Pharmaceutical technicians
may help prepare medications for retail customers.
Pharmaceutical technicians are employed in hospitals and medical offices, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, drugstores and mail-order pharmacies. Technicians often work with pharmacy aides under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Technicians need good verbal and written communication skills as they may work with retail customers, patients, nurses and other medical personnel.
Position Overview
Pharmacy technicians help licensed pharmacists dispense prescription medications. They perform administrative tasks and greet and assist customers. They may tally customer orders and accept payment. They also accept and confirm written patient prescriptions. Some states permit technicians to take prescriptions from doctors or other medical staff over the telephone. Technicians may prepare medical solutions, deliver medications to physicians and nurses, and record information on patient profiles. Pharmaceutical technicians may count pills or tablets, weigh, measure and mix medications, label Rx bottles and containers and price the product. The final prescription is verified by the pharmacist before patient delivery. Technicians may handle clerical and administrative duties, in lieu of a pharmacy aide, including answering phones and stocking pharmacy shelves.
Education
Educational requirements vary for this role and most states require a high school diploma at the minimum. Technicians may complete an education program offered at community colleges, vocational schools, the military or at hospitals. Some institutions offer online study. Programs range from six months to two years. These programs may cover pharmaceutical techniques, pharmacy laws and ethics, medical and pharmaceutical terminology, pharmacy record-keeping and pharmaceutical math. Technicians may participate in an on-the-job internship. Some employers such as Walgreens (walgreens.com) sponsor hands-on industry training.
Certification
Pharmaceutical technicians may obtain certification through The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians. Technicians obtain certification by passing a two-hour exam covering medication and inventory control, pharmacy administration and management and the technician's role in assisting the pharmacist. Candidates must have a high school diploma or GED to sit for the exam. Candidates with felony, drug, or pharmacy convictions cannot take the exam. Technicians are recertified at two-year intervals and must complete 20 hours of continuing education to maintain their licenses. Certification is not mandatory in most states; however, certification may increase job prospects.
Employment Prospects and Salary
Employment of technicians is predicted to increase by 25 percent between 2008 and 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pharmaceutical technician duties may expand as they take over some of the inventory and customer service duties once performed by pharmacy aides. Pharmaceutical technicians earned a median hourly income of $13.49 as of May 2009, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Certified technicians earned more than those who were not certified.
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