Pharmacy Technician

• Pharmacy Technician Certificate

Program Description
The program is designed to prepare students for careers as pharmacy technicians in hospital, retail, mail order pharmacies and other pharmacy related industries. Students receive classroom, laboratory and practical experience covering all aspects of the profession. Included in the laboratory portions of the program is a 45-hour content-specific block of instruction dealing with the preparation of sterile intravenous products as required by the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy.

Career and Advancement Opportunities
The Pharmacy Technician program has a 100% placement rate for its graduates. Jobs are available in hospitals, retail and specialty pharmacies. Graduates are eligible to take the National Certification exam for pharmacy technicians. Graduates who have taken the certification exam have consistently scored higher than the national average. Students planning to continue their educations at higher education institutions are encouraged to take CHEM 111/112L and COMM 221.

Special Requirements
Students are required to have a New Mexico driver’s license, PPD and current immunizations (including DTP and MMR). Students may be required to undergo routine drug screening and a criminal background check prior to beginning their clinical experience.
Students with a criminal background may have limited employment opportunities in healthcare and public service. Those who have a felony conviction should refer to the relevant New Mexico legislation (NMSA, Section 29-17-5 for healthcare employees available at http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/05%20Regular/final/HB0627.pdf). Students should also contact appropriate credentialing or licensing agencies and local or regional industry for hiring and employment practices. Contact the HWPS Division Office at (505) 224-4111 for more information.
Students interested in certain Health, Wellness and Public Safety Division programs must be in good physical and psychological health. Some programs require documentation of a recent health screening from a licensed healthcare provider confirming the ability to safely perform program specific activities and lift a minimum of 50 pounds. Reasonable accommodations are made for those students with disabilities. However, some  disabilities may prohibit students from completing program specific competencies or gaining employment. Students with a disability that may interfere with completing program competencies, which may include providing safe patient care, are advised to contact the HWPS Division Office at (505) 224-4111 for more information.
There is a $35 program fee for the purchase of one lab coat and a name tag.

All Health, Wellness & Public Safety Division career and technical courses required for graduation must be taken for a traditional grade of A, B or C. For Health, Wellness & Public Safety career and technical courses offered only for credit/no credit, a grade of credit (CR) must be earned.

Graduation Policy
Health, Wellness & Public Safety Division students must graduate under the current catalog.

• Pre- and corequisites are listed in course descriptions and are subject to change with each new catalog. It is the student’s responsibility to meet the pre- and/or corequisites in effect for the term in which a course is taken, regardless of the catalog under which the student entered or will graduate. Students may be stopped from enrolling or may be disenrolled if pre- or corequisites are not met.
• Students who have successfully completed courses that no longer exist from previous catalogs will be accommodated. Contact the division at (505) 224-4111 for more information.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Program information is available from the program director, Douglas Scribner at (505) 224-4168, dscribner@cnm. edu, or from Academic Advisement and Career development at (505) 224-4321.