Pharmacy Technician - Certificate of Completion

College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences

Department of Technology, Design and Technical Education

Federal Gainful Employment Information

The Pharmacy Technician (PhT) program is a certificate program that can be completed in one year in addition to one semester of prerequisites and an externship of a minimum of 180 hours of experiential training following didactic training. The program prepares and trains individuals for a career as a pharmacy technician. Pharmacy technicians may seek employment in a wide variety of contemporary pharmacy settings. PhTs function by assisting the pharmacist in serving patients, maintaining medication and inventory control systems, and participating in the administration and management of pharmacy practice. The Pharmacy Technician program is accredited through the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (ASHP). Upon the successful completion of coursework, students receive a Certificate of Completion from Utah State University. At that time students are eligible to submit an application and if accepted, sit for the certification through ASHP, which will allow them to become a certified pharmacy technician. Students successfully completing the program will be well prepared for a career as a pharmacy technician.

High school graduation or GED is required. A GPA of 3.0 is required for admission into the Pharmacy Technician (PhT) program. Throughout the PhT program, the student must complete coursework at a “B-” (GPA of 2.67 or higher) to meet USU Pharmacy Tech program standard guidelines.

Michele Lyman, M.S., PA-C – Director of Health Professions Programs
Andy Bayless, Doctor of Pharmacology 
Utah State University Blanding, Moab, and Price campuses

michele.lyman@usu.edu, (435) 678-8131 (Blanding)
andy.bayless@usu.edu, (435) 678-8173 (message)
teryn.lyman@usu.edu, (435) 678-8208  Health Professions Program Advisor (Blanding)

Registration Requirements

• Students interested in the Pharmacy Technician program should visit with an advisor prior to registration.
• Background checks are now processed online through the CastleBranch Compliance Tracking System. Students are required to pay a fee for this service. Drug screens will be performed on campus. If students are attending the Blanding Campus, they must pay the cashier for the drug screening and it will be completed by Health Professions staff. Vaccination records and the CPR requirement must be attached to the application. All information must be on file at the campus the student is attending. Students are advised to keep a copy of all records.     

Immunizations and Background Check Requirements     

Required Immunizations: All immunizations below are required. Administrative and Clinical Experience will not accept students that have not met immunization requirements.

• Twinrix (Hepatitis A and B series): The first injection of this series needs to be completed prior to semester one or in the initial weeks of the semester. The second injection is given one month after the first injection. The third injection is completed six months after the first injection of the series.
• MMR: Documentation of two MMR immunizations or a titer indicating immunity must be completed prior to the end of the first semester. If a student does not have childhood immunization records it is recommended that he or she begin these immunizations or obtain a titer before beginning the program. All students born after 1964 who have received their MMR immunization will require a booster.
• TB: Documentation of a recent two-step TB test is required during the initial weeks of semester one. Students can have this test up to three months before starting the program. TB tests are good for one year. If a student’s test expires prior to completion of the program, he or she will need to repeat it.
• Varicella: Students must have two chicken pox vaccinations or a titer indicating immunity.
• Tdap: Students must have at least one pertussis immunization as an adult, within the past two years.
• Meningococcal: Students must have one dose.
• Influenza: Students may be required to have this immunization seasonally as required by the facility.
• Covid: Students may be required to have a covid vaccine depending on their externship site.

Students will be required to turn in a packet to the Health Professions Programs academic advisor with all of the required records, including a copy of high school/GED documentation, any college transcripts, and the program application. On the first day of class, the Pharmacy Technician Student Contractual Agreement should be completed and turned into the instructor. Students should keep a copy of all records for their own files. The program reserves the right to require additional vaccines as stipulated by teaching healthcare facilities.

Pharmacy Technician Externship Orientation: Prior to initiating any pharmacy technician externship, students are required to complete an orientation with the sites that they will be attending for their experiential experience. At times this may require students who are completing externships at more than one pharmacy facility to attend orientations for each work site.

Externship Experience: Pharmacy technician students who demonstrate proficiency in all areas of coursework and lab settings will be placed in pharmacy externship rotations. Pharmacy technician externship rotations are a critical portion of the students’ learning experience. Therefore, students will be expected to attend all assigned pharmacy technician externship rotations without exception. Students will be responsible for their own transportation to and from their externship sites.