Thinking of Becoming a Pharmacy Technician?
This section deals with students interested in pursuing a pharmacy career starting with ‘how to become a pharmacy technician’. There are numerous places offering information about how to become a pharmacy technician and the role is an excellent first step in pursuing a successful career in pharmacy.
How to become a Pharmacy Technician – personal qualities
First let’s look at the personal qualities and basic skills employers will be looking for when interviewing job candidates: The nature of the work will require you to have:
- Basic math, writing, spelling and reading skills
- A high level of accuracy and attention to detail
- Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team
- Good customer service and communication skills
Other advantages may be physical fitness and a willingness to work unsociable hours.
How to become a Pharmacy technician – day to day duties
The primary function of a pharmacy technician is to assist licensed pharmacists. They receive prescriptions not only directly from patients but also from physician’s offices. Taking prescriptions over the telephone is allowed in certain states of the U.S.
The actual prescription will be made up by the pharmacist but there will usually be some preparation to be carried out by the pharmacy technician such as counting tablets and labeling containers. Depending on the work environment in which the pharmacy technician is employed they may be required to complete insurance claim forms and update patient records.
As with many jobs in the health industry, duties vary considerably depending on whether you work in general or private hospitals, private pharmacies, nursing homes, or skilled nursing facilities. Additional tasks may include the preparation of solutions and the personal delivery of medicines to physicians and nurses.
Pharmacy technicians work directly under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist and any questions or concerns regarding prescriptions, general health, and prescribed drugs are referred to the pharmacist.
At this point it is worth pointing out that not all pharmacies and pharmacy departments employ pharmacy aides who carry out routine administrative tasks including stocking shelves, answering the telephone, serving customers, and running the registers. If there are no pharmacy aides, as a pharmacy technician you will probably be expected to perform these functions yourself.
How to become a Pharmacy Technician – education, training and qualifications
Registration with the State Board of Pharmacy is required for pharmacy technicians in most states of the U.S. A registration fee is payable and the eligibility criteria, differs from state to state. In states that require the applicant to have graduated High School to become a pharmacy technician, a diploma will be required to register with the State Board of Pharmacy.
One of the first questions asked at any job interview is ‘do you have any experience?’ Employers usually prefer to take on people with prior experience, but do also expect to provide informal training that takes place on the job.
Training for Aspiring Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacy technicians are provided with informal training while on the clock over a period of 3 to 12 months. Additional formal technical training can be provided and once again the type and source of training may be influenced by your place of work. You may be trained in hospitals, vocational schools such as Liberty Career College, community colleges or military establishments.
Formal training will involve laboratory work and classroom study lasting between 6 and 24 months. Topics covered may include:
- Pharmaceutical and medical terminology
- Pharmaceutical techniques
- Pharmaceutical calculations
- Detailed record-keeping
- Ethics & Pharmacy law
Internships are included in most programs where students gain work experience in real pharmacies. Successful completion should lead to certification, a diploma or an associate degree. The type of certification or degree will depend on the program that has been completed. As a general rule, the higher the degree, the higher the pharmacy technician salary.
Pharmacy Technician Certification
The National Certification Examinations are administered by The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board and the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (PTCB & ICPT, respectively).
Candidates will need proof of either graduation from an accredited High School or a GED. Those with convictions for felony crimes are generally not have their pharmacy technician certification accepted. Students applying for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board exam are not permitted to have a pharmacy or drug related conviction. This includes misdemeanors.
Re-certification is required every 24 months, which involves 20 Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) in the same 2 year period. In addition to formal training, as many as 10 hours of the continuing education can be covered by training while on the clock under the instruction and supervision of a licensed pharmacist. CPR certification is typically worth 4 CEU’s
Reputable employers will normally reimburse their employees for the cost of certification exams.