Curricula and Learning Links - Career Exploration
Pharmacy Technician
by Carly
What do you do in this job?
Pharmacy Technicians do a variety of jobs within the pharmacy. They interact with patients while receiving prescriptions, taking information, and answering questions. They work with medications as they count pills (often using a machine to make the process easier and faster), label pill bottles, and "pull" drugs (taking the proper drug off the shelf to be used) and then return drugs to the shelf. Additionally, they work with computer systems, doctors' offices, and insurance companies as they "input," or translate the paper prescription turned in by the patient into the computer system, which records refills and fill dates, checks for drug interactions, runs the prescription through the insurance company to determine the patient's copay (or price they pay for the medicine), and alerts the inputter of possible warnings associated with the prescription, such as the refill being "too soon to fill" or the patient getting too much of the medication in the allotted timeframe (usually determined by the insurance company and the doctor.)
Pharmacy Techs can also work in an office environment, working directly with patients as they make decisions about their healthcare and medication coverage. They work with insurance companies to ensure that patients' medications will be covered if they change plans. They help patients with their charge accounts, billing, and answer simple questions about medications' side effects and uses. By law, Pharmacy Technicians are only allowed to answer certain questions about patients' health status and medication use. Serious questions including those regarding medication interactions and health concerns are always referred to a pharmacist, who has been trained more specifically to answer such questions.
Finally, some specially-trained technicians help a pharmacist with "compounding" drugs. This is the process of using "recipes" to mix drug powders and other ingredients and then form the mix into pills, capsules, medicated lotions and creams, and liquids. This allows pharmacists to create stronger or weaker strengths of drugs, or to make a certain medication into a form in which it is not normally sold, such as a cream or lotion. This is a very hands-on area of the profession that takes concentration and meticulous attention to detail.
Why is it interesting? What makes it rewarding?
I really enjoy working with patients as they come in every month for their regular medications (such as blood pressure medicine or insulin for diabetes). Being able to greet them by name and hear how they're doing every month is a huge reward -- that familiarity and "personal touch" gives them confidence in our business and assures them that we'll take care of them to the best of our ability. Happy customers make happy employees -- and it's often difficult to keep people happy when it comes to their medication! The constant challenge of keeping every-day interactions with patients positive makes my job fun and exciting.
Some other techs that I work with enjoy the more technical side of the job better than interacting with patients. They enjoy working with the medications and computer systems while counting, compounding, or inputting. Although this side of the job is rewarding also, I prefer the face-to-face contact and variety of working with people instead of with computers.
How do you become qualified for this job?
To be a Pharmacy Tech, you will need a state license. These can be earned in several ways. I started working at a privately-owned pharmacy as a Pharmacy Cashier, with no pharmacy experience whatsoever. After working as a cashier for awhile, I was sent through a state-approved certification program to attain my state license as a Registered Pharmacy Technician. Although I did learn a lot through the official training program, many of the jobs I do are specific to the pharmacy where I work, so much of my job was through on-the-job training. Another method to attain the license is through college programs -- usually a few months long; after passing the test at the end and interning at a pharmacy, you will receive your license.
You can take it a step further through becoming nationally certified. As a Registered Pharmacy Technician, you are on the state's "list" as a Pharmacy Tech. To become a "Certified" Pharmacy Technician, you have to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE), which is a national exam. Frequently, becoming certified results in getting a pay raise!
How would a young person find out more about this job?
Apply for a job in a pharmacy as a cashier.
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