VCU Pharmacy Technician Program marks first-year success, prepares for year two

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)’s School of Pharmacy is celebrating the success of its new Pharmacy Technician Training Program as it wraps up its first year and prepares to welcome a second class.

The program launched in fall 2024 to help address a shortage of trained pharmacy technicians in the Richmond region and beyond.

It combines 400 hours of online coursework, in-person labs and hands-on rotations in hospitals and pharmacies.

Barbara Exum, the program’s director, said demand for the program quickly surpassed expectations.

“We exceeded our expectations," Exum said. "We’ve exceeded the capacity of the limit that we set, that we would have in our class because we had so many applicants."

Graduates are already stepping into roles in local hospitals and pharmacies. Autumn Ly, a recent graduate, said the program’s combination of classroom learning and real-world experience gave her confidence in her new role.

“Because we had that online traditional classroom learning as well as a hands-on experience, it just made the information stick so much better,” Ly said.

“I was expecting to be able to take away a few skills from the program, but not nearly as many as I actually had.”

Ly added that the program not only taught her critical skills like prescription calculations and side codes but also fostered a sense of community.

“Because of the diversity in the classes, that really just gives you a new perspective and it lets you almost form a family with them,” she said.

Exum noted that the program is also working to ensure that financial limitations don’t prevent students from enrolling.

VCU has partnered with corporations and local pharmacies to sponsor tuition for students who might not otherwise be able to afford it.

The next cohort begins on Sept. 15. The application deadline is Monday, Sept. 1.

You can more information and apply to the program here.