Offered in partnership with the University of Virginia Health System and Martha Jefferson Hospital, these two fast-track programs will prepare students to become pharmacy technicians or central sterile processing technicians.
“U.Va. and Martha Jefferson came to us and said they were having trouble hiring people with these skills,” said Dr. Frank Friedman, president of PVCC, on Wednesday (May 21) at a breakfast meeting with Fluvanna County leaders held at the Lake Monticello clubhouse. “U.Va. is going to open a whole new pharmacy wing in the new building they’re constructing, and they are going to need pharmacy techs. So they came to PVCC and asked if they could start a program.”
Friedman emphasized the opportunity these new programs will present to students from Fluvanna and the surrounding areas. “The hospitals are [partnering with PVCC] because it’s a good investment for them. They’re going to hire our grads. And these kids are going to stay in those jobs.”
Under the agreement, according to a press release, “Martha Jefferson and U.Va. will provide clinical experiences for the students and pay the salaries and benefits for two new credentialed PVCC faculty to teach the programs. PVCC will employ the faculty, develop the program curriculum in collaboration with both hospitals and provide program oversight.”
According to the press release, the pharmacy tech program will teach students how to “assemble and supply medicines in hospital or retail pharmacies” under the supervision of a pharmacist, and may begin in January. The processing tech program will teach students how to “sterilize, package and prepare instruments used in surgical procedures” and may begin next summer.
“The hospitals express a need for skilled, qualified employees, and PVCC as the region’s community college is uniquely able to respond by providing the training programs,” Friedman said. “The outcome is a win-win for all involved because hundreds of individuals in central Virginia obtain jobs in the health-care sector, citizens receive the quality care they need and the hospitals have the highly skilled employees necessary to deliver those services.”
Over 600 students from Fluvanna enrolled in PVCC last fall, Friedman said. And this year more PVCC students from Fluvanna County graduated than from any other county except Albemarle.
