The Pharmacy Tech offered by Penn Foster refers to two programs: Pharmacy Technician School and Pharmacy Technician Professional. Below is the review of these two programs. This review can be helpful for those who are planning to be a Pharmacy Technician.
Accreditation
Pharmacy Technician School:
According to the official website of Penn Foster, they have been accredited for more than 50 years. Its Career School has been reviewed and has collected some important accreditations, certifications, and licensing. On top of that, it has been regionally accredited for non-degree granting postsecondary programs and nationally accredited by the DEAC.
Pharmacy Technician Professional:
The Pharmacy Technician Professional program follows the ASHP standards and requirements. This one has also received the ASHP (American Society of Health System Pharmacists) or ACPE (Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education) accreditation, which is known as the national standard for pharmacy technician training programs. Apparently, this training is now recommended by a few state Boards of Pharmacy. A lot of people are looking for the programs that can fulfill this requirement.
Tuition
Pharmacy Technician School:
The price of the Pharmacy Technician School program at Penn Foster is divided into three. The first one is pay in full. This one costs you $999. You save a total of $210 because the total used to be $1209. With it, you need to pay the whole amount up front and there is no need for you to pay every month while you study. The second one is known as monthly auto pay. As you can guess from its name, it is an automatic payment that will be paid every month. The tuition that you need to pay is $1199. By choosing this option, you save $10. The normal price is $1209. The last option is similar to the second one. The only difference is that it is paid by using a payment coupon book, that’s why it is called monthly mail pay. The number that you need to spend is $1209.
Each of these tuitions includes a few things, including PTCE practice test voucher (a $29 value), PTCE exam ($129 value), student community, mobile friendly coursework, learning and study materials, goal setting progress tracking tools, unlimited student support, and career services.
Pharmacy Technician Professional:
As of May 2021, the total cost of the Penn Foster Pharmacy Technician Professional online program varies according to how you pay for the course. If you pay in full enrollment, the cost is $999, which is the lowest cost. It used to be $1409, it means you can save a total of $410. This option is to pay the full cost upfront and there are no monthly payments while you study. You will need to pay more if you take the monthly payment plan to spread out the cost, which is about $1399. Actually, it also used to be $1409 but the number changed to $1399, meaning you can save $10. The thing known as the monthly auto payment starts for as little as $1 and the monthly payments as low as $50. If you mail pay monthly, the cost is $1409. If you are interested in this option, you will need to mail your payment using a payment coupon book.
There are a few things included in your tuition, such as practical lab kit ($475 value), PTCE exam ($129 value), hands on practical labs, interactive simulations, student community, mobile friendly coursework, learning and study materials, goal setting progress tracking tools, unlimited student support, and career services.
Financial Aid
Unfortunately, Penn Foster does not accept federal financial aid, as stated on its official website. Just like many major universities, they are unable to accept the same forms of aid, including student loans or grants such as the Pell Grant that is available through FAFSA. Even though the financial aid is not accepted, they offer some affordable options, which are monthly payment options with 0% interest. It would be easy to control your education with the help of the interest free payment options offered by Penn Foster.
Curriculum
Pharmacy Technician School:
- Pharmacy Technician Orientation
- Career Readiness
- Pharmacology, Drug Class, and Body Systems, Part 1
- Pharmacology, Drug Class, and Body Systems, Part 2
- Pharmacy Practice Law and Regulation
- Math Calculations for Pharmacy Technicians
- Pharmacy Sterile and Nonsterile Compounding
- Pharmacy Management and Operation
- Pharmacy Billing and Reimbursement
- Pharmacy Management Software
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Review
Pharmacy Technician Professional:
- Pharmacy Technician Orientation
- Career Readiness
- Pharmacology, Drug Class, and Body Systems, Part 1
- Pharmacology, Drug Class, and Body Systems, Part 2
- Pharmacy Practice Law and Regulation
- Math Calculations for Pharmacy Technicians
- Pharmacy Sterile and Nonsterile Compounding
- Pharmacy Management and Operation
- Pharmacy Billing and Reimbursement
- Pharmacy Management Software
- Pharmacy Technician Certification Review
- Pharmacy Technician Externship
Pros
- Just like any other Penn Foster programs, both are self-paced.
- The materials are spot on and depth.
- Low cost
- They have many payment methods
- They have generous refund policy
- They offer military benefits
Cons
- Both do not have a working program to get you certified on the job. It means there is no guaranteed career help and job placement.
- There is a possibility of your grade to be graded by the computer and not teacher.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are two Pharmacy Tech programs offered by Penn Foster. The first one is Pharmacy Technician School and the second one is Pharmacy Technician Professional. Some aspects of two of them are similar while some are different. Feel free to enroll in any Pharmacy Tech program that you want.
For detailed information about these programs, you can visit the official website of Penn Foster at pennfoster.edu. Accessing most of the contents provided by Penn Foster is easy and does not require you to sign in. There is also a phone number that you can dial if you have any question to ask about the program. The phone number is 1 800 272 4410. Please call on the working time to get the best response. In addition to these, it might also be a good idea to visit the communities or forums related to Penn Foster.
