A pharmacy technician is a medical professional who works directly with pharmacists to meet the needs of their customers and makes sure they get the proper care.
Pharmacy technicians can locate, dispense, pack, and label prescription medication which is reviewed by a pharmacist before given to the customer. As a valuable part of the team, pharmacy technicians help ensure the safety and health of their customers, and work to ensure everything runs smoothly in the pharmacy.
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What does a Pharmacy Technician do?
A pharmacy technician has many responsibilities to ensure the overall efficiency of the day to day operations of a pharmacy. Working under the pharmacist, their primary duty is to assist the pharmacist with prescriptions that are sent in by a doctor or brought in by a customer.
The Pharmacy Technician helps patients get the prescriptions they need in order to hopefully feel better. They also lend invaluable assistance to Pharmacists as part of their daily duties.
Depending on where a Pharmacy Technician works, their duties may vary but generally will include the following:
- Collect information from customers or providers
- Measure medications for prescriptions
- Pack and label prescriptions
- Organize inventory
- Process payments and insurance claims
- Provide customer service in person and/or via phone call (1)
Where Do Pharmacy Technicians Work?
Pharmacy technicians’ job duties often depend on where they work. A few places they might be employed include:
Retail Pharmacy Tech – A traditional setting such as a drug store or grocery store. These pharmacy technicians mostly handle customer service and provide advice to customers.
Hospital Pharmacy Tech – Pharmacy technicians who work in a hospital-based setting typically help prepare IV medications or maintain inventory.
Mail-Order Pharmacy Tech – These pharmacy technicians work in an office-like setting where they assist in filling prescriptions, filing medications, and maintaining patient records.
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Pharmacy Technician Education and Training
Do you have an interest or strong desire to learn and train to become a pharmacy technician? Why not get started today? The requirements for joining a training program may vary by school, but you’ll generally need a high school diploma or equivalent along with the desire to learn to apply for a pharmacy technician program.
Training usually includes but is not limited to:
- Less than a year of schooling
- Combination of classroom instruction and in-person training with hands-on labs to practice
- Real world experience in an externship
At Dorsey College, we strive to provide the best possible education for our students! Our program offers real world experiences, combined with hands-on lab training, and courses delivered in a hybrid format. This means some of your classes will take place online where others will happen in person. It’s the best of both worlds!
Want more information? Check out our Pharmacy Technician program page for more details.
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