Pharmacy technicians receive and fill prescriptions under the supervision of licensed pharmacists in settings that include hospitals, pharmacies, drug stores, grocery stores, retail stores, and mail-order pharmacies. Duties related to the daily operation of the pharmacy are often parts 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 program provides both theory and practical training, which enables technicians, upon licensure, to function as competent entry-level assistant 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. Online certificate: All courses in this program are offered in an online format, except the in-person externship that is completed at an approved healthcare setting. The program culminates in a Certificate of Achievement. Graduates are eligible and prepared to sit for the national certification exam through either the National Healthcare Association (NHA) which administers the EXCPT exam or the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) which administers the CPhT exam