Pharmacy Technology Program Undergoes a Redesign
Students looking to enroll in the Piedmont Technical College pharmacy technology program will notice changes in the enrollment process for the spring semester.
Pharmacy technicians assist licensed pharmacists by providing patients with medication and health care products. Under the supervision of the pharmacists, pharmacy technicians handles all of the technical skills in the pharmacy, from medication preparation and checking for interactions to filing insurance and inventory control. Pharmacy technicians work both in retail pharmacies and hospital settings.
The pharmacy technology program will transition to a direct admission program beginning in the spring of 2015. Students who are program-ready will be admitted on a first come, first served basis.
“The main objective of this change is to give students a more direct path to graduation,” said Clay Sprouse, pharmacy technology program director. “Ultimately, we want to help students navigate and complete the program without exhausting their financial aid.”
Only those students who have completed all general education and program-ready courses may apply to the clinical portion of most of the health science programs at Piedmont Tech. Because of the number of clinical sites within the seven-county area, those programs are limited in the number of students who can enroll in the program each semester. This means that some students who apply may have to wait a semester or more before beginning the clinical phase of their program, even if they have completed their program-ready courses.
“We had a statistic that the average length of enrollment for a recent graduating class was nine semesters,” said Sprouse. “We wanted to find a way to eliminate as much of that waiting as possible.”
To be eligible to enroll in the pharmacy technology program, students must either have completed all developmental classes or achieved appropriate scores on the college’s placement test. Students then meet with their assigned academic advisor to discuss enrollment prior to the opening of VIP registration. Advisors will verify that students are program ready. Once verified, students will be given a ticket to enter the program the following semester. Students will be enrolled in the program on a first-come, first-served basis.
Students who miss the enrollment for the program can enroll in the general education courses such as English, math and computer technology to prepare them for the next enrollment period. Program enrollment periods will begin each fall and will alternate between spring and summer starts to ensure that the clinical portions of each group will not overlap and overrun the clinical sites. Admission is limited to 25 students for spring 2015 and then 20 students per start.
“We’re really excited about this change,” Sprouse said. “What we’ve done will benefit the students who are committed to completing the program.”
“I am excited that the pharmacy technology program has taken this initiative,” said Jerry Alewine, dean of health sciences. “It is important that we find a way to get students into the program as quickly as possible so they are able to complete their degree and enter the workforce.”
To apply for admission to Piedmont Tech, contact our admissions office at (864) 941-8369. For more information on entering the pharmacy technology program, students need to contact an advisor based on their last name. Students A-D should contact Sprouse at (864) 941-8527; students E-L should contact David Henry at (864) 941-8570; and students M-Z should contact Joe Mac Tolbert at (864) 941-8399.