Experience with a non-hospital based technician training program

A community based technician training program can effectively provide well trained competent technicians with a scope of experience broad enough to meet job responsibilities of diverse health care institutions within the community. The college contacted to assist in developing a technician training program should be well established in the community and accredited by an appropriate national accrediting body. In addition, the college should have existing facilities and services to support the program. Upon determining technician need in the community, an advisory group should be assembled to provide professional input into program direction, curriculum design, training site selection, and other matters of concern to the hospitals and college. With community input, cooperation, and professional direction, a community based technician program can serve its home community with technicians uniformly functional and adaptable to most pharmacy environments and situations.