Pre-Pharmacy Track
Click each job title below to read more!
These are the employment opportunities that we recommend to students pursuing pharmacy school! These positions will provide insight on patient care and may help you develop skills that you can use later as a doctor of pharmacy.
**Although we recommend these positions, any medical experience will help you to gain a more complete picture of the medical field.
1
Pharmacy Technician
Description: A pharmacy technician assists pharmacists by preparing and dispensing medications, managing inventory, processing prescriptions, and providing customer service in retail, hospital, or specialty pharmacy settings.
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Required Experience/Certifications: In Oklahoma, pharmacy technicians must be registered with the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy. Some employers prefer candidates who have completed a pharmacy technician training program or earned national certification (CPhT) through the PTCB or NHA.
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How to get that experience/certification:
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Apply to retail pharmacies (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart) or hospital pharmacies.
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Complete a pharmacy technician training program through a community college, vocational school, or employer.
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Register with the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy before starting work.
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Earn CPhT certification to increase job prospects.
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Establishments we recommend you explore:
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CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart pharmacies in Norman/OKC
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Norman Regional Health System inpatient pharmacy
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OU Health pharmacy services
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INTEGRIS Health or Mercy hospital pharmacies
2
Hospital Pharmacy Assistant
Description: A hospital pharmacy assistant supports inpatient pharmacy operations by restocking medication carts, delivering medications to nursing units, preparing IV solutions, and assisting with inventory.
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Required Experience/Certifications: Requires pharmacy technician registration with the Oklahoma Board of Pharmacy; some hospitals may train on the job. BLS/CPR may be preferred for roles involving sterile compounding.
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How to get that experience/certification:
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Apply to hospital pharmacies that offer tech training.
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Obtain Oklahoma pharmacy technician registration prior to starting.
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Complete sterile compounding training if required by the employer.
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Establishments we recommend you explore:
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OU Health inpatient pharmacy
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Norman Regional Health System
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INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center
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SSM Health St. Anthony Hospital
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3
Research or Laboratory Assistant in Pharmaceutical Sciences
Description: A lab assistant in pharmaceutical research helps with drug formulation testing, quality control, and data collection in academic or industrial settings.
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Required Experience/Certifications: Usually requires some college coursework in chemistry, biology, or pharmacology. Lab safety training is often required; no pharmacy tech registration is needed unless working in a dispensing pharmacy.
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How to get that experience/certification:
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Contact university research labs (e.g., OU College of Pharmacy) for assistant or volunteer positions.
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Gain lab experience through undergraduate research programs.
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Complete safety and compliance training as required by the lab.
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Establishments we recommend you explore:
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OU College of Pharmacy research labs
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Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation (OMRF)
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Pharmaceutical companies or contract research organizations in the OKC area