Pharmacy Technician Programs in St. Louis, MO
Statistics show that demand for pharmacy technicians will continue to rise in the United States. As of May 2019, pharmacy technician job was growing at 4% annually.
A pharmacy technician assists a pharmacist. From packaging and labelling to filing a prescription and answering customer phone calls, pharmacy technicians play a critical role in satisfying patients. And it isn’t hard to become a pharmacy technician in Missouri. Just fulfill certain requirements.
Missouri Pharmacy Technician Requirements
The state of Missouri regulates the activities of pharmacy technicians. Each practitioner must be registered with the Missouri Board of Pharmacy before practicing at any pharmacy in the state. In sharp contrast to many other states, the state of Missouri does not recognize any of the national certification exams for pharmacy technician. That means no certification is required. However, you need a license, which is only obtainable after registration.
You are required to renew the registration by May 31 of each year, and you can always verify your license’s status on the Board’s website. Below are the requirements for a pharmacy technician license in Missouri:
- Be willing to undergo a criminal background check, and show proof of fingerprinting including a receipt by 3M/Cogent
- Submit a written application to the State Board of Pharmacy towards registration as a pharmacy technician
- Be ready to pay a $35 non-refundable registration fee
- Include a recent passport-size photograph
- Duly sign and notarize the application before submission
How much does a certified pharmacy technician make in St. Louis?
The job outlook in Missouri is positive due to an increased demand for prescription medications that creates a need for more pharmaceutical services. Jobs for pharmacy technicians in America is projected to grow by 4% from 2019 to 2029 – a 15,200 employment change. The expected growth is fueled by the increase in demand for prescription medications and pharmaceutical services.
As of May 2019, America had 420,400 pharmacy technicians, with some 10,900 in Missouri and 5,090 in St. Louis, MO-IL. Workers in St. Louis receive an average hourly wage of $15.52 and a mean yearly wage is $33,880. In Missouri, the average hourly rate is $14.71 and the yearly average wage is $31,230 – both of which are slightly lower than the averages in St. Louis. In contrast, the yearly average wage for pharmacy technicians in the United States is $33,950.
10% of pharmacy technicians in St. Louis, MO-IL, earn $24,070 or less, and another 10% earn $46,820 or more. In Missouri, 10% of workers earn a maximum of $21,550 and another 10% earns a minimum annual wage of $45,700. Then 10% of workers in the U.S earn at most $24,120 with another 10% making $49,130 or more yearly.
Pharmacy Technician Schools in St. Louis, MO
There are pharmacy technician programs offered by accredited institutions in Missouri. These programs are affordable and typically take a few months to 2 years to complete.
Below are schools in St. Louis that offer such programs.
St. Louis College of Health Careers
4260 Shoreline Drive, St. Louis, MO 63045 | 
314-344-4440
The pharmacy technician program at this college aims to equip candidates with all they need to succeed as pharmacy technicians in less than one year. Students will learn to assist pharmacists in processing prescriptions, record keeping, etc. By the time a student graduates, they should be able to find work in a pharmacy, hospital, mail order setting, and many other places employing pharmacy technicians.
The college offers a diploma and AAS degree program and both qualifies you to apply for any certification exam (NHA or the PTCB) and license.
The program is divided into two semesters. The first semester spans 270 hours and caries 17 credit units. Courses for the first semester include:
- Human Biology Theory
- Human Biology Lab
- Medical Terminology
- Psychology
- Professional Development
- Technical Math
The second semester takes 225 hours and a separate 135 hours for Pharmacy Externship. It carries a total of 14 credit units and teaches the following courses:
- Pharmacy Fundamental Skills I & II Theory
- Pharmacy Fundamental Skills I & II Lab
Once a student applies and is accepted, they need to pay a $50 enrollment fee along with a personally signed enrollment agreement. The program is offered on-campus and students can apply online. The website of this school is very easy to navigate. You can browse the course catalog for a more in-depth information on the offerings.
St. Louis Community College
300 South Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102 | 314-539-5000
The pharmacy technician certificate course offered at St. Louis Community College will equip you with the skills and knowledge to qualify for work in a pharmacy even without a certification in as little as 12 months. It also prepares you for any exams in case you ever need to get a certification such as the PTCB. Tuition fees are $2,495, which includes a voucher that covers the PTCB exam fee. You'll get a certificate award upon conclusion, and the certificate qualifies you to apply for a 100+ hour externship.
The course is offered online and teaches you medical and pharmaceutical terminology, the basics in pharmacology of medication, and pharmaceutical calculations. You'll also get a hands-on practice in retail pharmacy procedures via a lab module online. It also gives you the information necessary to process prescriptions, physical orders, and fill mock prescriptions. You'll also learn the ethics of pharmacy practices relating to prescription medications, charges and reimbursement, patient care and interaction.
Pretty much everything you need to pass the PTCB is included in this course. You're required to complete a virtual externship. There's also an optional 100-hour clinical externship for states that require it.
The prerequisites include a 35WPM typing speed, basic understand of Microsoft Word, and a good command of the English language. A basic understanding of High School math is a plus.
St. Charles Community College
4601 Mid Rivers Mall Drive, Cottleville, MO 63376 | 636-922-8000
St. Charles Community College offers a 12-week course taught by licensed pharmacists and provides the knowledge students need to succeed as pharmacy technicians. Students will be learning drug interactions and classification, physiology, pharmacy calculations, medical terminology and compounding. Only students 17 years and above are qualified to enroll, and they must present documentation of High School Graduation. Every candidate must apply to St. Charles Community College before they can register.
Successful students will be awarded a certificate of completion from St. Charles Community College and be eligible for national certification exams. Interested candidates can apply in person at the SCC or through email. You must have your copy of High School Diploma to apply in person, or download and fill a registration form to apply via email. This program is non-credit, and can be taken online or on-campus. The tuition is non-refundable and non-transferable. You'll pay a $765 tuition fee at the time of enrollment.
The program has a much shorter duration than others in the same city and costs far less than what other schools charge.
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
Other school guides and locations