Pharmaceutical technicians or a pharmacy technicians as they are more commonly called, are health care professionals who perform pharmacy related functions. Pharmacy technicians typically work under the direction of a licensed pharmacist or other licensed health professional. These technicians perform vital functions and they usually work in retail or community pharmacies, hospital pharmacies and occasionally long-term health care facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers and third party insurance companies.
The job description of a pharmacy technician generally includes filling and dispensing prescriptions for drugs or medical devices. They may also instruct patients on the proper use of the prescription. They may also be responsible for administrative duties within the pharmaceutical practice, such as working with insurance companies to make sure that proper payment is received and revenue is collected or reviewing prescription requests with doctor’s offices to make sure that the patient is receiving the correct medicine. Techs may also consult with patients to ensure that they understand the proper use of the medications and the risks and dangers of potential drug interactions along with the importance of taking certain medications at specific time frames.
In recent years the job duties and responsibilities along with the demand for qualified individuals to fill these important positions has expanded. This may be partially due to the aging population and the fact that more technicians are needed to fill the healthcare needs of the public or it may also be attributed to the fact that there are not as many licensed pharmacists as needed and the training and qualifications for a pharmacy technician are significantly less that that of a licensed pharmacist.
While they complete a variety of tasks associated with preparing and dispensing prescribed medications for patients, such as counting out pills or mixing up liquid medicines, they may also have the responsibility of assisting the pharmacist in compounding medications. For some of the simpler preparations of compounded medicines, the pharmacy technician may have the complete responsibility of preparing the medication.
They may also provide advice on non-prescription medications. They may be responsible for inventory and the tracking of medication and supply orders along with other administrative tasks that are related to the pharmacy business. They may counsel existing patients on the proper use of medications and on any contraindications that may affect their medicine and their health.
The professional qualifications and requirements to become a pharmacy technician generally include knowledge and skills in the pharmaceutical industry. This knowledge is typically gained through formal training, however, in some cases and depending upon the employer, it may be possible to get into an apprenticeship type program that includes on-the-job training.
In order to qualify to take the training a high school diploma or its equivalent is required. It is not necessary to have a university degree or any previous college training. A background in science, math or health-related subjects is helpful. The training is typically offered by technical or community colleges. There are also courses offered by the military, some hospitals or healthcare organizations, proprietary schools and even through online courses.
The areas of study will include the pharmacy and healthcare ethics, retail and hospital pharmacy practice including customer care and service, medical terminology, human physiology and diseases, pharmacotherapeutics, retail and hospital software systems, inventory management, infection control and relevant laws. An internship period in a working pharmacy where a student can gain hand-on experience is generally required.
The majority of employers prefer their technicians to be certified with a national or locl pharmacy board. In order to achieve this certification, a potential pharmacy technician will need to be able to pass a standardized test that tests their knowledge and expertise. In the United States there are various boards and private organizations that offer certification. Typically the student will pay a fee to take the test and they will need to be able to pass the test at a certain level of proficiency. In some other countries throughout the world, techs are required to be registered with a national regulatory council.
In the United States according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 75% of all pharmacy technicians work in a retail setting, such as a mass retailer chain pharmacy like Walmart or Walgreens, or an independently owned small pharmacy including specialized compounding pharmacies. Technicians can also find work in a mail-order or online pharmacy. Other possible job opportunities for pharmacy technicians include hospitals and hospital pharmacies, nursing homes, pharmaceutical wholesalers or the Federal Government.
A certified pharmacy technician is also referred to by the abbreviation C Ph T. A certified pharmacy technician works directly under and assists the Registered Pharmacist (R Ph). The training to become a registered pharmacist is significantly greater than to become a pharmacy technician. A registered pharmacist requires licensure and a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, which can take up to 6 years to complete.
After completing the educational and technical requirements to become a pharmacy technician, the technician may take the certification exam in order to become certified. This is important when it comes time to look for employment as most employers will want to hire only certified people.
A potential pharmacy technician may take the certification exam from two different certifying boards. The first is the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam or PTCE, this is offered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board or PTCB. The second board that offers a certifying exam is the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians or ICPT, which offers the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians of ExCPT. Upon the successful completion and passing of the exam the candidate is granted certification for a certain period of time. You must take a certain predetermined amount of continuing education every few years in order to maintain this certification.
There are many opportunities within the workplace for a qualified and certified technician. In retail pharmacies the certified pharmacy technician will work under the direct supervision of a pharmacist who dispenses prescription medications. They will often assist or dispense the prescriptions, whether they are tablets, capsules, gels, ointments, suspensions, creams, injections or inhalation medication. The pharmacy technician must be familiar with the duties of the over-the-counter business as well as any third party insurance billing processes.
