How to Become a Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technicians help licensed pharmacists prepare medications and other healthcare products to patients.
Employment is projected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2012.
Job prospects are good due to greater use of medications and increased needs of a larger and older population.
Here's what you need to know:
1) What is a Pharmacy Technician?
2) Requirements for the career
3) Certification
4) Salary Potential
1) What is a Pharmacy Technician?
Pharmacy Technicians prepare medications under the direction of a licensed pharmacist.
They retrieve, count, pour, weigh, measure and sometimes mix the medication.
They then prepare the prescription labels, select the type of prescription container and affix the prescription labels to the container.
Once the prescription is filled, technicians price and file the prescription, which must be checked by a pharmacist before it is given to a patient.
Technicians may establish and maintain patient profiles, prepare insurance claim forms, and stock and take inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications.
2) Career Requirements
Below are some career requirements:
- High school diploma or its equivalent
- Completion of a formal Pharmacy Technician program leading to a diploma, a certificate or an associate degree is desirable
- Some States and employers require certification as a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) which is offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)
- Some states require either licensure or registration with the state board
- Cannot have prior records of drug or substance abuse
- Must be alert, observant, organized, dedicated and responsible
- Possess strong customer service and communication skills
- Possess strong spelling, reading, and mathematics skills
- Possess good computer skills
3) Certification
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) administers the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE).
You must have received a high school diploma, a GED or the foreign equivalent by the application receipt deadline and have never been convicted of a felony to sit for the PTCE Examination.
Once a pharmacy technician has sit for and pass the national PTCE, he or she may use the designation of Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
A CPhT is required to obtain 20 hours of continuing education for recertification within 2 years of original certification or previous recertification.
4) Salary Potential
Earnings vary by geographic location, employment setting, and years of experience.
The median annual salary of a PharmacyTechnician is approximately $30,000 to $33,000.
Salaries range from about $7/hour to over $15/hour.