Academic Catalog

PHT 200L: PHARMACY TECHNICIAN AS A CAREER

Foothill College Course Outline of Record

Foothill College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2026
Units: 1
Hours: 1 lecture per week (12 total per quarter)
Advisory: Demonstrated proficiency in English by placement via multiple measures OR through an equivalent placement process OR completion of ESLL 125 & ESLL 249.
Degree & Credit Status: Non-Degree-Applicable Credit Course
Foothill GE: Non-GE
Transferable: None
Grade Type: Letter Grade (Request for Pass/No Pass)
Repeatability: Not Repeatable

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Evaluate the pros and cons of the role of the pharmacy technician in providing health care by utilizing interviews of pharmacy personnel during a pharmacy visitation.
  • State the technical standards, program schedule and accreditation and legal requirements of the Foothill College Pharmacy Technician Program.

Description

Introduction to the pharmaceutical sciences and the functions of a pharmacy technician in health care. Role of the pharmacy technician, areas of specialization in the field, technical standards, state registration requirements, and employment opportunities.

Course Objectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Identify the components of an accredited Pharmacy Technician curriculum and describe the requirements for successful completion of the Foothill College Pharmacy Technology Program.
  2. State the requirements and explain the application process for the Foothill College Pharmacy Technician Program.
  3. Describe orally and in writing the role of the pharmacy technician in various health care settings.
  4. Discuss the technical standards and demands and role of the pharmacy technician.
  5. Describe in writing the state requirements for registration.
  6. Orally present the results of a pharmacy visitation and and what is required of a pharmacy technician from an expert in the profession.

Course Content

  1. Foothill Pharmacy Technician Program
    1. ASHP/ACPE (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists/Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education) curriculum
    2. Course requirements
      1. Prerequisites
      2. Program coursework
      3. Lecture courses
      4. Lab courses
      5. Grading policies
    3. Financial requirements
    4. Transportation requirements
    5. Externships
    6. Vaccination requirements for health career professions
    7. Background check requirements
  2. Foothill College Pharmacy Technician admission criteria
    1. Application process
  3. Role of the pharmacy technician in various health care settings
    1. Outpatient/retail setting
    2. Inpatient/hospital setting
    3. Specialized pharmacy settings
      1. Hospice/oncology
      2. Skilled nursing facilities
      3. Compounding pharmacy
      4. Mail order pharmacy
  4. Standards of the pharmacy technician profession
    1. Desirable characteristics of a pharmacy technician
      1. Personality traits
      2. Professional behavioral requirements and expectations
    2. Technical standards
    3. Job responsibilities and duties
    4. Pharmacy health care ethics
    5. Wages/salary range
      1. Local and surrounding wages
      2. Out of state
      3. Wage differential based on pharmacy setting
    6. Job opportunities
      1. Levels of job satisfaction
      2. Other pharmacy tech-related job opportunities
  5. Requirements for California State License
    1. Specific state registration requirements
    2. PTCE/ExCPT (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam/Exam for Certified Pharmacy Technicians) national pharmacy technician certification testing
  6. Pharmacy visitation
    1. Interview with pharmacy staff
      1. Pharmacy technician
      2. Pharmacist

Lab Content

Not applicable.

Special Facilities and/or Equipment

Pharmacy technology laboratory, audio visual aids, pharmacy clinical sites.

Method(s) of Evaluation

Methods of Evaluation may include but are not limited to the following:

Written research paper
Oral presentation
Class discussion participation
Collaborative learning

Method(s) of Instruction

Methods of Instruction may include but are not limited to the following:

Lecture
Class discussion

Representative Text(s) and Other Materials

Instructor-generated materials.

Types and/or Examples of Required Reading, Writing, and Outside of Class Assignments

  1. Review of reading packet, assigned online references.
  2. Individual reports (written and oral), based on research and field trip interviews at pharmacies.

Discipline(s)

Pharmacy Technology