Which is Best for Pharmacy Technician Training in Seattle? North Seattle or Renton Technical College?
If you want to become a fully trained pharmacy technician in Seattle, there are dozens of schools to choose from. But knowing which course is best for you can sometimes be a little overwhelming.
To help, here we compare two pharmacy technician schools in Seattle, WA, you’ll want to consider: Renton Technical College and North Seattle College.
What Do the Programs Offer?
While both pharmacy technician schools in Seattle, prepare their students for a lifelong career as a pharmacy technician in Washington, and both offer externships, there are different and unique features of the two programs.
Renton Technical College
The curriculum at Renton Technical College covers all the topics a pharmacy technician needs to know, including:
- Pharmacology
- Fundamentals and ethics
- Top 200 drugs
- Pharmacy law
The 5-quarters long course places particular emphasis on knowing about drugs and products. Because of this, students are taught how to:
- Compound products
- Mix intravenous solutions
- Use math for pharmaceutical calculations
Students are also taught the more practical side of processing orders and keeping records.
North Seattle College
At North Seattle College, the pharmacy technician certificate program takes 9-months to complete. The curriculum includes:
- Pharmacology
- Over-the-counter drugs
- Pharmacy law
- Pharmacy records management
The course also includes computerized prescription processing, which is taught with state-of-the-art software used in pharmacies across Washington.
At North Seattle College, students are also taught aseptic inpatient training and pharmacology study.
What Are Their Benefits of Renton Technical College?
- Scholarships and federal aid are available for the course.
- Students are prepared to qualify for the PTCB national certification exam.
- The course is accredited by ASHP and the WA Department of Health.
What Are Their Benefits of North Seattle College?
- Fast program completion in only 9-months.
- North graduates have a 99.6 percent exam pass rate.
- Over 400 hours of externships are offered at two different sites, double the amount required by The Board of Pharmacy.
- ASHP accredits the course.
- The lab has recently been renovated following a $50K investment, so the classroom and model pharmacy used for training are new.
- On-campus study is only scheduled two days a week during externships to give students maximum flexibility.
The Round-Up
Both Renton Technical College and North Seattle College offer competitive programs and well-rounded training for pharmacy tech students. The differences lie in the curriculum and course timeline. While Renton Technical College’s education focuses more on learning about prescriptions and takes 2 ½ years to complete, North Seattle College’s program includes more intensive externships and in only nine months.