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Texas Will Have More Pharmacy Technicians Thanks to This Program

A new Aggie Pharmacy Technician Program is training skilled pharmacy technicians to support pharmacists and serve the needs of Texans statewide.

By Hilary Nguyen ’26

Photos provided by the Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy

The old adage, “It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” perfectly captures Kingsville, Texas, native Angelina Soliz’s journey to becoming a pharmacy technician. Despite knowing her passion for the profession from a young age, she’s had to balance her goal with being a full-time, Class of 2025 biomedical sciences major at Texas A&M University-Kingsville and working eight-hour night shifts at the local H-E-B. When Soliz’s advisor emailed her about the College of Pharmacy’s new Aggie Pharmacy Technician Program, she didn’t hesitate to apply. “That email was an answered prayer,” she said. Now, thanks to the program, her finish line is coming into sight. 
 

The program began as a proposal with two key visions: address pharmacy technician workforce shortages in Texas and nationwide and offer a high-quality pharmacy technician education at low or no cost. Pharmacy technicians are essential members of the health care team who handle prescription processing, medication delivery and inventory management while often serving as the primary point of contact behind the counter for customers. “In areas with shortages, store closures have led to longer prescription wait times, which can be critical when lifesaving medications are involved,” said Dr. Indra Reddy, interim chief operating officer and senior vice president at Texas A&M Health. “When we recognized the growing need, we knew it was the right time to act.” 
 

What’s the difference: pharmacy technician vs. pharmacist?

Pharmacy Technician Pharmacist
Fill prescriptions, anywhere from 200-300 per day Verify all prescriptions
Customer service and patient verification Administer full array of vaccines
Data entry to ensure patients get the right prescriptions Medication management, i.e., ensuring that all of a patient’s medications are safe together and will improve health outcomes
Stock and organize shelves  
Administer limited vaccines  

 

Many aspiring students face barriers to entering the pharmacy field due to a lack of access. We want this program to serve as a stepping stone for anyone.
- Dr. Indra Reddy, Interim Chief Operating Officer and Vice President at Texas A&M Health

The vision caught the attention of the WoodNext Foundation, which manages the philanthropy of tech innovator and Roku CEO and founder Anthony Wood ’87 and his wife, Susan ’89. Their philanthropy supports workforce development, especially living wage work opportunities for nontraditional students. They gave $1 million to help bring the program to life, covering its first-year operational costs and providing scholarships for the inaugural cohort of 13 students in summer 2024.

“When I learned that I wouldn’t need to worry about the cost of achieving my dream, I cried tears of joy,” Soliz said. “Through the program, I’ve discovered my interest in compounding pharmacy. In the future, I want to work in pediatric compounding and make a difference in children’s lives.”

The curriculum is shorter than most pharmacy technician programs but is designed for students to maximize their studies and practical experiences. The first two blocks are taught by Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy faculty and cover the instructional aspects of the curriculum, from pharmacy ethics to dosage calculations and medication compounding. Uniquely, the final block is a 180-hour apprenticeship at a community or hospital pharmacy. “Training under a pharmacist allows students to apply what they’ve studied and refine their skills,” said Dr. Andrea Mora, the program’s director. “Through the apprenticeship model, we hope students attain the expertise they need to be highly qualified candidates for future positions.” 
 

Six to One

In Texas, one pharmacist might need up to six pharmacy technicians to efficiently manage prescription requests. 

The Inaugural Aggie Pharm Tech Class

  • 62% of the inaugural class is located at the Texas A&M-Kingsville campus, while the other 38% is on the College Station campus.
  • 62% of students fall within the 20-30 age range, while 23% are between 18-19 years old and 15% are between 40-60 years old.
  • 77% of enrolled students have some college credits but have not yet earned a degree, while 23% have completed a bachelor’s degree.
  • 62% of the inaugural class is of Hispanic/Latino origin. 23% of students are white, while 8% are American Indian or Alaskan Native and 8% are Black or African American.
  • 85% of the inaugural class is female, while 15% are male. 

A Growing Field

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the growth of pharmacy technician positions in Texas to be approximately 24% between 2020 and 2030 compared to a national growth rate of 5%. 

Pharmacy Deserts

Over 46% of U.S. counties are pharmacy deserts, meaning residents have to drive more than 15 minutes to their closest pharmacy. 


To further support their success, students are also paired with Texas A&M pharmacy students as peer mentors. “As a first-generation student, my mentor was an important source of support and guidance, whether it was breaking down a class concept or giving advice about the apprenticeship,” said Mia Taht ’27, an inaugural student. 

The gift from WoodNext, a component fund of the Greater Houston Community Foundation, will continue to allow future cohorts to receive the same training as Soliz and Taht. “We hope to extend the program’s reach to additional cities,” said Dr. Elaine Demps ’08, the program’s manager, “allowing us to support more students in achieving their career goals and better serve the state of Texas.” 

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