Becoming a Pharmacy Technician

Answer 1

A pharmacy technician is responsible for helping licensed pharmacists and performing a variety of job duties within the pharmacy. For example, a pharmacy technician may count pills, label medication bottles and assist in the general preparation of medications. Pharmacy technicians may also perform administrative duties such as answering phones, operating cash registers and assisting patients. Pharmacy technicians might be required to fill out health insurance paperwork in addition to their other duties.

They may work in retail stores, stand-alone pharmacies or hospitals. Some pharmacy technicians receive their training on the job, but other pharmacy technicians receive postsecondary training in community colleges or career schools.

Many employers may prefer job candidates who have graduated from an accredited course in pharmacy technician training. Typical courses in a pharmacy technician program include pharmaceutical techniques, pharmacy recordkeeping, pharmaceutical and medical terminology, and pharmacy ethics and law.

A program in a pharmacy technology would typically lead to an associate’s degree or career diploma, depending on the length of the program and the type of school the aspiring pharmacy technician attends. Pharmacy technician programs usually last between six months and two years. In contrast, on-the-job training may take between three months to a year.

Those enrolled in a pharmacy technician program are also required to complete an internship in the field. Interns receive hands-on experience within the workplace. They serve as interns at pharmacies in order to gain real-world experience from licensed pharmacists and experienced pharmacy technicians. Under the supervision of experienced workers, they learn to properly dispense medications and perform typical job duties within the pharmacy.

New pharmacy technicians may also choose to receive certification by completing a national exam created by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT). This may enable them to appear more desirable to employers who are seeking entry-level pharmacy technicians. Pharmacy techs must apply for recertification every two years. The majority of states in the US also require that pharmacy technicians register with the State board of pharmacy.

Working as a pharmacy technician allows a person to work in pharmacies under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Pharmacy technicians must be detail-oriented and feel comfortable working with other medical professionals. They must also possess the ability to offer exemplary customer service to patients. Whether you receive on-the-job training or attend a school that offers a pharmacy technician program, you will work in a career that positively affects the health of people in your community.

Answer 2

The role of a pharmacy technician is to assist the pharmacist in maintaining the pharmacy, having knowledge of brand/generic drug names, counting and labeling medication, and answering patient questions about their medications. Working in a retail pharmacy requires knowledge of running a cash register, knowing the return policy, and assisting the public with over the counter medications. Pharmacy technicians will need to be well versed in pharmacy prescription abbreviations, also known as sig codes. Technicians will also need to be educated in entering prescription insurance information, insurance formularies, diagnosis codes and medical equipment billing.

Technicians working in an in-patient hospital pharmacy will have to be more proficient in working with specialized medications. A hospital pharmacy technician will have to know how to mix sterile intravenous solutions, make specialized compounds, document procedures correctly, and enter information into a patient chart. Hospital technicians will not have to be knowledgeable with inputting insurance information like a retail technician would be. Since hospital pharmacies tend to carry more specialized medicines that need to compounding, most require technicians to become certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, PTCB. Some retail pharmacies also require this certification.

Pharmacy certification classes are offered at various community colleges. More successful retail pharmacies offer pharmacy certified classes or offer to pay the cost of the classes for the technicians to become certified. Some of the retail pharmacies also offer continuing education programs and access to articles and tests for technicians to recertify every two years.

Generally, hospital and certified pharmacy technicians earn a better salary than technicians in retail pharmacies without certification. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2010 technicians working in general medical and surgical hospitals had an hourly mean wage of $15.94 resulting in an annual mean wage of $33,160. Pharmacy technicians working in general merchandise stores earned an hourly mean wage of $12.85 making the mean annual wage $26,720.

Whether interested in becoming a retail pharmacy technician or a hospital pharmacy technician, more knowledge and expertise can be gained in the field by becoming PTBC certified.