UH Hilo DKICP creates partnership with UH Maui College for Pharmacy Tech training

Students enrolled in the Pharmacy Technician program at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College (UHMC) will now be able to complete coursework that allows them to become certified to provide immunizations in their future employment, thanks to a new partnership between UHMC and the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Daniel K Inouye College of Pharmacy (DKICP).

“For pharmacy technicians to get immunization certification is a gold standard that our faculty involvement can help provide for students in this UHMC program,” said DKICP Dean Rae Matsumoto.

DKICP faculty will provide instruction for UHMC students, in person and online, that prepares them to take a national immunization certification exam.

“This additional level of training allows our graduates to perform at the top of their profession,” said UHMC instructor Valerie Matsunaga, Pharm.D., BCPS. “We saw how important these skills are during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

She says there is consistent statewide demand for pharmacy technicians. UHMC has been offering the Pharmacy Technician Immersion degree program since 2008, and recently dedicated a new Career Skills Lab funded in partnership with CVS Health and designed like a real Longs Drugs pharmacy to offer students hands-on skills training as part of the 15-week program.

“We appreciated the consultation DKICP faculty provided when we developed the new lab, which also ensured we had access to necessary data compliance software to help train students,” said Matsunaga. “We also have an articulation program with DKICP for continuing education courses.”

“This partnership with UHMC is a logical extension of the educational work we do here at DKICP,” added Matsumoto, “and it is another way we can help to train the future healthcare workforce to provide better access to care for the people of Hawaiʻi.”