The College of the Canyons Pharmacy Technology program is currently accepting applications for its first 18-student cohort until Monday, June 30.

Launching in fall 2025, the program will prepare students for entry-level pharmacy technician positions across various settings, including inpatient and outpatient hospital pharmacies, retail, compounding, veterinary, and specialty pharmacies.

Students will gain knowledge and skills in pharmacology, pharmacy calculations, sterile and non-sterile compounding, and retail and institutional pharmacy operations through classroom instruction and a simulation lab.

“This program was created in response to the need for certified pharmacy technicians in our community,” said Dr. Thea Sweo Alvarado, interim assistant superintendent/vice president of instruction at the college. “The program includes a required externship to provide students with hands-on practical experience in a pharmacy environment, so they are job-ready upon completing the program.”

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for pharmacy technicians are projected to grow seven percent from 2023 to 2033, faster than the average for all occupations.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be qualified to apply for a California Pharmacy Technician license and to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) to earn the Certified Pharmacy Technician credential.

The two-semester program will include the following courses:

Introduction to Pharmacy Technology: An overview of the roles and responsibilities of pharmacy technicians in various settings.

Pharmacy Calculations: Essential mathematical skills needed to accurately prepare and dispense medication.

Pharmacology and Therapeutics for Pharmacy Technicians: Detailed study of drugs and their effects on the human body.

Community Pharmacy Operations: Training in the operational aspects of retail pharmacy practice.

Community Pharmacy Lab: Hands-on experience in a simulated retail pharmacy setting.

Institutional Pharmacy Practice: Insights into the workings of pharmacies in hospitals and other institutional settings.

Institutional Pharmacy and Sterile Compounding Lab: Advanced skills in preparing sterile medication forms, including adherence to safety standards.

Pharmacy Clinical Experience I: Practical experience in a pharmacy setting, applying learned skills under supervision.

The program will be seeking national accreditation by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

Interested applicants are encouraged to attend a Zoom information session to learn more about the program.

An information session will be held 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10.

Students must register before noon on June 10 if they wish to attend. Zoom credentials for the session will be emailed by 12:30 p.m.

For more information about the Pharmacy Technology program at COC, please visit the program’s webpage or email PharmTech@canyons.edu.