Pharmacy Technician Programs in Fort Worth, TX
Pharmacy technicians play a very important role in assisting patients and making the job of a pharmacist much easier. As demands for prescription medication grows, there'll be an increased need for pharmaceutical services.
A pharmacy technician serves as a bridge between the pharmacist and a patient. They perform functions like measuring the amount of medication for prescriptions, package and label prescriptions, answer customer phone calls and more. But you must meet certain requirements to practice legally in Texas.
Texas Pharmacy Technician Requirements
Like many other states, Texas regulates pharmacy technicians. Working in any pharmacy in Texas requires that you have a license. The only exceptions being trainees, pharmacy technician employees for at least 10 years straight, and pharmacy technicians working in rural counties with no more than 50,000 inhabitants, provided you meet a number of conditions.
There is a requirement for license renewal every 2 years, and completion of at least 20 contact hours during renewal, except for those who maintain a PTCB certification. The registrations fees are $99, and $62 for pharmacy technicians and trainees respectively.
These are the requirements to be a legitimate pharmacy technician in Texas.
- Trainees must have a High School Diploma, GED, or an equivalent
- Both trainees and pharmacy technicians must be willing to take a criminal background check and submit fingerprint info.
- Pharmacy technicians must have PTCB certification
- Must complete and submit an application form requesting to be registered.
- There is no age requirement for both
What does a pharmacy tech make a year in Fort Worth?
Pharmacy technicians in Fort Worth make an average hourly wage of $17.18 and a mean yearly wage of $34,980. The mean hourly and annual wages in Fort Worth are slightly higher than Texas’s average wages of $17.13/hour and $35,110 annually. However, both are slightly higher than the national average of $33,950.
10% of pharmacy technicians in Fort Worth earn $23,090 or less annually, while another 10% make $49,470 or more. In Texas, 10% of workers earn at most $25,480 annually and another 10% earns $48,090 within the same period. Contrasting these figures to the 10% in America who earn a maximum of $24,120 and another 10% earning a minimum of $49,130, it is clear that the overall figures in Texas are higher than the national averages, which in turn are higher than those of Fort Worth – but only slightly.
Job Outlook for Pharmacy Techs in Fort Worth
At a staggering 422,300 employees in 2019, pharmacy technician jobs in the USA is projected to grow by 4% until 2029 – a 15,200 employment change within ten years. This growth is attributed to increase in demand for prescription medications, which typically requires the services of pharmacy technicians.
Texas has the highest number of pharmacy technicians in the United States. Of the 422,300 pharmacy technicians nationwide in 2019, 38,550 worked in Texas. And then in Fort Worth, there were 11,840 pharmacy technicians.
Pharmacy Technician Schools in Fort Worth
A number of schools offer pharmacy technician training in Fort Worth. Most are affordable and take between a few months to 2 years depending on the complexity of the program.
Tarrant County College District [Fort Worth]
300 Trinity Campus Circle Fort Worth, TX 76102 | 
817-515-8223
The duration of time you spend in this program depends on some choices you make. To obtain an occupational skill award without any extras, you'll study for 232 - 311 certificate hours. Without clinical, the program takes only 232 certificate hours, but with clinical, the duration jumps to 312 certificate hours.
The training program at this school is accredited by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. There's a financial aid option and the courses are delivered at the Trinity River campus.
The program teaches you the fundamentals of community pharmacy technician norms and procedures. The six courses in this training program are listed below:
- Introduction Pharmacy Technician
- Pharmacotherapy & Disease
- Drug Classification
- Pharmacy Mathematics
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Review
If you take the clinical option, the hands-on experience will help you better master the skills. You can also take a certification exam after your program. The total tuition fee for all six courses is $1,255.
To be eligible for this training program, you must meet the following criteria:
- Have a High School Diploma, GED or an equivalent
- If applicable, provide a passing score of TABE (https://tabetest.com/) test.
- Comply with Texas's State Board of Pharmacy regulations.
- You may visit the website for a detailed instruction on how to apply.
Remington College [Dallas Campus]
1800 Eastgate Dr, Garland, TX 75041 | 1-800-208-1950
The program is offered by a non-profit college and teaches students the basics of drug interactions, medical abbreviations, and managing patients. Students will be drilled on the basics of anatomy and physiology, career development, law and ethics of pharmacy, and first aid treatment. Students also have the option to practice what they've learnt in a simulated pharmacy environment. Lectures for this program are offered online and on campus in three locations.
- Pharmacy Practice
- Dosage Calculation
- Therapeutics, Prescription Entry, and Billing
- Therapeutics and Pharmacy Law
- Therapeutics and Medical Safety
- Health Science Essentials
Every pharmacy technician program by the Remington College has been accredited by ASHP except for the Online Campus pharmacy technician diploma program.
The program costs $21,045 and spans 49 weeks, with free study materials. There are financial aid options about which the staff guide students. According to information on the website, the typical graduate leaves with $14,594 in debt, and 75% of those get jobs. This program meets license requirements of all states in America except for Nevada, Ohio, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia.
Students with disabilities are provided suitable physical accommodation at the campuses and accessibility to facilities. Some branches of this school can also admit foreign non-immigrant students at no additional cost.
CCI Training Center [Arlington]
770 E Road to Six Flags,Suite 140 Arlington,TX 76011 | (972) 846-8796
This program holds both online and on-campus. Students can choose between day or night schedules and will work collaboratively under the supervision of an instructor. The collaborative learning arrangement is to ensure that all students get a hands-on experience and progress together. The training program is comprehensive and hands-on.
There's a well-equipped lab to help you learn how to use capsules, solutions, coloring, flavoring, and more, to formulate medicines and work with clinical equipment. At the conclusion of this program, students begin an externship. Your hands-on experiences and externship will set you up for success in the work environment. Aside from this, the course also prepares you to take any certification exams and be successful. You'll learn to:
- Process prescription requests from patients and doctors’ offices
- Measure medication amounts accurately
- Package and label prescriptions for patients, hospital staff, doctors, etc.
- Establish and maintain records relating to patients’ prescriptions
- Take payments for prescriptions
- Process insurance claims
- Assist with the pharmacy’s inventory
And below is the coursework you are obliged to complete:
Computer Fundamentals: You'll learn to use computer in a business setting. There'll be lessons on Microsoft Word, spreadsheets, Microsoft Excel, and how to use the computer for basic functions like printing, internet research, document scan, and more.
Other mandatory courses include: Allied Health Math, Pharmacy Calculations, Pharmacology, Phlebotomy, CPR, Medical Law, Ethics and Professionalism and many more. You can access the full list on the official website.
University of Texas Arlington – Division for Enterprise Development
106 W 6th St Arlington, Texas 76010 | 817-272-2581
You can become a pharmacy technician by joining this program which prepares you to work in such an environment. There’re both classroom and practical aspects of study, which includes mastering the skills to assist a pharmacist dispense medication, maintain inventory, assess medication orders, handle customers and phone calls, and many other functions of a pharmacy technician. At the end of your program, the school awards you a certificate of completion from the University of Texas, which qualifies you to take the PTCB exam.
The program spans a total of 200 hours (120 hours in classroom, the other 80 for internship). You must meet one requirement to be eligible: A High School Diploma or its equivalent.
Aside from other charges for drug screen and immunization, the school charges a $50 registration fee. In total, you should expect to spend at least $224 + $4500 before completing this program. This amount appears to exclude fees for textbooks, lab coat, CPR certification, and personal liability insurance. The net amount could be approaching $5500 by the time you’re done.
Classes hold Mondays and Wednesday with Monday classes taking place online via zoom. Wednesday classes hold on campus as it involves hands-on skills and training.
Sources
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pharmacy Technicians, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacy-technicians.htm