This 32-35 credit-hour certificate program provides technical and practical pharmaceutical knowledge leading to employment as an assistant to a registered pharmacist. It offers basic academic training in prescription order processing, inventory activities, over-the-counter drug sales, recordkeeping, product prepackaging, bulk compounding and manufacturing, computer operations and related tasks. A practicum serves to expand the technical training of the technician by actual on-the-job pharmacy experience.

Currently, the State of Illinois requires a pharmacy apprentice license for internship (practicum) and employment in a pharmacy. The applicant for a pharmacy license should be free of conviction of any criminal offense (other than minor traffic violations).