Prescribing a Solution

Backed by a $1 million donation from the WoodNext Foundation, a component fund administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation, a new Aggie Pharmacy Technician Program is addressing the shortage of pharmacy technicians in Texas by giving students in the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy the opportunity to get real-world clinical experience.

Pharmacy technicians play a vital role alongside pharmacists in the state’s health care system, and shortages can result in reduced pharmacy hours, backlogs of unfilled prescriptions and delays in patients receiving medications. The new 17-week program follows a paid apprenticeship model where students apply what they learn in class to partnering retail or hospital locations.
 

“This means that during the last five weeks of the curriculum, our trainees will earn while they learn,” said Asim Abu-Baker, the school’s associate dean for clinical and professional affairs.

WoodNext funds supported the program’s first-year costs this summer and provided scholarships for incoming students. After completing the program, students will be certified to administer certain immunizations, dispense medications, manage inventory, and facilitate communication with patients and health care providers.