Recently, the second cohort of the Pharmacy Technician Program at SRTC-Bainbridge received their certificates of completion. Students completing the program were Virginia Gray of Blakely, Michelle Borden of Iron City, Kenya Johnson of Donalsonville, Mickeya Crawford of Bainbridge, Shana Richardson of Cairo, and Jahna Paige Richardson and Marley Bailey, both of Colquitt.
Pharmacy Technicians assist Pharmacists in dispensing prescription medication to customers or healthcare professionals. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the need for Pharmacy Technicians has been growing steadily for over a decade, and is projected to continue to grow at a steady rate nationwide. "Healthcare is always growing so as the population gets older - as we all get older – our need for medications increases. It's a great field," said SRTC Pharmacy Technician Instructor, Dr. Amy Ryan.
The comprehensive 50-hour program prepared the students to work as Pharmacy Technicians in retail or other pharmacy settings, and to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s PTCB exam.
Course content included pharmacy medical terminology, the history of pharmacy, the pharmacy practice in multiple environments, pharmacy calculations and measurements, reading and interpreting prescriptions and defining drugs by generic and brand names. Through online lecture and hands-on labs, students reviewed dosage calculations, drug classifications, the top 200 drugs, I.V. flow rates, sterile compounding, dose conversions, aseptic technique, the handling of sterile products, total parenteral nutrition, dispensing of prescriptions, inventory control, and billing and reimbursement.
The 2020 fall class is scheduled for September 14 - November 2, meeting every Monday and Wednesday from 5:30-9 pm in an online classroom, and is now available to anyone in Southwest Georgia. Participants may be eligible for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) financial assistance. For more information on the program, and to register, please contact the economic development office in your area: https://southernregional.edu/economic-development/locations.
SRTC offers over 155 degree, diploma, and certificate programs that are designed to get students quickly into a desired career, and 28 general education courses that transfer to the University System of Georgia institutions and 19 private colleges and universities in Georgia. SRTC has instructional sites located in Colquitt, Decatur, Early, Grady, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Thomas, Tift, Turner and Worth counties for the convenience of its students. The College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. For the most up-to-date information on registration, class dates, and program offerings, log on to www.southernregional.edu.