Pharmacy Technician

Certificate Program

The California State University, East Bay Pharmacy Technician Certificate prepares aspiring pharmacy technicians for entry-level positions in this critical and fast-growing field. Students who complete the certificate also will be ready to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board's (PTCB) National Certification Exam.

Offered in partnership with Gatlin Education Services, our certificate's online-only format makes it convenient for anyone in the world, not just those who live or work in the San Francisco East Bay Area. In addition to the comprehensive online coursework, those who take advantage of Cal State East Bay's program will gain practical experience by performing clinical rotations at retail and hospital pharmacies of their choice.

Program Objectives

• To prepare graduates for entry-level pharmacy technician positions.
• To give graduates an understanding of medical and pharmaceutical terminology and the pharmacology of medications in relation to the anatomy they affect.
• To give graduates familiarity with the federal and state laws that govern pharmacy.
• To provide graduates a strong grasp of the differences between hospital and retail pharmacy environments.
• To give graduates the ability to communicate effectively with patients and medical professionals.
• To equip graduates with the skill and confidence necessary to excel in the range of responsibilities they will assume as pharmacy technicians, from interpreting physician orders and prescriptions and preparing and distributing medications to performing pharmaceutical calculations, processing insurance billing and controlling inventory.
• To provide graduates the knowledge necessary to meet the highest standards of professionalism, confidentiality and ethics.
• To prepare graduates to sit for the PTCB National Certification Exam.

Who Should Attend

• Individuals interested in becoming pharmacy technicians.
• Individuals interested in changing careers to become pharmacy technicians.

Program Highlights