Pharmacy technicians receive and fill prescriptions under the supervision of licensed pharmacists in settings that include hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and retail or mail-order pharmacies. Duties related to the daily operation of the pharmacy are often part of the job, such as answering phones, creating prescription labels, maintaining patient profiles and prescription histories, completing cash register transactions, preparing insurance claim forms and inventory tasks.The Pharmacy Technology certificate program provides both theory and practical training, which enables technicians, upon licensure, to function as competent entry-level assistants to a licensed pharmacist. Students gain basic knowledge of pharmacy calculations, drug distribution systems, chemical and physical characteristics of drugs, and preparation of sterile dosage forms, as well as a thorough knowledge of pharmaceutical and medical terminology, abbreviations, and symbols used in prescribing, dispensing, and documenting medications. Standards of ethics and law as they pertain to pharmacy practice and drug distribution methods are also included in the curriculum. The program culminates in a Certificate of Achievement. Graduates are eligible and prepared to sit for the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) national certification exam.