Six-to-nine month, part-time hybrid program

This entry-level pharmacy technician training program will teach you the skills needed to work confidently alongside pharmacists in various pharmacy settings. As a pharmacy technician, you will work in places such as community, hospital, mail order, infusion and long-term care pharmacies.

The demand for pharmacy technicians is growing as the role of pharmacists expands to include more direct patient care. Pharmacy technicians need broad knowledge and skills in preparing and dispensing prescriptions, managing medication inventory, processing insurance claims and more. Graduates from our program will be valuable members of the health care team, supporting pharmacists in providing safe and effective medication therapy.

By using innovative instructional strategies and hands-on training, our learners will be prepared to become an integral part of the pharmacy profession as pharmacy technicians and become assets to the practice of pharmacy.

This self-paced program involves 400 hours of online instructional coursework, in-person and virtual simulations and experiential rotations, including:

• 160 hours self-paced online learning
• 80 hours of scheduled live and virtual simulations
• 160 hours of experiential (on-the-job) training

Class size: 10 learners per class

By the date of enrollment, those interested in enrolling in this program must:

• Be at least 18 years old
• Have an unofficial or official high school diploma or GED certificate
• Complete our math and reading assessments successfully prior to acceptance into the program
• Possess English language proficiency (reading, writing and speaking)
• Possess basic computer skills and have access to high-speed internet
• Successfully complete criminal background screening, drug screening and requested vaccination documentation
  • For pharmacy technician licensure in Virginia, candidates must not have had a history of drug-related crimes
• Be eligible for registration as a pharmacy technician trainee per the Virginia Board of Pharmacy regulations (cost: $20)
  • See the Pharmacy Technician Trainee Registration Site and select "Pharmacy Technicians and Trainees" from the Forms drop-down menu

This program adheres to VCU's general policy governing admission and enrollment, including its nondiscrimination statement.

Program Fee: $2,500

• Includes access to our online learning management system (LMS), ASHP PharmTech Ready didactic curriculum along with videos, virtual simulations, in-person simulations, assessments and readings   
• Ongoing guidance from the staff and availability to answer questions during the program
• Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam Voucher: included in the cost of the program upon successful completion of program within the 6-to-9-month program scheduled timeline (or in the timeframe agreed upon by the learner and course director). Failure to meet these requirements may render the learner ineligible for an exam voucher. If you require a modification to the 6-to-9-month program timeline, please email the program director prior to your course start date.

There are no refunds available for the Pharmacy Technician Training Program.

Payment Options:

• Payment in full upon acceptance into the program
• Pay $1,250 upon acceptance into the program and $1,250 prior to first scheduled simulation (approximately 4-6 weeks into the program)
• Employer sponsored – The employer pays upfront for the student to enroll into the program while employed for employer

The Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy Pharmacy Technician Training program is an entry-level pharmacy technician training program.

As mandated by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy, prospective pharmacy technician candidates in Virginia must complete an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)/Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited pharmacy technician education and training program. Our program, in ASHP/ACPE candidate status for accreditation, meticulously follows the curriculum requirements mandated by ASHP/ACPE.

Upon successful program completion, participants will receive a certificate of completion, becoming eligible to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board exam — a prerequisite for licensure.