Salt Lake City-based University of Utah Health completely covers tuition for those part of its pharmacy technician training program, NBC affiliate KSL reported May 6.
Hannah Basha, one of about three dozen students currently in the program, told the outlet financial constraints have prevented her from entering the medical field.
The program has been running for the past five years and started covering current employees' tuition costs — which can range between $2,000 and $7,000 — but looking internally for pharmacy techs then caused craters in other roles. The free aspect went on a hiatus until the Utah Refugee Center contacted the system asking about an entry into healthcare for refugees.
Ms. Basha, a refugee from Sudan, volunteered at the Utah Refugee Center and, while tasked with educating others about the opportunity, signed up herself.
"I am loving the moment. It is something I wanted to do for so long," Ms. Basha told KSL.
The program involves 400 hours of curriculum and 180 hours of work that "is not just standing behind a counter counting pills," Kavish Choudhary, PharmD, chief pharmacy officer of University of Utah Health, told the outlet. "Pharmacy technicians are patient advocates and do work that has a dramatic impact on patient care."