Pharmacy technician certificate program begins next month at SUNY Orange

OCCC to offer program though Continuing and Professional Education Division MIDDLETOWN —SUNY Orange will unveil a new Pharmacy Technician Certification program this January, offering health care staffers in the Hudson Valley the opportunity to expand their educational base, professional resume and employment options. The 75-hour, non-credit program will be administered by the College’s Business Solutions and Professional Development division, preparing students to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board exam. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has indicated a rising need for pharmacy technicians in the coming years, particularly for those technicians who have passed their certification exam and possess previous work experience. Pharmacy technicians work in retail pharmacies, hospitals, home infusion pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, long-term care facilities, clinics and other health care settings under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. The course will be taught by Dennis Greenwald, a retired pharmacist and long-time member of the Educational Foundation of SUNY Orange. Registrants for the course must have completed some math and science courses in high school or beyond in order to be successful in the Pharmacy Technician program. Course content includes medical terminology specific to the pharmacy, reading and interpreting prescriptions, defining drugs by brand and generic names, dosage calculations and conversions, intravenous flow rates, drug compounding, dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control, and billing and reimbursement. For more information, contact SUNY Orange’s Continuing and Professional Education division at 845-341-4770 or log on to www.sunyorange.edu.