Pharmacy Technician

Answer 1

Working with a pharmacist, the pharmacy technician plays an important role. In most pharmacies, the tasks of receiving prescription requests, counting tablets, and labeling bottles, falls to the pharmacy technician. In some pharmacies, clerical duties may be the technician’s responsibility. He or she may answer the phone, stock the shelves, and operate the cash register.

The duties of the pharmacy technician are regulated by each state. Quite popular today are mail-in pharmacies, and technicians employed by these agencies sometimes have an assortment of duties. Once they receive the written or electronic prescription request, they must confirm that the information is correct. They often count, weigh, and measure the correct amount of medication. Prescription labels are often prepared by pharmacy technicians. Record keeping duties may be assigned to the technician. In almost every instance, a registered pharmacist is responsible for verifying that the prescription is correctly filled and labeled.

While there currently exist no standard training requirements for pharmacy technicians, many employers require at minimum a high school diploma. Many employers prefer to hire technicians with at least some education beyond high school. A variety of schools offer certificates in the field of pharmacy technician. Community colleges may offer an Associate’s degree. The certificated courses can usually be completed in three to nine months, while an Associate’s degree typically takes two years to complete.

Certification is not currently required by any state, but several private organizations offer certifications. While this certification is not a criterion for employment, some employers may look favorably upon the applicant holding a certificate. Without any formal education, experience working with customers, using a cash register, and using a computer are essential skills.

The large majority of pharmacy technicians work in retail stores. Hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation clinics provide employment for about 25% of the pharmacy technicians. The demand for this profession is expected to continue to rise for several years.

The average hourly salary for a pharmacy technician is about $13.00. Working hours for these technicians are usually stable, and even in retail settings, a normal work week is about 40 hours. Overtime hours are not common.