This study characterized pharmacy technician training programs in the United States. It found that most programs are not affiliated with the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board and do not require a pharmacist on faculty. Programs with a pharmacist on faculty had lower tuition costs and were more likely to have pharmacists teach pharmacology and pharmacy law. The study concludes that quality standards are needed to support advancing pharmacy roles and ensure high ethical standards for technicians.

1. Description of Pharmacy Technician Training
Programs in the United States
Juanita A Draime1, Douglas C Anderson2, Timothy S Anderson3
1BSPS, MA, PharmD Candidate 2016, Cedarville University; 2PharmD, DPh, Cedarville University; 3BSPharm, MPH, McBride Orthopedic Hospital
BACKGROUND
• Profession of pharmacy has advanced from apprenticeship training to doctoral level training.1
• Movement to cognitive and clinical roles created a need for “lay-helpers.”2
• In 1981, Michigan began a state-level certification program for pharmacy technicians.3
• In 1988, Illinois started a state-level certification program for pharmacy technicians.4
• The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) was created in 1995.5
• Joint effort of the ASHP, APhA, IL Council of Hospital Pharmacists, and MI Pharmacists Assoc.5
• Develops, maintains, promotes, and administers nationally accredited certification and
recertification program of pharmacy technicians.5
• For the most part, qualifications and training for pharmacy technicians are employer-determined.
• Many positions require only a high school diploma and on-the-job training.
• In 1971, ASHP HoD passed a resolution on pharmacy technician training programs accreditation.2
• In 1976, published guidelines for pharmacy technicians.2
• In 1983, accredited the first formal technician training program at Thomas Jefferson University
Hospital in Philadelphia.6
• As of 2004, 94 pharmacy technician programs were ASHP-accredited or accreditation-pending.2
• In 1988, the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) has increased the number of pharmacy technician
programs at community colleges and vocational-technical training centers.7,8
• Provides vouchers for education and training for adults, displaced workers, and youths.
• To describe the current state of pharmacy technician training programs in the United States.
• To compare differences among programs.
OBJECTIVE
METHODS
Discussion
• Changes in the pharmacy technician workforce have a significant impact on the employment of
pharmacists.
• Standards in pharmacy technician programs need to support the advanced practice roles that
pharmacists are fulfilling.
• It is essential that we have a pharmacy technician workforce that meets the high ethical
standards held by the profession of pharmacy.
Conclusions
• First study of its kind to describe and characterize the state of pharmacy technician training.
• Pharmacists are a minority of faculty in these programs and technicians are more likely to teach
pharmacology and pharmacy law.
• Having a pharmacist on faculty does not appear to adversely affect tuition prices.
• Quality of these programs in terms of student outcomes is unknown and should be explored.
• Rigorous debate and discussion is needed about the future of pharmacy technician roles and
the training required for those roles.
RESULTS
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
1. ACPE. Standards Revision 2016. Accessed at: https://www.acpe-accredit.org/deans/StandardsRevision.asp
2. History of ASHP activities for technicians. Accessed at www.ashp.org/menu/InformationFor/Technicians/History.
3. Elenbaas RM, Worthen DB. Clincal pharmacy in the United States: transformation of a profession. Lenexa, KS: American College of Clinical Pharmacy; 2009.
4. Illinois council begins work on technician certification examination. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 1987;44:470-3.
5. PTCB mission statement. Accessed at www.ptcb.org/about-ptcb#.U9-5xfldV8E, July 27, 2014.
6. Training guidelines for hospital pharmacy supportive personnel. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 1966;33(7):646-8.
7. U.S. Department of Labor. Accessed at www.doleta.gov/usworkForce/WIA/summarywia.cfm.
8. Lusby AK. The impact of the workforce investment act on technical school and community college enrollment in Louisiana. JRAP. 2010;40(2):171-9.
9. ASHP. Pharmacy technician training program directory. Accessed at accred.ashp.org/aps/pages/directory/technicianProgramDirectory.aspx, June 4, 2012.
10. Listing of programs contracted with PTCB. Accessed at www.ptcb.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Educators&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=4311, June 4, 2012.
This study was funded by a Cedarville University School of Pharmacy internal research grant. Thanks to Aleda M. H.
Chen, Pharm.D., Ph.D., for her assistance with this research project.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
REFERENCES
• The protocol was approved by the Cedarville University IRB.
• List of accredited or contracted technician programs generated from ASHP and PTCB websites.9,10
• The Internet was also searched for "pharmacy technician program" to identify any programs that
were not listed by ASHP or PTCB.
• Lists of programs were compiled into an Microsoft Excel® spreadsheet and checked for accuracy.
• Websites for individual programs were identified and searched to obtain data.
• If data were not available online, then program directors were contacted (telephone, email).
• The following data was extracted for each program:
• accreditation status
• number of students per class
• credentials of the faculty
• whether coursework in pharmacology or pharmacy law were offered
• credentials of faculty teaching pharmacology or pharmacy law
• length of the program
• tuition prices for the program
• whether there was an experiential component to the program
• criteria for admission including whether drug testing or background check were required.
• All programs for which accreditation status was undetermined were treated as unaccredited.
• SPSS v21.0 (Armonk, NY) was utilized to analyze the data.
• Statistical significance was set at =0.05.
• All comparison tests were performed using the 2 (Fisher’s Exact tests) or ANOVA, as appropriate.
64
17
135
32
7
60
32
10
75
Accredited Accredition Pending* Status Undetermined**
Demographics based on ASHP Accreditation
Total
Pharmacist on Faculty
No Pharmacist on Faculty
*ASHP accrthihngseditation pending at the time of data collection.
**Programs did not provide data on accreditation status either via their website or by survey.
p<0.704
141
7569
30
72
45
Affiliated Unaffiliated*
Demographics based on PTCB Affiliation
Total
Pharmacist on Faculty
No Pharmacist on Faculty
p<0.210
*According to PTCB, all affiliated programs are listed on their website. Programs that were not listed and failed to provide data were assumed to be unaffiliated.
175
16 25
72
15 12
103
1
13
Certificate/Diploma Associates Degree Both Options Available
Demographics based on Degree Program Offered
Total
Pharmacist on Faculty
No Pharmacist on Faculty
p<0.001*
8
31
113
34
1 8
70
20
7
23
43 44
High School Vocational,
Technical or
Career
Community
College
College or
University
Demographics based on Classification of School
Total
Pharmacist on Faculty
No Pharmacist on Faculty
*Statistically significant at α=0.05; Indicates there is a significant difference between groups.
p<0.001*
Pharmacist
38%
Pharmacy
Technician
51%
Baccaluareate
degree or
higher in
related field
1%
Pharmacist &
Pharmacy
Technician
1%
Other
9%
Breakdown of Who Teaches Pharmacology
28%
43%
3%
8%
7%
4%
7%
Breakdown of Who Teaches Pharmacy Law
Pharmacist
Pharmacy Technician
Baccaluareate degree or
higher in related field
Pharmacist & Pharmacy
Technician
Pharmacy Technician &
BA/BS degree or higher in
related field
No Pharmacy Law Class
37
55
80 44
Accredited or Pending Unaccredited
Pharmacists vs. Non-Pharmacists Teaching
Pharmacology Based on ASHP Accreditation Status
Pharmacist Non-Pharmacist
$9,278
$13,585
$8,232
Tuition Prices Bases on ASHP Accrediation
ASHP Accredited
ASHP Accreditation
Pending*
ASHP
Unaccredited** p<0.053
*ASHP accreditation pending at the time of data collection.
**Programs did not provide data on accreditation status either via their website or by survey.
$7,304
$10,323
Tuition Based on Pharmacist As Faculty
Pharmacist No Pharmacist
p<0.001*
*Statistically significant at α=0.05.
39 40
36
16 16
31
19
7
9 9
6
4 4 5
7
1
37
25
7
21
6
4 3
1
Background
check
Drug Screen Immunizations Hs Diploma or
GED
CPR or First-
Aid
Certification
TB Skin Test Physical
Examination
State
Pharmacy
Board
Registration
Program Entrance Requirements by ASHP Accreditation Status
Accredited
Accreditation
Pending**
Unaccredited***
*Statistically significant at α=0.05.
**ASHP accreditation pending at the time of data collection.
***Programs did not provide data on accreditation status either via their website or by survey.
p<0.001*
LIMITATIONS AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Limitations
• Unable to collect data from all the pharmacy technician training programs in the United States.
• Accuracy of data collected (website vs. program directors).
Future Directions
• Developing standards in technician training that supports the advancing roles of pharmacists.
• Looking at the outcomes of pharmacy technician programs versus the tuition costs paid for through
federal programs.
31
52
50
83
Accredited or Pending Unaccredited
Pharmacists vs Non-Pharmacists Teaching Pharmacy
Law Based on ASHP Accreditation Status
Pharmacist
Non-Pharmacist