With the rapid expansion of the healthcare industry in north Houston, skilled healthcare professionals in fields that may be overlooked are in high-demand. Lone Star College-North Harris is helping to address this need by offering an AAS degree or certificate training in pharmacy technology.
Pharmacy technicians are needed virtually everywhere in the country. Many pharmacy techs work in retail pharmacies such as Walgreens, while others work in hospitals and clinics and for pharmaceutical companies. Other industries such as educational institutions, the military, insurance companies and nursing homes also need pharmacy technicians.
Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist to assist with maintaining records, filling and dispensing routine prescriptions and medication orders, maintaining inventories of drug supplies, preparing sterile compound products, accepting prescriptions and refill requests and providing assistance to the customers and patients specific to the pharmacy practice setting.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of pharmacy technicians is projected to grow 9 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. In addition, the increased demand for prescription medications will lead to more demand for pharmaceutical services.
“The pharmacy technology certificate program at LSC-North Harris provides an excellent introduction to the pharmacy profession and prepares graduates for the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination,” said Dr. Bill Drees, dean of instruction for Health and Human Services at LSC-North Harris.
Students can begin with an evening program that starts in the spring semester and runs for 12-months, or a traditional 10-month, daytime program during the fall semester.
The evening program begins January 2017 through December 2017, Monday through Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m. The day program begins August 2017 through July 2018, Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to noon.
For more information, call Kenya Hicks at 281.765.7957.
Lone Star College-North Harris is located at 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, one-half mile south of FM 1960 East, between Aldine-Westfield and Hardy Roads. For more information about the college, call 281.618.5400 or visit LoneStar.edu/NorthHarris.
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 98,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of $3.1 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.
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