Technicians in training
New program provides career advancement opportunities

At UF Health, faculty and staff have many options to build professional skills and experience. A new example is a collaboration between UF Health Shands Pharmacy Services and UF College of Pharmacy that resulted in the Pharmacy Technician Training Program.
“What I like the most about this training program is it provides the opportunity for career advancement to people who work here at UF Health Shands, as well as externally,” said Lisa Thames, Pharm.D., BCPS, UF Health Shands Clinical Pharmacy Services assistant director and Education Programs director. “I think it will allow us to gain more career pharmacy technicians who will want to stick around for a longer period of time.”
In November, three pharmacy technician trainees became the first graduates from the nine-week training program. Throughout the course, they watched lectures, participated in hands-on activities and completed additional online training.
“Our technician training program is unique in that we provide our trainees with experience in all aspects of technician work,” said Kara Krzan Berasi, Pharm.D., M.S., UF Health Shands Ambulatory Services assistant director. “Not all training programs can provide this diverse experience to their trainees.”
The UF College of Pharmacy provided the tools to design and produce a comprehensive online course. The Pharmacy Services team then presented essential information on technician work, including sterile and nonsterile compounding, creating complex medications and satellite and outpatient training.
Joe Nicholson, UF College of Pharmacy Video Production associate director, was the project manager who brought in the instructional designers, videographers and technical support team to create the program.
“Everyone from Pharmacy Services was extremely willing to go all-in with this program,” Nicholson said. “Their level of excitement rubbed off on everyone involved with the project.”
The 11-module course was designed to teach the trainees how all the teams in the department work together and better align them with the practice area in which they are most interested.
“I enjoyed the pharmacy program immensely. It challenged me in new ways,” said Destiny Gillum-Butler, UF Health Shands Outpatient Pharmacy technician and program graduate. “The opportunity to receive hands-on clinical training with your future co-workers is a unique experience.”