug screen, and background screening. To ensure employability in the widest possible manner, all students are required to submit drug screening and criminal background check results and a physical exam to the Pharmacy Technician program prior to enrolling.
In order to obtain licensing as a Pharmacy Technician, a student will be expected to submit health history information. To ensure employability in the widest possible manner, all students are required to submit a physical exam to the Pharmacy Technician program prior to enrolling.
Some practice settings may have additional requirements including health insurance, a volunteer application, references, fingerprinting and background check, drug testing, and/or an interview prior to the start of the clinical experience. The additional requirements are the responsibility of the student, including expenses.
The cost of the background check(s) and drug screen(s) is borne by the student. Additionally, it is the student’s responsibility to have all paperwork completed by the program’s published deadline.
It is recommended that students have a conference with the program advisor prior to applying to the program. To meet the minimum requirements for consideration and acceptance to the Pharmacy Technician program, students must:
- Complete a Florida State College at Jacksonville application.
- Complete a Pharmacy Technician program application.
- Provide evidence of current CPR certification (adult, child and infant) achieved through an American Heart Association approved Basic Life Support (BLS) course for Health Care Providers that includes hands-on simulated experiences. Find AMA-approved courses at bit.ly/AMA-cpr.
- Submit one of the following to student records:
- An official (unopened) high school completion transcript (no diplomas); or
- An official copy of GED® test scores (a copy will be made and the original returned to the applicant); or
- College transcript (a minimum of 12 college credits must have been completed if using college GPA). Note: Florida State College at Jacksonville transcripts can be unofficial. Transcripts from outside colleges must be official (unopened).
GED® and GED Testing Service® are registered trademarks of the American Council on Education (ACE). They may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of ACE or GED Testing Service® at ged.com. The GED® and GED Testing Service® brands are administered by GED Testing Service LLC® under license from the American Council on Education.
Application Deadline(s)
The application deadline is May 15 each year with classes starting in fall term.
Need More Information? Contact:
(904) 997-2526 or elysia.cochran@fscj.edu.
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Curriculum
Professional Coursework
A minimum grade of C or higher is required in all Professional coursework.
Total Contact Hours: 1,050
Record of Conviction of a Crime
Effective July 1, 2009, pursuant to Section 456.0635, Florida Statutes, health care review boards shall refuse to renew a license, certificate or registration, issue a license, certificate or registration and shall refuse to admit a candidate for examination if the applicant has been convicted or plead guilty or nolo contendere, regardless of adjudication, to a felony violation of: chapters 409, 817, or 893, Florida Statutes; or 21 U.S.C. ss. 801-970 or 42 U.S.C. ss. 1395-1396, unless the sentence and any probation or pleas ended more than 15 years prior to the application, terminated for cause from Florida Medicaid Program (unless the applicant has been in good standing for the most recent five years) or terminated for cause by any other State Medicaid Program or the Medicare Program (unless the termination was at least 20 years prior to the date of the application and the applicant has been in good standing with the program for the most recent five years). The Florida nursing or allied health licensure or certification application requires disclosure of any criminal history and the disposition of all cases prior to board review. Being convicted of, or having entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, any of the listed felonies in Florida Statute 456.0635 or termination for cause from the statutorily-described Medicaid programs will preclude an applicant from obtaining a nursing or allied health license or certification in the state of Florida. Entry and acceptance into the nursing or allied health program does not guarantee licensure or certification in the state of Florida.
Criminal Background Check and Drug Screen
Most clinical agencies require students to undergo drug screen and criminal background checks prior to placement in the agencies for clinical experiences. Students whose drug screening and criminal background checks are deemed unsatisfactory may be denied access to clinical experiences by the clinical agencies. Failure to qualify for and meet clinical requirements at clinical sites may prevent completion of the program. Withdrawal from the program may be necessary if students cannot be placed for clinical experiences.
Some practice settings may have additional requirements including health insurance, a volunteer application, references, additional fingerprinting and background check (e.g. the Jessica Lunsford Act for school environments), drug testing, flu shot, Covid-19 testing/vaccine and/or an interview prior to the start of the clinical experience. The additional requirements are the responsibility of the student, including expenses.
The cost of the background check(s) and drug screen(s) is borne by the student. Additionally, it is the student’s responsibility to have all paperwork completed by the program’s published deadline.
Students who are unable to complete the clinical requirements after acceptance into Limited Access or Selective Access programs are not eligible for refunds of tuition and fees.
A physical examination will be required upon acceptance to the program. It is the students’ responsibility to renew their annual physical examination as well as tuberculosis (TB) test.
Graduation Requirements
In order to be awarded a career certificate, students must have met the following requirements.
- Fulfill all academic requirements for the chosen program of study as outlined in the Florida State College at Jacksonville catalog and curriculum.
- Earn the required number of clock hours for the chosen program of study with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) on a 4.0 scale on all courses that apply to the chosen program of study.
- Complete a minimum of 25 percent of the total clock hours required for a certificate’s program requirements as a student at Florida State College at Jacksonville.
- Fulfill all obligations, financial or otherwise, to the College before graduating.
- Meet or exceed the program’s exit score requirement(s), if applicable, or meet the criteria to earn a waiver.
Note: Students are cautioned to pay particular attention to the following statements.
- A student’s graduation date will be the date of the end of the College term in which the student has fulfilled all academic requirements. (The removal of an incomplete grade does not affect students’ graduation dates, since the grade change is effective at the end of the term in which the incomplete grade was assigned rather than the term in which the incomplete work was made up.)
- Students who enter under the (2023/2024) catalog will be assigned to the degree or certificate requirements in effect during the 2023/2024 academic year. The student’s assigned catalog year will remain in effect as long as the student maintains continuous enrollment. Changes to requirements as mandated by law or by rule of the District Board of Trustees may supersede this provision.
- Many courses in this catalog have prerequisite requirements and/or corequisite courses listed in the course descriptions. Students are advised to be guided by these requirements.
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