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Everything You Need to Know About Becoming a Pharmacy Technician If you’re searching for a rewarding career that allows you to help others, becoming a pharmacy technician is something you might not have looked into before. However, there’s a lot to know about starting a new career path and you may not have had time to research as much as you’d like. Before you decide to put off your career goals even longer, take a look at everything you need to know about becoming a pharmacy technician right in one place! What Does a Pharmacy Technician do? Pharmacy technicians work with pharmacists to dispense prescription medications to patients and health professionals. Typically, a trained pharmacy technician will be responsible for a number of tasks throughout their workday, some of which can vary based on their workplace. As a pharmacy technician, it will be your job to collect information from customers and doctors so you can give the right prescriptions to the right patients. Under the direction of a licensed pharmacist, you’ll measure, package, label and inventory medications. You’ll work with the pharmacist and other pharmacy technicians to quickly and correctly prepare all medications. Entering customer information into computers and accepting payment for prescriptions will also be part of your job. One of your big responsibilities will be keeping information organized and confidential. Customers will rely on you to answer their questions and give them information both over the phone and in person. In many cases, customers will talk to you first before talking to the pharmacist. Where Do They Work? Most pharmacy technicians find work in retail pharmacies. You can see them in action behind the counter at national chain drug stores, in the pharmacy departments of big retailers like Walmart or Target, and even in small, locally owned stores. However, though the most common place they find work, it’s not the only option for trained pharmacy technicians. As a pharmacy technician, you can also find work in hospital or clinical pharmacies, working with doctors and prescribers to fill patient prescriptions instead of working directly with the patient. If that still doesn’t sound like your kind of work environment, some pharmacy technicians have found full time work in mail order pharmacies. Just like with working in a traditional pharmacy setting, those who work in mail order would check prescriptions, verify patient information, and more. These all sound like the same job, in different environments, but this isn’t the only work certified technicians can do! Becoming certified as a pharmacy technician, while not currently required in all states, can help you prepare for career opportunities across the country. As a trained pharmacy technician, you’ll be able to work toward advancing your career in different, specialized pharmacy settings. Some of these careers include: central pharmacy operations technician, home infusion pharmacy technician, and traveling pharmacy technician. Central Pharmacy Home Infusion Traveling Pharmacy Operations Technician Pharmacy Technician Technician In this role, technicians Infusion services include If you’re looking for a career work in a central location. at-home injections or that takes you on the road, You’ll be kept busy refilling catheters provided by a becoming a traveling prescription requests for licensed pharmacist. You’ll pharmacy technician could be multiple pharmacies. You’ll support the pharmacist the right fit for you. Just like a also keep track of inventory at home visits, contact traveling nurse, you’ll partner and orders. patients about medication with a healthcare agency who deliveries, and more. To will provide you with short- pursue a career in this field, term assignments that can you need to be certified. take you to a new hospital or facility every 13 to 20 weeks. A Day in the Life: Pharmacy Technician The job of a pharmacy technician is rewarding, often fast-paced, and tasks can vary day- to-day, making sure you’ll never be bored. In an average day, you’ll be responsible for: • Providing excellent customer service, whether in person, or on the phone. • Taking prescriptions, calls from doctors, and processing refill requests, arranging for themto be filled by the pharmacist. • Correctly interpreting prescription orders so they can be filled properly. • Working with insurance companies. • Data entry of patient information and more. • Counting, mixing, measuring, and labeling medications for dispensing to patients. • Ordering, stocking, and delivering medications. • Processing payments. • Completing tasks assigned to you by the pharmacist. Depending on the number of staff in your pharmacy, your task load may be lighter or you may be responsible for taking on additional tasks usually assigned to a pharmacist. You’ll also find that your work schedule can vary from week to week. Medical needs often occur outside of standard working hours, so depending on where you work, you can find yourself with a flexible, varied schedule. As a vital part of the healthcare industry, you’ll be responsible for working when you’re needed most. But with sometimes unconventional hours and flexible schedules comes the ability to have work/life balance that works for your lifestyle. Why Become a Pharmacy Technician? Becoming a pharmacy technician can help you take the first steps toward building a lifelong career in the role. You can also use it as a stepping stone on your journey toward pharmacy school and becoming a licensed pharmacist. Whether your long-term career plans take you toward furthering your education, or moving up as a pharmacy technician, it’s a rewarding entry-level job where your work directly helps people receive the medical treatment necessary for them. Besides starting a career you love, demand for trained pharmacy technicians is expected to grow 12% in the next ten years.1 With a continually aging population who need regular medications to control any number of diseases and aches, pharmacies are getting busier. As a result, pharmacists have to spend more time on direct patient care, counselling them on new prescription medications and advising them on over the counter medications. They need help keeping up with daily tasks and that’s where a trained technician comes in. They’re being relied on to step up and help out, making now a great time to make a move toward a new career in the industry. And the longer you stay in the industry, the more you’ll make: The average entry-level salary for a pharmacy technician is $31,750 and it’s expected that over 47,000 new positions will be available by 2026.1 You can get an extra boost by earning a pharmacy technician certificate. Certified pharmacy technicians make an average of one dollar an hour more than non-certified pharmacy technicians with the same level of experience.2 Besides being able to earn more money, more and more states are beginning to require pharmacy technicians become certified to work in the field. Even if your state isn’t requiring it yet, taking care of that when you’re beginning your career can ensure that you don’t have to scramble to become certified if they change the current standards. ¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17 Edition, Pharmacy Technicians, on the Internet here. Statistics found in the United States Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook are based on national data, so job growth in your area may be different. 2 https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Pharmacy_Technician/Hourly_Rate Excellent Qualities as a Pharmacy Technician Besides an interest in the healthcare industry and helping others, an excellent pharmacy technician should have a few important qualities before starting the job, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These qualities include, but aren’t limited to: Customer Service Skills Pharmacy technicians spend much of their time interacting with customers, so being helpful and polite is required of pharmacy technicians in a retail setting. Detail Oriented Serious health problems can result from mistakes in filling prescriptions. Although the pharmacist is responsible for ensuring the safety of all medications dispensed, pharmacy technicians should pay attention to detail so that complications are avoided. Listening Skills Pharmacy technicians must communicate clearly with pharmacists and doctors when taking prescription orders. When speaking with customers, technicians must listen carefully to understand customers’ needs and determine if they need to speak with a pharmacist. Math Skills Pharmacy technicians need to have an understanding of the math concepts used in pharmacies when counting pills and compounding medications. Organizational Skills Working as a pharmacy technician involves balancing a variety of responsibilities. They need good organizational skills to complete the work delegated by pharmacists while at the same time providing service to customers or patients. The foundational knowledge required of a pharmacy technician, like compounding, pharmacology knowledge, and pharmacy and privacy laws, can be learned. Through comprehensive coursework and hands-on training, the day-to-day tasks you’ll be responsible for will become second nature. Soft skills, like those mentioned above, though, are needed to be truly impactful in the field. If you’re not confident in your people and leadership skills, taking a course in addition to your pharmacy classes to help improve those skills can make a difference. How to Become a Pharmacy Technician Pharmacy technicians need a high school diploma or equivalent to be offered a job in the field, though preference is often given to techs who have had postsecondary education in pharmacy technology. An accredited technical school or distance education program like Penn Foster College and Career School’s two pharmacy technician programs can help you prepare to take the first step toward a job in the field.

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