Become a Pharmacy Technician

What does a Pharmacy Technician do?

Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists provide patients with medication and additional health care products.

Common tasks can include labeling bottles, counting pills, preparing medication for clients through mixing, and receiving and verifying prescriptions.

Pharmacy technicians work in patient care facilities as well. They read patient charts and then prepare the medication, verifying the prescription before delivering it to the patient.

What are a pharmacy technician’s other common responsibilites?

• Checking inventory
• Patient paperwork
• Stocking medications
• Aiding in insurance claims

One can follow several paths to become a pharmacy tech. Although one can learn on the job, employers prefer to hire pharmacy techs who possess formal training and certification. Subjects for formal training include pharmaceutical calculations, medical and pharmaceutical terminology, pharmacy law and ethics, pharmacy recordkeeping, and pharmaceutical techniques. Training may also include an internship. Depending on the state employed in and school attended, an associates degree, certificate or diploma would be awarded.