Career: Pharmacy Technicians
A red-eyed customer sneezes a few times before complaining that his usual allergy medicine isn’t working this season. Can you help him find an alternative? Another customer learns that her doctor prescribed a medication that isn’t covered by her insurance company. Is there another drug that works the same -- and is covered by insurance?
Pharmacy technicians answer questions like these and help patients understand the drugs they take. They work under the supervision of pharmacists.
Pharmacy technicians work with licensed pharmacists to fill prescriptions. They also advise patients about prescription and nonprescription drugs and health care products.
Did You Know?
- Technicians who work in hospitals and assisted-living facilities must often read patient’s charts in order to prepare and deliver their medication.
Are You Ready To...?
- Work for a retail pharmacy or health care facility
- Advise and help patients who are often feeling bad and moody
- Learn new pharmacy technology such as robotic dispensing machines
- Use math
- Call doctors’ offices and insurance companies
- Work nights and weekends
It Helps to Be...
Alert, organized, responsible, and patient. With such precise work, avoiding and spotting errors is crucial. The ability to take directions and work closely with pharmacists is as important as the ability to communicate calmly and clearly with patients.
Make High School Count
- Take plenty of math and science courses.
- Build communication skills in English, drama, and speech classes
- Learn a foreign language so you can communicate with patients in diverse communities.
- Volunteer or work at a health clinic, a hospital, or a community pharmacy.
- Explore summer study programs like the University of Massachusetts’ High School Health Careers Program or the Health Careers Opportunity Program at the University of Montana.
Did You Know?
- While many pharmacy technicians are trained on the job, employers prefer to hire those who have formal training and certification.
Outlook
Government economists expect job growth for pharmacy technicians to be much faster than the average for all careers through 2016.
There are many reasons for this growth. For one, the population of the United States is aging and will need more medication. Advances in science, such as genetic research, should also create more drugs and therefore more opportunities for pharmacy technicians. Plus, many drugstores will cope with the shortage of licensed pharmacists by relying more on pharmacy technicians.
Compensation
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technicians earned an average salary of $28,500 in 2008. The average hourly wage was $13.70.
