Iowa Pharmacy Technician Training Programs

The Iowa Board of Pharmacy has specific requirements for pharmacy technicians and pharmacy tech trainees. The Board offers the following information for individual’s interested in practicing in the state of Iowa:

All pharmacy technicians and all individuals training to work as pharmacy techs are required to register with the Board by completing and submitting a new application for registration within 30 days of accepting employment as a certified pharmacy technician or technician trainee in an Iowa pharmacy. An individual who fails to register as a pharmacy technician may be subject to disciplinary sanctions.

Effective July 1, 2010, and except as provided below, all pharmacy technicians working in Iowa pharmacies must be nationally certified by an accredited technician certification board. Currently accredited boards are the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB ) and the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT).

Any pharmacy technician registered with the Board before January 1, 2010, who worked as a technician a minimum of 2,000 hours during the 18-month period prior to registration renewal, and who continues to work as a pharmacy technician a minimum 2,000 hours during any period up to December 31, 2013, may qualify for an extension of the deadline for national certification. The pharmacist in charge of the pharmacy employer must certify by affidavit to the technician's length of employment and hours of employment as a pharmacy technician. The affidavit must be submitted with the technician's application for registration renewal. The registration certificate will identify the technician as an "uncertified pharmacy technician." An uncertified pharmacy technician who qualifies for this time extension must attain national certification by December 31, 2013.

An individual enrolled in a technician training course or program, or an individual who has not previously worked as a pharmacy technician and who accepts technician employment in an Iowa pharmacy, must register as a pharmacy technician trainee within 30 days of starting technician training or employment. A technician trainee must become a nationally certified pharmacy technician within 12 months of starting technician employment or training.

A pharmacy technician trainee who does not complete national pharmacy technician certification before expiration of the pharmacy technician trainee registration, must discontinue working as a pharmacy technician.

These are the minimum requirements set forth by the Board, but many employer’s may require more. A number of top employer’s prefer to hire individual’s with a diploma or degree from an accredited college or university, plus experience. Experience may be obtained through an internship or apprenticeship. Individual’s with credentials that go beyond the minimum are typically offered better employment and advancement opportunities, higher pay, and better pay raises. Fortunately, a number of accredited Iowa schools offer programs that can better prepare you for a lucrative career as a pharmacy technician and satisfy Board requirements.

Iowa Schools with Pharmacy Technician Training Programs:

Pharmacy Technician Programs - Major Iowa Colleges and Universities

Drake University – Des Moines

University of Iowa – Iowa City

Pharmacy Technician Programs – Other Iowa Colleges

Indian Hills Community College – Ottumwa

Iowa lakes Community College – Estherville

Western Iowa Tech Community College – Sioux City