Pharmacy Technician
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Pharmacy Technician Salary
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, median annual earnings of pharmacy technicians were $26,510 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $21,010 and $31,030. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17,800, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $31,030. Salary.com lists the 2007 US average as $27,641 with the lowest 10 percent making less than $21,663 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $34,544. Certification, evening or weekend hours, and union membership typically contribute to increased pay.
The job outlook for pharmacy technicians is very good. With an aging population, advances in science and an ever-increasing array of medications, employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2014.
Every day, pharmacy technicians work closely with pharmacists to deliver accurately identified and properly dosed medications to patients. Performing their duties well requires extreme precision, excellent people skills, and knowledge of and strict compliance with laws governing prescription drugs. Many training programs can be completed in less than a year, making this an attractive option for those seeking to enter the workforce quickly or change careers without undergoing extensive retraining.
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On a typical day, a pharmacy technician may perform any or all of these duties:
- Receiving prescriptions or refill requests from patients and doctors' offices
- Verifying that prescription information is complete and accurate
- Retrieving, counting, pouring, weighing, measuring and sometimes mixing medications
- Preparing and affixing prescription labels to appropriate containers
- Filing completed prescriptions
Other duties include the following:
- Establishing and maintaining patient profiles
- Preparing insurance claim forms
- Stocking and taking inventory of medications
Technicians working in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities have added responsibilities, such as reading patients' charts and delivering medications. Technicians must refer questions about medications or other health matters to a pharmacist. Pharmacists must also check prescriptions before they are given to the patient.
Workplace
Pharmacies are clean, organized and well-lit. The atmosphere is typically calm and quiet, enabling pharmacists, technicians and other personnel to focus on detailed information. Most of the workday is spent standing, and technicians may lift heavy boxes or climb stepladders to retrieve supplies. About seven in 10 pharmacy technicians work in retail pharmacies; another two in 10 work in hospitals.
Work hours may include nights, weekends and holidays, particularly in facilities open 24 hours a day, and there are many opportunities for part-time work. As they achieve seniority, technicians gain increased control over their hours.
Education and Training
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Although many pharmacy technicians learn on the job, employers increasingly favor those with formal training and certification, particularly in those settings without resources to provide on-the-job training. In some cases, technicians are hired under the condition that they will obtain certification within a specified period.
Pharmacy technician training programs are offered by vocational schools as well as by some hospitals and the military. These programs typically take less than a year to complete and lead to a certificate or diploma. Some schools offer a two-year associate's degree. Programs include classroom and laboratory work in medical and pharmaceutical terminology, calculations and techniques, recordkeeping, and law and ethics. Technicians must also learn medication names, actions, uses and doses. Prospective technicians must have good spelling, reading and math skills. Knowledge of chemistry and health are additionally beneficial.
Many training programs offer internships, and job candidates with practical experience have an advantage. Experience can also be gained by working as an aide in a community pharmacy or volunteering in a hospital.
Licensing and Certification
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board administers the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination. This exam is currently voluntary in most states, but the number of states requiring certification is increasing. To receive certification, candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent and no felony convictions. Those who pass earn the title of Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT).
CPhTs must be recertified every two years by undertaking 20 hours of continuing education through pharmacy associations, colleges or training programs. Up to 10 of these hours can be earned while the technician receives instruction from a pharmacist, and one hour must be in pharmacy law.