Requirements to Become a Pharmacy Technician in South Carolina

As of June 1st, 2012, the state of South Carolina features nearly a thousand hospital and retail pharmacies.  Working among them are well over six thousand full time professional pharmacy technicians, according to data recently released by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.  A pharmacy technician is an assistant to a pharmacist, often helping with the preparation and handling of federally controlled substances.  Yet despite the sensitive nature of the job, only about two thirds of South Carolina's working pharmacy technicians hold valid licenses.  Most of the rest are in the process of renewing their licenses, or are interns fulfilling a Board-approved training requirement.  Guidelines pertaining to the employment and permissible activities of pharmacy technicians will vary between states. 

South Carolina State Regulations for Pharmacy Technicians

South Carolina is one of fourteen U.S. states that require Board certification and valid licenses as a condition of local employment for pharmacy technicians.  To qualify for registration, applicants must show proof of at least a high school level education.  All technicians have to have completed a Board-approved training program, which includes at least a thousand hours working under the supervision of a licensed local pharmacist.  They must also have earned a passing grade on either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam of the Exam for Certified Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT).  South Carolina pharmacy technicians are required to renew their registrations each year, no later than July 1st.  Renewals may be submitted online.  All fees and costs associated with registration and renewal are the sole responsibility of the applicant.  Continuing education is also required, and includes a minimum of four hours attending classes, seminars or workshops. 

South Carolina Training Programs for Pharmacy Technicians Include:

Technicians Residents of South Carolina who are interested in regular employment as pharmacy technicians can sometimes learn the skills by way of enrollment at accredited local colleges.  Prominent South Carolina schools offering Board-approved training programs for pharmacy technicians include Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, University of Phoenix in Columbia and South Carolina College of Pharmacy, with campuses in Charleston and Columbia.  Also popular is Virginia College, featuring locations in Charleston, Columbia and Greenville. At the same time some aspiring pharmacy technicians in South Carolina opt for the stay-at-home convenience of online educational alternatives.  Popular accredited online colleges with certificate courses for pharmacy technicians include Santa Barbara Business College, Medix School, UEI College,  Ayers Career College and Arizona College of Allied Health, to name only a few.