The Virginia Board of Pharmacy requires all pharmacy technician candidates in Virginia to complete an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited course. Bremo Pharmacy’s technician training course is updated with a curriculum to meet ASHP requirements that took effect on July 1, 2022. After passing the course, a diploma will be issued and students will be eligible to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam. Bremo Pharmacy’s course is an approved training course by Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). The PTCB exam is required to become a licensed technician in Virginia.
Required Hours of Training:
Full course consists of 407 credit hours in 3 portions:
- Didactic Portion (Online) – Learn at your own pace with a combination of resources such as videos and reading assignments through our online portal. Our instructional staff will be available to answer questions and assist in content. Additional help and tutoring is available by request. – 132 hours
- Simulation Portion (In-person classroom) – Practice pharmacy technician skills in an in-person classroom setting. It involves 7 in-person days on a rotating schedule of Fridays 8am-4:30pm at our Office & Training Center. This simulation portion is taught by our own experienced technicians and pharmacists. – 51 hours
- Internship Portion (In-pharmacy practice) – Perform supervised pharmacy technician duties in a real pharmacy setting. – 224 hours
Requirements for Course Enrollment:
- 18 years of age.
- Passing score of 70% or higher on reading comprehension and math pre assessment exams.
- Technology requirements: All students must have access to a computer and internet with capabilities to view and hear video demonstrations.
Course Length
While the course will take 400 hours, the timeframe for completion is flexible, especially during the online didactic portion. Bremo Pharmacy expects most students to complete the course within 12 months. The Virginia Board of Pharmacy requires the course to be completed within 2-years of enrollment.
Tuition:
Bremo Pharmacy accepts tuition payments from corporate sponsorships, employers, or other organizations on behalf of a student.
Check with your employer for tuition assistance or employer-paid programs and opportunities.
Enrollment:
Take the pre-assessments then register for the course using the link above. A score of 70% or above on the pre-assessments are required prior to submitting registration and tuition payments. Pre assessments are at no cost and no commitment to the student.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is a pharmacy technician?
Pharmacy technicians are critical members of the healthcare team and are essential to providing patients with safe and effective medication therapy. A pharmacy technician works closely with pharmacists and other healthcare professionals in diverse settings such as hospitals, clinics, and community pharmacies. Technicians perform vital functions to support the patient care efforts of the pharmacy team with roles and responsibilities that continue to expand and evolve.
Why become a pharmacy technician?
Diverse career opportunities exist for full-time and part-time work as a pharmacy technician.
- Health services are one of the largest industries in the country, with more than 11 million jobs, including the self-employed.
- Ten out of 20 occupations projected to grow the fastest are concentrated in health services.
- Healthcare occupations are projected to grow more jobs than any other occupational groups from 2018 to 2028.
Pharmacy technicians are currently in very high demand and this demand is expected to continue. As pharmacies expand patient care services, the role of and need for pharmacy technicians will also grow.
Pharmacy technician employment is anticipated to develop quickly because of the growing use of medications as a treatment for patients. Additionally, a larger amount of middle-aged and elderly people — who typically use more healthcare services — will drive the need for technicians in all practice surroundings.
With the appropriate amount of training and experience, pharmacy technicians may be promoted to supervisory roles, may seek specialization (e.g., sterile compounding, informatics), or may pursue further education and training to become a pharmacist. Technicians can gain specialized skills in areas such as sterile compounding, pharmacy automation, hazardous drug management, revenue cycle management, health (including telehealth) information systems, and vaccine administration. An ASHP survey of pharmacy practice managers revealed 56 percent of organizations offer career advancement opportunities for technicians. In an ASHP survey of pharmacy technicians, 81 percent indicated they expect to perform duties of a pharmacy technician for five or more years.
Learn more about salary potential for pharmacy technicians in Virginia for entry-level here and supervisor roles here.
What does an ASHP accredited course mean?
Accreditation is a system for declaring that a program or institution meets established quality standards to provide assurance and confidence to the public.
The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)/Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) is the only nationally-recognized, non-governmental, non-profit pharmacy association that accredits pharmacy residencies and pharmacy technician training programs in the United States.
The Virginia Board of Pharmacy requires all pharmacy technician candidates in Virginia to complete an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited course as of July 1, 2022. Bremo Pharmacy updated our technician training curriculum to meet new ASHP requirements.
After passing the course, a diploma will be issued and students will be eligible to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam.
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists(ASHP) has an entry level and an advanced level accreditation. Bremo Pharmacy's technician training course is an entry-level program only.
- The entry-level program prepares students for practice as entry-level pharmacy technicians in a variety of contemporary settings (e.g., community, hospital, home care, long-term care) and has students acquire knowledge, skills, behaviors, and abilities needed for such practice. The advanced-level program prepares students for practice as advanced-level technicians, in a broad range of advanced roles in a variety of contemporary settings and has students acquire additional knowledge, skills, behaviors, and abilities beyond those of the entry-level technician, needed for such advanced practice.
Why take Bremo Pharmacy's technician training course?
Bremo Pharmacy's Pharmacy Technician Training Course is designed and maintained by our own experienced pharmacy technicians and pharmacists. We've been an independent pharmacy operating in Richmond, VA since 1976. We believe our experience is valuable to pharmacy technicians pursuing a career. Education is an important part to our company, as we also provide other courses in our training center and have had our Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) approved pharmacy technician training course since 2001.
What's the difference between entry level and advanced level accreditation?
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists(ASHP) has an entry level and an advanced level accreditation.
Bremo Pharmacy's technician training course is an entry-level program only.
The entry-level program prepares students for practice as entry-level pharmacy technicians in a variety of contemporary settings (e.g., community, hospital, home care, long-term care) and has students acquire knowledge, skills, behaviors, and abilities needed for such practice. The advanced-level program prepares students for practice as advanced-level technicians, in a broad range of advanced roles in a variety of contemporary settings and has students acquire additional knowledge, skills, behaviors, and abilities beyond those of the entry-level technician, needed for such advanced practice.
More information about the experiential internship.
The experiential internship is an in-person training in a pharmacy.
Currently, Bremo Pharmacy is the only approved training site. If you are a pharmacy in the State of Virginia looking for new-hire training or interested in being an approved internship training site, please contact our course director by sending a message here or calling 804-285-8055 ext 130.
Can I work in a pharmacy while enrolled in the course?
Technician candidates are allowed to work in a pharmacy while enrolled in the training course, however, those hours do not count towards internship hours. Virginia Board of Pharmacy Technician in Training Registration Information
Current Students:
Bremo Pharmacy Training Center
2002 Staples Mill Road
Richmond, VA 23230
804-285-8055
Conveniently located on the GRTC bus line.
Free parking available.
Accreditation Status: We are currently a candidate for accreditation from American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
Bremo Pharmacy utilizes the Pharmacy Technician University Curriculum. 82% of graduates from other programs using this curriculum have passed the national pharmacy exam.
