Pharmacy Technician Resources
Pharmacy Technician Education and Careers
The primary responsibility of a pharmacy technician is to assist pharmacists in the task of providing medication and other medical products to customers. These duties can range from working directly with medication to providing cash register assistance at a pharmaceutical retailer.
Although the tasks of a pharmacy tech are diverse and are largely dependent on the type of employment facility, the most important distinction of a pharmacy tech is that although there is direct work with medication and patients, he or she will always refer patient questions and bigger medical concerns to a licensed pharmacist.
Employment Opportunities
Most pharmacy techs will find themselves working in grocery stores or other retail pharmacies under the direction of a licensed pharmacist. On the medication-related side of this job, a pharmacy tech might be asked to verify prescription information, count and/or weigh medication, and prepare prescription labels. On the administrative and clerical side of the job, pharmacy techs might find themselves taking payments from customers, preparing insurance forms, and taking inventories of the store's stock.
Although retail pharmacy work is the most prevalent type of employment for pharmacy techs, many individuals go on to work in hospitals and nursing homes. Duties here may extend to include reading charts, preparing the medication to be disbursed, and delivering the medication to patients.
A smaller number of jobs are available in mail-order and Internet-based pharmaceutical companies. Some pharmacy techs even go on to work in pharmaceutical sales, which is ideal for those looking to increase their income options. (Medical sales continue to be one of the most profitable professions related to pharmacies.)
Educational Options
There are two ways to become a pharmacy technician: to get on-the-job training or to take a vocational training course. Legally, anyone can be a pharmacy technician with the proper training; however, more and more employers are turning to formally trained and certified candidates for employment.
Formal training can come from some accredited hospitals, technical training schools, community colleges, and even the military. Depending on the type of course, graduates can end up with a diploma, a certificate, or an Associate degree. Of these, the Associate degree is by far the most time-intensive, typically requiring two years and additional general education courses. However, most community colleges (which offer Associate degrees) are less expensive than the nine-month to one-year vocational courses.
Regardless of the program, classes typically focus on understanding the right terminology, mathematics, keeping records, and pharmacy-related legal issues.
Choosing a Pharmacy Technician School
When choosing a school, prospective students should look for the ability to sit for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board and/or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians, both of which offer national certification examinations. Adequate education and training is typically all that is required to sit for these exams, although one additional qualification is having a record that is clear of felony convictions (within five years) as well as drug-related felony convictions (at any point in the past). Recertification must occur every two years and be accompanied by continuing education credits.
Online opportunities for pharmacy tech training are on the rise. Because most of the work is focused on basic skills (as opposed to working with or on patients), most online courses are considered adequate as long as they require (or at least offer) a hands-on externship opportunity prior to graduation. Students should look for schools with the proper accreditation before paying for any education course; it is also a good idea to check with area employers to determine if they are willing to hire graduates from that particular school.
Potential Earning Opportunities
Most pharmacy techs make about $11 to $14 per hour. Drug stores and retail pharmacies typically pay on the lower end of the scale, while work in hospitals reaches the higher end. Education can also have an impact on how much a pharmacy technician gets paid; an Associate degree and a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) certification can go a long way in increasing a salary.
Future of Pharmacy Technicians
As with most medical professions, the job outlook for pharmacy techs is very good over the next ten years. This is especially true as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age and require more prescription drugs. At the same time, medicine dispensing machines (which count pills and put them in the right containers) are starting to become more popular; they may take over some of the tasks that current pharmacy technicians perform on a daily basis. Although these machines will probably never completely replace the human element, they may have an impact on the job future of pharmacy techs, reducing the amount of contact with medication and increasing administrative and clerical duties.
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