ASU-Beebe Pharmacy Tech Program Earns Accreditation
09/10/2015
BEEBE, Ark. – The Arkansas State University-Beebe Pharmacy Technician Science program has earned the distinction of a six-year full accreditation from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
Jennifer Morton, director of the ASU-Beebe Pharmacy Technician program, said “In July, we were notified of the six-year accreditation … this is great news since many programs do not receive accreditation for this long of a period.”
The accreditation indicates that the Pharmacy Technician program is operating at, or above, their standards. Students are learning the material needed as per third-party standards.
Additionally, the accreditation affirms that graduates’ credentials will be recognized as being from an institution that meets the highest level of national standards for pharmacy technician programs. Prospective employers will be able to look at a graduate’s diploma and know that the student has met standards set at the national level.
ASU-Beebe Pharmacy Technician second-year student Blake Lucas of Cabot practices counting Atenolol 50 mg tablets to fill a patient order.
The Pharmacy Technician Program offers a two-year building block approach, offering the student a hands-on educational experience that prepares the student to succeed on the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam toward designation as a CPhT. With basic and intermediate level competencies developed within a well-rounded curriculum, this certification will give the graduate a definitive edge when entering the highly competitive fields of pharmacy and pharmaceuticals.
Beginning in 2020, Arkansas pharmacy technicians will no longer be able to take the national certification exam without first having completed an ASHP/ACPE accredited program. The jobs that require certification have an estimated salary of $14 to $15 an hour, or approximately $31,000 a year.
Pharmacy Technician program courses offered include Medical Terminology, Federal/State Pharmacy Law, Pharmacy Math, Pharmacy Fundamentals, Pharmacology geared toward Technicians, Over The Counter Drugs/Devices, Anatomy, Aseptic Technique and Compounding, along with clinical rotation in an actual pharmacy setting. Additionally, classes are held on Tuesdays and Thursdays to accommodate most schedules.
“Due to the continued national shortage in pharmacy, and the increasing number of our population taking medications, there is a greater demand than ever for qualified pharmacy technicians,” said Morton. Pharmacy settings include retail, hospital, mail-order, institutional operations, compounding centers, and home infusion centers.
Pharmacy technicians are in demand for both full-time and part-time positions, making this career a flexible choice. Based on industry statistics, the Bureau of Labor projects a 15% to 21% increase in demand for pharmacy technicians by 2022.
For more than 70 years, ASHP has helped pharmacists who practice in hospitals and health systems improve medication use and enhance patient safety. The Society's 40,000 members include pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who practice in inpatient, outpatient, home-care, and long-term-care settings, as well as pharmacy students. For more information about ASHP, view the website athttp://www.ashp.org/menu/AboutUs/ForPress#sthash.nJJnx9ag.dpuf
For more information about the ASU-Beebe Pharmacy Technician Science program, call the program office at (501) 882-8896 or the Advanced Technology/Allied at 882-8822, or visit the website at www.asub.edu.
Arkansas State University-Beebe is an operationally separate, two-year institution of the Arkansas State University System. With campuses located in Beebe, Heber Springs, Searcy, and Little Rock Air Force Base, the university offers associate degrees, certificates, and non-credit training for business and industry. The Beebe campus also collaborates with Arkansas State, a four-year university in Jonesboro, to offer baccalaureate and graduate degrees on the Beebe campus.
