Ohio Pharmacy Technician Training Programs

If you are interested in a career as a pharmacy technician, the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy encourages (but does not require) successful completion of a pharmacy technician training program. Although completion of a training program is not required by the state, many employers prefer candidates with an education and training. Fortunately, dozens of schools in Ohio offer competitive training programs that can help you sand out from the crowd. 

Regarding Ohio state regulations, the following information was accurate as of 2009:

The Ohio State Board of Pharmacy does not license, register, or certify Pharmacy Technicians. There is no legal requirement to be licensed, registered, or certified as a Pharmacy Technician in the state of Ohio. Pursuant to Section 4729.42(B) of the Revised Code, Pharmacy Technicians in Ohio must be "qualified" before they may perform any of the following functions in a pharmacy:

1) Engage in the compounding of any drug,

2) Package or label any drug, or

3) Prepare or mix any intravenous drug to be injected into a human being.

In order to be "qualified," Section 4729.42(A) of the Revised Code states that a person must be under the personal supervision of a pharmacist and meet all of the following:

1) Be eighteen years of age or older,

2) Possess a high school diploma, possess a certificate of high school equivalence, or was employed prior to the effective date of this section (4/8/09) as a pharmacy technician without a high school diploma or a certificate of high school equivalence,

3) Pass an examination approved by the Ohio State Board of Pharmacy,

4) Submit to a criminal records check and the results do not show that the person previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any felony in this state, any other state, or the United States.

For a person currently employed as a pharmacy technician on the effective date of this section (4/8/09), in order to become "qualified" the person must pass an examination approved by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy within one year after the effective date of this section (4/8/09) and submit to a criminal records check and the results show that the person has not been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any felony in this state, any other state, or the United States. A criminal records check is not required if the person has been employed for five years or longer at the pharmacy.

For a person hired after April 7, 2009, to be a "qualified" pharmacy technician, the person may work for up to two hundred ten (210) days provided that the person is participating in or has completed a pharmacy technician training program that meets the Board's standards, is making substantial progress in preparation to take a pharmacy technician examination approved by the Board, and the results of the person's criminal records check show that the person previously has not been convicted of or has not pleaded guilty to any felony in this state, any other state, or the United States.

Ohio Schools with Pharmacy Technician Training Programs:

Pharmacy Technician Programs – Major Ohio Colleges and Universities

Ohio Northern University – Ada

University of Cincinnati-Clermont College – Batavia

University of Cincinnati-Raymond Walters College – Blue Ash

University of Northwestern Ohio – Lima

University of Rio Grande – Rio Grande

University of Toledo – Toledo

Pharmacy Technician Programs – Other Ohio Colleges

Columbus State Community College – Columbus

Cuyahoga Community College – Cleveland

Heritage College – Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Stark County, Youngstown

Sinclair Community College – Dayton

Southern State Community College – Hillsboro

Vatterott College – Cleveland