This course prepares students with the knowledge and skills required for employment as a pharmacy technician or pharmacy clerk. It focuses on academics, technical skills, and employability practices essential in the pharmacy profession. In the second semester, students who have a “B” or above and meet all requirements are allowed to begin a Pharmacy Technician internship at a local Walgreens Pharmacy. Students will develop personal and professional skills in the classroom that will transfer to the workplace:

• Medical and pharmaceutical terminology
• Anatomy and physiology
• Medications associated with disease states
• Mathematical and pharmaceutical calculations
• Pharmaceutical/Metric conversions
• Orientation to pharmacy technology
• Basic pharmacy principles and practice
• Scope of practice of the pharmacy team
• Patient confidentiality (HIPAA)
• Inter-professional patient competencies
• Strategies for student success
• Professionalism and ethical behavior in the health care environment
• Interpersonal communications
• Skills for collaborative practice in the health care profession
• Employability skills

Earned Outside of (Following) the Class

• PTCB (National Pharmacy Technician Certification)
• Pharmacy License with the California State Board of Pharmacy

Class Benefits

• 30 high school credits earned for the year
• Training preparation for a job as a pharmacy technician
• Internships are available during the second semester for qualified students

Certifications Earned Within the Class

• Certificate of completion
• CPR Certification

Job Opportunities Upon Completion

• Pharmacy Technician (Retail setting i.e., Walgreens)
• Pharmacy Clerk

About the Instructor

Helena Polanco has more than 29 years of pharmacy experience. She started working in the pharmacy at Walgreens while still in high school at the age of 16. Polanco completed the Pharmacy Technician Training Program from Hartnell College and has been a Licensed Pharmacy Technician in the State of California since 2000. In 2003, she became a nationally Certified Pharmacy Technician receiving her PTCB credential. Polanco has worked in many different pharmacy settings including retail and managed health care. She is also a member of the Pharmacy Technician Educators Council and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy.

Why do you teach Career and Technical Education? 

I love teaching CTE because I want students to know that pharmacy is so much more than counting pills.The profession of pharmacy is so diverse and there are countless pathways to explore with patient care being at the heart of it all. Students should know that as a future pharmacy professional, they are an integral part of the healthcare team.