WASHINGTON, July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Pharmacy
Technician Certification Board (PTCB) certification and
advanced training programs developed by the Pharmacy
Technician Workforce Coalition of the Triad continue to support
the development of highly-skilled pharmacy technician workforces in
North Carolina’s evolving healthcare system.

The Coalition, a collaborative effort between health-system
pharmacy employers and local community colleges, was formed to
address the ongoing quest for quality and patient care, and the
introduction of new technology, including automation, robotics, and
informatics, in the Triad region.

The two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program
in Pharmacy Technology for pharmacy technicians, developed by the Coalition with
support from the North Carolina Board of
Pharmacy and the North Carolina Association
of Pharmacists, meets these needs by preparing a highly trained
and PTCB Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) workforce to take on
select new medication distribution and administrative tasks.

The program’s comprehensive curriculum includes a range of
courses on pharmaceutical calculations, medical terminology,
computer systems, and critical thinking skills necessary for safe
preparation and distribution of medications, and 600 hours of
clinical hospital rotations under the supervision of pharmacists
and senior pharmacy technicians.

“Graduates of the AAS program are qualified, have an
appreciation for the work pharmacists do, and are eager to support
and take ownership in patient care services,” said Michael Nnadi,
BSP, PharmD, MHS, Vice President Pharmacy Services, Chief Pharmacy
Officer, Novant Health. “We have seen unprecedented response from
community colleges. Five additional communi

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