Interns and trainees by state
Do pharmacy interns and technician trainees count toward the ratio?
It depends on the state, and it is the field pharmacies get wrong most often. Each row below is how RxShift applies that state’s rule, in the same words the product uses, for the 24 states with a technician ratio. The state’s own page states the limits with their citations. Last verification pass: 2026-10-19. How we verify.
| State | Pharmacy interns | Technicians in training | Also applied | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit; a separate limit on interns applies, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| Arkansas | Pharmacy interns count toward the same limit as technicians. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| California | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit; a separate limit on interns applies, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-05Record | |
| Colorado | Pharmacy interns count toward the same limit as technicians, and a separate limit on interns applies inside it. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | A separate limit on pharmacy interns, inside the overall cap. | 2026-10-19Record |
| Connecticut | Pharmacy interns count toward the same limit as technicians, and a separate limit on interns applies inside it. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | A separate limit on pharmacy interns, inside the overall cap. | 2026-10-19Record |
| Georgia | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit; a separate limit on interns applies, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| Kansas | Pharmacy interns count toward the same limit as technicians, and a separate limit on interns applies inside it. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | A separate limit on pharmacy interns, inside the overall cap. A preceptor must be on duty before any pharmacy intern may work. | 2026-10-16Record |
| Louisiana | Pharmacy interns count toward the same limit as technicians, and a separate limit on interns applies inside it. | A separate limit on technicians in training, inside the overall cap. The state has no lawful uncertified technician tier, so an uncertified technician counts against the trainee limit. | A separate limit on pharmacy interns, inside the overall cap. | 2026-10-12Record |
| Massachusetts | Pharmacy interns count toward the same limit as technicians, and a separate limit on interns applies inside it. | Someone in a designated training role counts as an ordinary technician whatever credential they personally hold. | A separate limit on pharmacy interns, inside the overall cap. A preceptor must be on duty before any pharmacy intern may work. The intern limit applies to the whole pharmacy at one time, however many pharmacists or preceptors are on duty. A pharmacy that provides vaccination services may staff above the usual ceiling when enough of the crew are certified technicians or interns. | 2026-10-19Record |
| Minnesota | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| Mississippi | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| Nebraska | Pharmacy interns count toward the same limit as technicians. | The cap is fixed, but the upper technician slots can only be filled once enough of the technicians are certified; pharmacy interns take slots in the cap without triggering that requirement, and an intern never counts as the certified one. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| Nevada | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | A separate limit on technicians in training, inside the overall cap. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| New Jersey | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit; a separate limit on interns applies, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | A separate limit on technicians in training, inside the overall cap. | 2026-10-16Record | |
| New York | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| North Carolina | Pharmacy interns currently enrolled in a pharmacy school do not count toward the technician limit, and other interns do; an enrolled student still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| North Dakota | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| Oklahoma | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit; a separate limit on interns applies, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| South Carolina | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit; a separate limit on interns applies, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| South Dakota | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit; a separate limit on interns applies, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| Tennessee | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-16Record | |
| Texas | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit; a separate limit on interns applies, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | A separate limit on technicians in training, inside the overall cap. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| Virginia | Pharmacy interns count toward the same limit as technicians. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record | |
| West Virginia | Pharmacy interns do not count toward the technician limit, and an intern still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty. | No separate rule for technicians in training: a trainee counts as a technician. | 2026-10-19Record |
An intern held outside the technician limit still needs a supervising pharmacist on duty; RxShift flags an intern on a counting shift with no pharmacist. Where a rule’s text leaves a choice, RxShift applies the stricter reading and says so on the state’s page. Informational only, not legal advice; always confirm against the cited source.