Wiregrass President DeAnnia Clements is proud to share that the college’s Pharmacy Technology program has been ranked third in the state and eighth in the nation by the Pharmacy Technician Guide.com website.
The website is designed to help those interested in the field to choose the best Pharmacy Technician programs in the state and nation. This distinction is based on a combination of tuition cost, quality of education, graduation rates, and student-friendly services offered by the schools. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of pharmacy technicians is projected to grow seven percent from 2018 to 2028, faster than the average for all occupations.
President DeAnnia Clements shared this about the program’s placement, “We are excited to be ranked #3 in the state of Georgia and #8 in the nation by Pharmacy Technician Guide again. We are very proud of the instructors and the partnerships they have formed with local pharmacies and hospitals. Our students are graduating ready to find great jobs.”
The Pharmacy Technology program is offered on the Valdosta Campus as a diploma or degree program. The occupational courses for the program can be completed in three semesters. Students’ training will consist of a combination of class, lab, and live work experience. The Basic Pharmacy Tech certificate program is a one-semester program that provides entry-level skills to be successful in a retail pharmacy setting and is accepting new students for the Spring Semester.
The Pharmacy program is recognized as an accredited program by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). The diploma program qualifies for the HOPE Career Grant, where students could receive additional grant monies that can pay for their college tuition and fees.
In addition to being ranked among the top in the state and nation, the program is an approved program to train students in compounded sterile preparation. Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs – Health Sciences/Pharmacy Technology Program Coordinator Frank Barnett added, “Wiregrass’ Pharmacy Technology Program is an approved training program. Graduates of the program are eligible to become candidates for PTCB’s Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) and Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician (CSPT) exam after one year of in-field experience. The future of pharmacy technicians is promising to continue to evolve as pharmacists are moving into other roles of medication therapy, and pharmacy technicians are being prepared to pick up the traditional roles of Pharmacists. Wiregrass Pharmacy Technology Program is prepared for the evolution of the pharmacy technician career field to meet the needs of our service area pharmacies.”
