How to be a Pharmacy Technician

Does the idea of working in a flourishing, health care-related field intrigue you? Are you detail-oriented and good with people? Consider learning how to be a pharmacy technician.

Many pharmacy technicians work in retail settings, such as a drugstore or supermarket, though they may also be employed by hospitals or nursing homes. Technicians are usually responsible for managing and dispensing prescription requests submitted by doctors and by walk-in customers. Responsibilities can vary depending upon state regulations.

Training and education

There are plenty of ways to pursue this flourishing career, from on-the-job training to more formal educational and certification programs. As part of a certificate or degree program, you may complete coursework in one or more of the following subjects:

Medical and pharmaceutical terminology
Pharmaceutical calculations
Pharmacy record keeping
Pharmacy law and ethics

Though not all states require it, becoming board-certified can help your career prospects. You can do this by passing a standardized exam administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (which is part of the National Healthcareer Association). Exam eligibility requirements dictate that you must hold at least a high school diploma and have had no felony convictions. You can expect to be tested on skills and practices that are relevant to the main tasks a pharmacy technician must execute on a day to day basis. For example, the exam administered by the PTCB has three sections:

Assisting the Pharmacist in Serving Patients
Maintaining Medication and Inventory Control Systems
Participating in the Administration and Management of Pharmacy Practice

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that job opportunities for pharmacy technicians will increase by about 31 percent between the years 2008 and 2018. As of May 2008, the mean hourly wage for a pharmacy technician was $13.32, with certified technicians earning more than non-certified technicians.