Location:

Niles High School at LMC - Bertrand Crossing

Career Opportunities Include:

· Drug Company Management
· Drug Store Pharmacy
· Hospital Pharmacy
· Pharmacy Technician

GRADES: 11-12

Prerequisite: Algebra I

Class Description

The purpose of the pharmacy technology one-year certification program is to prepare the student with the knowledge and skills required to be a pharmacy technician and work under the direction of a pharmacist in various settings. These settings include the hospital, community retail, and research.

Content Areas

· Receiving Prescriptions
· Using Computers
· Inventory Control
· Taking Patient Information
· Ordering Supplies
· Filling Prescriptions/Compounding Drugs
· Working with Other Healthcare Professionals

Career Outlook

Pharmacy technicians help licensed pharmacists provide medication and other healthcare products to patients. Technicians usually perform routine tasks to help prepare prescribed medication for patients, such as counting tablets and labeling bottles. Technicians refer any questions regarding prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist.

Job opportunities are expected to be good, especially for those with certification or previous work experience.

Median hourly earnings of wage and salary pharmacy technicians in 2002 were $10.70

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics,Occupational Outlook Handbook 2004-2005 Edition.http://bls.gov/oco/