Pharmacy Technician Program
Thank you for your interest in our programs.
Join Us for an Information Session
Wednesdays: 11/20, 11/27, 12/4, 12/11, and 12/18
6:30pm - 8:30pm on Zoom: https://laccd.zoom.us/j/87079246450
For questions or updates on our information sessions, contact us at
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Chairperson Christine Tannious, Program Director |
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| Office Location SC 104 |
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Pathway |
Program Overview
The West Los Angeles College Pharmacy Technician Program can prepare you for an exciting career in this field. When you complete the required course work and meet the state requirements, you are able to obtain a State of California Pharmacy Technician license and can work in retail pharmacies, hospitals and other healthcare settings.
Pharmacy Technician is among the fastest growing occupations in California.
This exciting program can be completed in less than one year for the basic Pharmacy Technician Certificate of Achievement program and *financial aid is available to those who qualify.
West LA Colleges highly regarded Pharmacy Technician Program offers options for a Basic and/or Advanced Certificate of Achievement Program and an Associate of Science Degree Program. The Certificate of Achievement one-year program that includes 80 hours of advanced clinical training to better prepare you to work in clinical environments like hospitals and Skilled Nursing Homes.
Pharmacy Technicians primarily assist the pharmacist, review prescriptions for completeness and authenticity, help prepare and distribute medications, control inventory and place orders and assist in payment and billing. Clinical Pharmacy Technicians work as part of a healthcare team in a fast-paced environment. The work is very rewarding. Full-time Pharmacy Technicians earn between $31,000 and $44,000 per year (part-time positions also exist) and often receive benefits. Pharmacy Techs working in a clinical environment like a hospital typically earn 30-40% more per hour, up to $76,000 per year.
Our comprehensive, basic Pharmacy Technician Certificate program is comprised of 10 courses for the basic Pharmacy Technician program and totals over 490 hours of instruction, including an externship at a community pharmacy training site and 3 additional classes to complete the Pharmacy Technician Advanced Certificate of Achievement. Our program curriculum meets the requirements of the Association of Health Systems Pharmacists (ASHP).
Upon successfully completion of the Pharmacy Technician Program at West Los Angeles College, to become licensed, students are required to satisfactorily pass examination under the California State Board of Pharmacy (CSPB), becoming Licensed/Registered Pharmacy Technician. Our students have consistently obtained a high approval rate on the examination.
| Class | CSPB |
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| Pharmacy Tech. Class 2015 | 87.5% |
| Pharmacy Tech. Class 2016 | 73.3% |
Notes from alumni
"I've been accepted to Western University's College of Pharmacy PharmD program! I am so excited to start this next chapter. I want to thank you so much for your support and your guidance... I shared that I was in the process of applying to pharmacy schools and had only wanted to take 2 pharmacy tech classes to get an understanding of the field, but you encouraged me to pursue the basic certificate and get my license and for that I am so grateful. I was able to gain so much knowledge learning from you [Prof. Tannious] and Mrs. Moore, and from the externship at CVS, that allowed me to feel really prepared for my interviews and really allowed me to reach this milestone." ~ Tina Nguyen
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"Prof. Tannious, You've made a lasting impact on my life, and I will never forget your kindness and patience I am grateful for your unwavering support and encouragement...You have a special gift for making learning fun and engaging. Thank you, for all that you do while going above and beyond inspiring others in learning about what you’ve been teaching in pharmacy technician education." ~ Jean Alsamman
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