Pharmacy Technician – Higher Certificate

CAO Points: 252
Campus: Athlone
years: 2

Course Code US660
Level 6
Course Type Undergraduate
Study Mode Full Time
Department Pharmaceutical Science and Biotechnology

Course Overview

Pharmacy Technicians are an essential part of the pharmacy team whether in community or hospital pharmacy. The support given by pharmacy technicians to the pharmacists is crucial to the smooth running of pharmacy departments. As key healthcare workers they aid the pharmacist with the dispensing and processing of prescriptions, the preparation, checking and storage of medicines. As we say here in TUS, Pharmacy Technicians are the back bone of every single pharmacy department.

A pharmacy technician plays a central role in the smooth operation of today’s pharmacy, by supporting and assisting the pharmacist in their various activities. Pharmacy technicians are employed in both the private sector in community and private hospital pharmacies and by the HSE in hospital pharmacies.

The main aim of this course is to provide you with the appropriate multi-disciplined skills and theory to enable you to play a key role in both community and hospital pharmacies. In addition to lectures, the course contains a strong practical element and you spend 16 weeks of placement in total in year two in a community and hospital pharmacy. This placement is organised by TUS and is deemed to be enormously beneficial to your employment prospects. One of our unique elements of this programme is the provision of a first aid qualification within the preparation for placement module.

Students spend the second semester in year 2 on practice placement.

Contact Details

Programme Team

Email: pharmacytech.midlands@tus.ie

What are the entry requirements?

Leaving Certificate

Grade O6 at ordinary level in 5 subjects in the Leaving Certificate to include a laboratory-based science subject, Mathematics and a language (English or Irish).

QQI

Any major QQI award a pass in C20139 or 5N1833 or LCE Mathematics and C20006 or 5N2746 or Leaving Certificate Laboratory Science Subject.

Mature Applicants

Candidates applying as mature applicants may be required to attend an interview and may be requested to take an aptitude test to prove their suitability for a place on this programme.

International Applicants

International applicants should apply directly to the International Office at TUS, allowing plenty of time for completing the visa process. Applications for September start should be made by 1st June at the latest to ensure visas are processed in time. You should familiarise yourself with visa processing times for your country of origin to ensure you make a timely application. Find out more here.

Course Modules

Year 1

Responding to Symptoms
Pharmacy Calculations and Measurements
Human Anatomy and Physiology for Healthcare
Chemistry for Healthcare 1
Fundamentals of pharmacology
Learning for Healthcare
Pharmacy Legislation and Administration
Formulation and Compounding
Community Pharmacy Practice
Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics I
Chemistry for Healthcare 2
Human Anatomy and Physiology for Healthcare 2

Year 2

Pharmacy Practice
Pharmaceutical Microbiology
Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Hospital Pharmacy Practice
Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics II
Preparation for Placement
Professional Practice Placement

What can you do after this programme?

Career Opportunities

Employment prospects for pharmacy technicians are excellent. Work opportunities exist in community and hospital pharmacies nationwide.

Further Study

After graduating from this programme you may apply to join the BSc in Pharmacy Technician at TUS.

Additional Information

How to Apply

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