While the exact courses you will take during your pharmacy technician training will vary based on the program you decide to participate in, there are a few basic pharmacy technician courses that you can almost guarantee will be present no matter where you choose to study.  Here is a look at some of the most common categories of pharmacy technician classes you will find at various schools across the nation.

Pharmacology and chemistry are the first of the basic pharmacy technician courses that you are sure to take.  Pharmacology is the study of drug action in the body.  It covers the way in which foreign chemical substances interact with the body of a living organism.  The nature and properties of pharmaceuticals along with their sources are also covered in this area of study.  Chemistry will teach you about different types of matter.  You will learn how drugs work at the molecular level and how they react inside the body because of certain substances found there.

Anatomy and physiology are important basic pharmacy technician courses as well.  Anatomy is a science that explores the structure of living things.  In the medical field, you will learn about the human body at both the macro and microscopic levels, meaning you will make observations with the naked eye as well as with a microscope.  Physiology is the study of organs in the body and how they are needed for proper bodily functions.  The nervous system, circulatory system, musculoskeletal system, respiratory system, and immune system are all covered in this course.

Medical terminology will be imperative for you to communicate with your coworkers once you graduate.  You will memorize scientific and medical words that commonly used in this field as well as the structure of the word to increase your understanding of it still further.  With knowledge of the prefixes, suffixes, and roots of the words used for drugs, diseases, and treatments, you will be able to communicate knowledgeably and effectively to those you work with.  That is why this is one of the basic pharmacy technician courses.

Pharmacy law and ethics make the list of basic pharmacy technician courses as well because you must have a thorough understanding of the laws and regulations that determine your actions in the medical field.  There are laws on both the federal and state level that you will need to be familiar with to ensure that you do not break any laws once you begin work as a pharmacy technician.  Ethics are important as well, since patients will be putting their trust in you every day.

Compounding medications is the last of the basic pharmacy technician courses that you will surely be required to take.  This course will educate you in the process of mixing and creating medications that are customized to the needs of certain patient.  For example, you will learn how to form alternate medications if a patient is allergic to a specific ingredient.  These basic courses, in addition to others that are particular to your specific program, will prove beneficial as you go through your pharmacy technician training.