Maryland Pharmacy Technician Requirements and Training Programs

A pharmacy technician works under a pharmacist’s supervision to assist with activities not requiring the professional judgment of a pharmacist. Before taking up the role, you need to acquire a broad knowledge of pharmacy practice along with techniques for dispensing, ordering, stocking and preparing medications. Maryland’s state approved pharmacy technician training programs prepare students for the entry-level position to work alongside licensed pharmacists. Today’s pharmacists rely heavily on pharmacy technicians to keep up with the growing consumer demands. The lower salaries and wide scope of activities are just some reasons for the positive outlook for this career as employers seek to control health care costs.

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Pharmacy Technician Schools in Maryland

Maryland Pharmacy Technician Requirements

License Requirement

Any non-registered individual working behind a pharmacy counter and anyone applying for work as a pharmacy technician must register with Maryland’s Board of Pharmacy. This requirement applies to individuals working at retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacies, and pharmacies at nursing homes, assisted living facilities and other health facilities. Pharmacy technician candidates may work at a pharmacy while attending a board-approved training program as long as the program does not exceed 6 months. Employers have the responsibility to verify a prospective employee’s standing with the Board before hire. The Board maintains two listings; a list of pending applications and a list of registered pharmacy technicians.

Applicants for registration must provide proof of completing a board-approved training program, including 160 hours of work experience and the state certification exam or certification from a national pharmacy technician program. Students enrolled in pharmacy degree programs can apply for exemption from training with the submission of transcripts from an accredited school of pharmacy. Pharmacy student applicants must complete the student exemption form and an affidavit of enrollment from the pharmacy school.

Age Requirement

Applicants must be at least 17 years old for pharmacy technician registration in Maryland.

Education Requirement

All applicants for registration must submit proof of high school graduation or GED. High school students may apply for registration with a supporting note from a school counselor and pharmacist.

Other Requirements

Applicants must submit a Criminal History Record Report from the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) along with the application. The Board will not process the application without the criminal history report. Disqualifying felonies will impair your ability to register as a pharmacy technician.

The Pharmacy Technician Program

Content

Maryland’s Pharmacy Technician Certificate programs prepare students for entry-level employment by teaching knowledge, technical skills and best practices for working in a retail or hospital pharmacy setting. Programs include classroom instructions as well as 160+ hours of work experience in a local retail pharmacy, hospital, assisted living facility or pharmaceutical facility.

After covering topics, such as pharmaceutical calculations, pharmaceutical terminology, prescription medications, ethics of pharmacy and others, graduates will understand the basic aspects of pharmacy, including how to read, fill and distribute prescriptions. Graduates will also understand pharmacies’ legal responsibility to maintain accurate records and safe handling of various drug categories.

Graduates of state-approved programs are eligible for state registration and can also apply to take the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam for national certification.

Duration and Cost

Pharmacy technician programs cost an average of $2,599 for classroom and clinical experience at institutes like Towson University. Other schools such as the College of Southern Maryland, charge $5,200 for a 12-month training program. Advertised costs are for tuition only and does not cover necessary expenses like textbooks, course materials, uniform and transportation to and from the clinical rotation. Other costs include a criminal background check, application fee, national exam costs and state registration. The duration of Maryland’s pharmacy technician programs is approximately 6 months.

National Exams

Maryland’s Board of Pharmacy acknowledges both the PTCB and ExCPT exams. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) is administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board and gives successful candidates national certification. The PTCB is a widely recognized body, but there’s also a growing acceptance for ExCPT certification among Maryland’s employers. There are similarities in the exams administered by both organizations.

The PTCE is a computer-based exam that tests candidates’ understanding of nine knowledge domains. The exam contains 90 multiple-choice questions (80 scored and 10 unscored). The test costs $129.

The Examination for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) is the other recognized national certification for pharmacy technicians. The 2-hour long exam contains 100 multiple choice questions and 20 pretest questions. At a cost of $125, the application for the ExCPT exam costs slightly lower than the PTCB exam.

Acquiring Your State License

Application

A Pharmacy Technician Registration Application must be completed and submitted to the Board of Pharmacy if you want to practice in the State of Maryland. Following are the steps to registration:

  • Complete the Maryland Board of Pharmacy Application for Pharmacy Technician Registration
  • Submit the completed application with all attachments and a check or money order made payable to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy in the amount of $45
  • Request a State of Maryland Criminal History Record Report from the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) and CJIS will provide the report to the Board
  • Nationally Certified Applicants must submit evidence of current certification by a national pharmacy technician certification program (provide a legible copy of the certificate)
  • Non-nationally Certified Applicants must submit evidence of completion of a Board-approved pharmacy technician training program that includes 160 hours of work experience and evidence of having passed a Board-approved technician exam
  • Must be currently enrolled in high school, be a high school graduate, or have a GED

Note: The Board will keep the application open for one year from the date they acknowledge receipt. If you fail to meet all the criteria for registration within the one-year period, you must resubmit another application, fee, and accompanying documents.

Renewal

Your pharmacy technician license is valid for two years, from the first day of the month after your birth month and ends the last day of your birth month. The renewal process takes at least two weeks, so you should initiate the renewal early – as incomplete applications can cause your license to expire. If the license expires without notice of successful renewal from the board, you cannot practice pharmacy until the license renews.

Pharmacy technicians must complete 10 Continuing Education (CE) hours during the first renewal cycle and 20 CE for subsequent cycles.

Complete the following steps to renew your license:

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  • Complete the Maryland Board of Pharmacy’s Application for Renewal of Technician Registration-Renewal
  • Submit the completed application with all attachments and a check or money order payable to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy in the amount of $45
  • Completed applications must be postmarked at least two weeks prior to expiration of your current registration to ensure you can continue practice while the Board completes processing of the application

Transfers

Pharmacy technicians from other states can apply for registration in Maryland through reciprocity.

Following are the steps to registration:

  • Complete the Maryland Board of Pharmacy Application for Pharmacy Technician Registration
  • Submit the completed application with all attachments and a check or money order made payable to the Maryland Board of Pharmacy in the amount of $45
  • Request a State of Maryland Criminal History Record Report from the Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) and CJIS will provide the report to the Board
  • Nationally Certified Applicants must submit evidence of current certification by a national pharmacy technician certification program (provide a legible copy of the certificate)
  • Non-nationally Certified Applicants must submit evidence of completion of a Board-approved pharmacy technician training program that includes 160 hours of work experience and evidence of having passed a Board-approved technician exam
  • Must be currently enrolled in high school, be a high school graduate, or have a GED
  • Must submit evidence of registration in another state under requirements similar tot eh registration requirements in Maryland
  • Must submit a letter of good standing from the state Board in a state of current registration

For states where pharmacy technicians are not regulated by a Pharmacy Board, the applicant must submit a Pharmacy Work Experience Affidavit signed by a pharmacist under whom the PT worked for at least six months.

The Maryland State Board of Pharmacy Information
4201 Patterson Avenue,
Baltimore, Maryland 21215
Main (410) 764-4755
Fax (410)358-6207
(800) 542-4964 (MD Only)

Pharmacy Technician Training Programs in Maryland

Arnold, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Anne Arundel Community College
101 College Pkwy, Arnold, MD 21012
(410) 777-2222

Baltimore, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Allstate Career
2200 Broening Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 631-1818

Baltimore, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
American Health Career Institute
2520 Pennsylvania Avenue, 2nd Floor, Baltimore MD 21217
(443) 438-4546

Baltimore City Community College
2901 Liberty Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21215
(410) 462-8300

Baltimore City Public Schools
200 E. North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21202
443-984-2000

Caroline Center
900 Somerset Street, Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 563-1303

Gandhi Institute of Health Foundation
6 N. Liberty St., Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 767-3301

Giant Eagle
6620 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215
(410) 649-8182

James Pharmacy
1119 Light St, Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 752-5810

Kmart Pharmacy
North Point Mall, 222 N Point Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 285-6170

NeighborCare/OmniCare
711 Maiden Choice Lane, Baltimore, MD 21228
410-737-8820

PharMerica
2149 Kirk Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 338-6915

Reach Partnership
2815 Saint Lo Drive, Baltimore, MD 21213
(443) 642-2291

Sojourner Douglass College
500 N Caroline St #103, Baltimore, MD 21205
(410) 276-4101

University of MD Medical System
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201
1.800.492.5538

Top Knowledge Healthcare Institute
11 E Mt Royal Ave Suite 001, Baltimore, MD 21202
410-528-1600

Johns Hopkins Health System
1800 Orleans St, Baltimore, MD 21287, United States
410-955-5000

Bethesda, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Bradley Care Drugs
6900 Arlington Rd, Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 654-6776

Bladensburg, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Elizabeth Seton High School
5715 Emerson St, Bladensburg, MD 20710
301-864-4532

Bowie, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Safeway Pharmacy
4101 Northview Drive, Bowie, MD 20716
(301) 262-7733

Brunswick, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
MedOne Pharmacy
610 9th Avenue, Brunswick, MD 21716
(301) 834-9715

Rite Aid
92 Souder Road, Brunswick, MD 21716
(301) 834-8100

Burnie, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Walgreens Pharmacy
7953 Crain Hwy S, Glen Burnie, MD 21061
(410) 969-3417

Cambridge, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Craig’s Drug Store
409 Race St, Cambridge, MD 21613
410-228-3322

Columbia, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Howard Community College
10901 Little Patuxent Pkwy, Columbia, MD 21044
(443) 518-1000

MedStar Health
5565 Sterrett Place, Columbia, MD 21044
877-772-6505

Target Pharmacy
6111 Dobbin Road, Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 290-1660

Cumberland, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Allegany College of Maryland
12401 Willowbrook Rd, Cumberland, MD 21502
(301) 784-5000

Western Maryland Health System
12500 Willowbrook Rd, Cumberland, MD 21502
(240) 964-7000

Easton, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Shore Health System
509 Idlewild Avenue, Easton, MD 21601
(410) 822-1000

Elkton, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Elkton Friendly Pharmacy
228 S Bridge St, Elkton, MD 21921
(410) 398-6100

Finksburg, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
YOUR Community Pharmacy
2025 Suffolk Road, Finksburg, MD 21048
(410) 526-1055

Frederick, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Frederick Memorial Hospital Pharmacy
400 West Seventh Street · Frederick, MD 21701
(240) 566-3300

Frederick Community College
7932 Opossumtown Pike Frederick, MD, 21702
301.846.2400

Hagerstown, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Hagerstown Community College
11400 Robinwood Dr, Hagerstown, MD 21742
(240) 500-2000

Halethorpe, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Brightwood College
1520 S Caton Ave, Halethorpe, MD 21227
(410) 644-6400

Hanover, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Wal-Mart Pharmacy
7081 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD 21076
(410) 579-2953

La Plata, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
College of Southern Maryland
8730 Mitchell Road, La Plata, MD 20646
(301) 934-2251

Landover, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Fortis College
4351 Garden City Drive, Landover 20785
301-459-3650

Largo, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Prince Georges Community College
301 Largo Rd, Largo, MD 20774
(301) 336-6000

Leonardtown, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
James A. Forrest Career & Technology Ctr
24005 Point Lookout Rd, Leonardtown, MD 20650
(301) 475-0242

Linthicum Heights, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Correct Rx Pharmacy Services, Inc.
803 Barkwood Court, Linthicum Heights, MD 21090
(410) 636-9500

Napa, CA Pharmacy Technician programs:
Boston Reed College (online)
2799 Napa Valley Corporate Dr, Napa, CA 94558
(707) 307-5000

Nottingham, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Bayview / White Marsh Pharmacies
4924 Campbell Blvd, Ste 120, Nottingham, MD 21236
(443) 384-2500

Oakland, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Garret Regional Medical Center
251 N 4th St, Oakland, MD 21550
301-533-4000

Olney, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Olney Professional Pharmacy Technician Program
18111 Prince Philip Drive #100, Olney, MD 20832
(301) 774-9812

Parkville, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Joppa Road Pharmacy
1907 E Joppa Rd, Parkville, MD 21234
(410) 665-5050

Rosedale, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Remedi
9006 Yellow Brick Road, Rosedale, MD 21237
(443) 927-8400

Silver Spring, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
XL Career School
Silver Spring, MD 20912
(301) 434-4700

Towson, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
CVS Pharmacy
1001 York Road, Towson, MD 21204
(410) 823-3900

Medix School – Towson
700 York Road, Towson, MD 21204
855.367.8478

Walkersville, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Walkersville Pharmacy
19 E Frederick St, Walkersville, MD 21793
(301) 845-4401

Windsor, MD Pharmacy Technician programs:
Stein Academy, Inc.
3610 Milford Mill Road, Windsor Mill, MD 21244
(410) 922-4910

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
2215 Constitution Avenue NW, Suite 101, Washington DC 20037
(800) 363-8012

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