Pharmacy technicians help licensed pharmacists prepare prescription medications, provide customer service, and perform administrative duties within a pharmacy setting. Pharmacy technicians generally are responsible for receiving prescription requests, counting tablets, and labeling bottles,
Related job titles are: Pharmacy Technician, Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), IV Certified Pharmacy Technician, or Pharmaceutical Care Associate.
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Important Pharmacy Technician Degree Information -Top of Page-
- Job opportunities are expected to be good, especially for those with certification or previous work experience.
- Many technicians work evenings, weekends, and holidays.
- About 75 percent of jobs were in a retail setting.
How much does a Pharmacy Technician make in Salary? || Pharmacy Technician Pay -Top of Page-
Median hourly wages of wage and salary pharmacy technicians in May 2008 were $13.32. The middle 50 percent earned a salary of between $10.95 and $15.88. The lowest 10 percent earned a salary of less than $9.27, and the highest 10 percent earned a salary of more than $18.98.
What is a Pharmacy Technician? || What does a Pharmacy Technician do? || Job Descriptions -Top of Page-
Pharmacy technicians who work in retail or mail-order pharmacies have various responsibilities, depending on State rules and regulations. Technicians receive written prescription requests from patients. They also may receive prescriptions sent electronically from doctors’ offices, and in some States they are permitted to process requests by phone. They must verify that the information on the prescription is complete and accurate.
To prepare the prescription, technicians retrieve, count, pour, weigh, measure, and sometimes mix the medication. Then they prepare the prescription labels, select the type of container, and affix the prescription and auxiliary labels to the container. Once the prescription is filled, technicians price and file the prescription, which must be checked by a pharmacist before it is given to the patient. Technicians may establish and maintain patient profiles, as well as prepare insurance claim forms.
Working Conditions for Pharmacy Technicians -Top of Page-
Pharmacy technicians work in clean, organized, well-lighted, and well-ventilated areas. Most of their workday is spent on their feet. Technicians often have varying schedules that include nights, weekends, and holidays. In facilities that are open 24 hours a day, such as hospital pharmacies, technicians may be required to work nights.
How to become a Pharmacy Technician || Pharmacy Technician Classes and Degree Programs -Top of Page-
Formal technician education programs are available through a variety of organizations, including community colleges, vocational schools, hospitals, and the military. These programs range from 6 months to 2 years and include classroom and laboratory work. They cover a variety of subject areas, such as medical and pharmaceutical terminology, pharmaceutical calculations, pharmacy recordkeeping, pharmaceutical techniques, and pharmacy law and ethics.
Technicians also are required to learn the names, actions, uses, and doses of the medications they work with. Many training programs include internships, in which students gain hands-on experience in actual pharmacies. After completion, students receive a diploma, a certificate, or an associate’s degree, depending on the program.
In most States, pharmacy technicians must be registered with the State board of pharmacy.
Where are the Pharmacy Technician Jobs? -Top of Page-
Pharmacy technicians and aides held about 381,200 jobs in 2008. Of these, about 326,300 were pharmacy technicians and about 54,900 were pharmacy aides. About 75 percent of jobs were in a retail setting, and about 16 percent were in hospitals.
Pharmacy Technician Job Opportunities and Outlook -Top of Page-
Employment of pharmacy technicians and aides is expected to increase by 25 percent from 2008 to 2018, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. The increased number of middle-aged and elderly people—who use more prescription drugs than younger people—will spur demand for pharmacy workers throughout the projection period. In addition, as scientific advances lead to new drugs, and as more people obtain prescription drug coverage, pharmacy workers will be needed in growing numbers.
Job opportunities for pharmacy technicians are expected to be good, especially for those with previous experience, formal training, or certification.