Tayton Schwartz Jr, Reporter
September 2, 2022
Sahuaro is proud to introduce a brand new elective – Pharmacy Technician class. There is much to do and be taught in this class as every week they learn about another part of the body system. The biggest thing they are focusing on is OTC, aka Over The Counter, which means medication you can buy over the counter, at the store without a prescription. This is a 2-year program with the possibility of obtaining certification after successful completion.
The teacher who runs the class is Ms. Iris Rosado. She has over 30 years of experience as a registered pharmacist. Ms. Rosado has worked in a variety of pharmaceutical settings including, “…retail pharmacy, long-term care, specialty pharmacy, pharmacy benefits manager/mail order, contract assignments, and more.” She is a graduate of Long Island University, NY where she obtained a 5-year degree in Pharmacy. She was also a “post-secondary instructor working as a Health Sciences/Allied Health Instructor for the community college system in Colorado.”
Rosado says, “Pharmacy is serious business, and it’s not meant to be fun. But it is interesting, and the information you learn can help you to make better healthcare decisions throughout your life and can lead to an entry-level career after graduating from high school.” She has made it her personal mission to help underserved, marginalized communities. She taught students pursuing careers or certificates in nursing, pharmacy, as medical assistants, and EMTs just to name a few.
So what will students be doing throughout the year? They will be learning about the human body and how it works, how certain parts can get diseases, and how exactly to treat them. Rosado is primarily focusing on teaching the different disciplines for becoming a pharmacy technician. The class takes about 2 years of training, which means you are able to start it during your junior year. She says, “First semester the focus will be on a body system review which will cover basic, introductory overview of pathology, diagnostics, medical terminology, medical abbreviations, and this will lead into pharmacology with the emphasis this semester being placed on OTC, a.k.a. Over The Counter medications. Other applicable standards will also be addressed.” As of now, the class is only open for an elective credit to juniors and seniors. This is subject to change, but it most likely won’t be any time in the near future.
Now the big question is: Will this class be fun and beneficial? The simple answer to this question is yes! As long as your interest is in pharmacy, it can be a great class for you! The course consists of anatomy, physics, diseases, and learning about bedside manner. Doing pharmacy class can set you up on your career path. Talk to Ms. Rosado in room 308 if you have further questions.
A favorite quote of hers, said by Oprah Winfrey, “Passion is energy. Feel the power from focusing on what excites you.”
Loading ...
