When a pharmacy technician or aide says they’ll give you a taste of your own medicine, you have nothing to worry about. Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists dispense prescription medication to customers or health professionals. They receive written prescriptions and confirm their accuracy, and can measure and package medications, and label prescriptions. Technicians answer customers’ basic questions, and track lists of meds they receive. They may also process medical insurance forms. Pharmacy aides record and store deliveries of supplies and medications, and may accept prescriptions to be filled. They greet customers and provide basic information about their medications. They usually run the cash register in the pharmacy, and also prepare labels and keep the pharmacy area tidy. Many pharmacy technicians and aides work full time, and may work irregular shifts at 24-hour pharmacies. Technicians may enter the field by earning an associate’s degree, taking a short-term pharmacy technician program, or gaining work experience to develop the needed skills. Most, but not all, states require licensure and certification for pharmacy technicians. Pharmacy aides generally need a high school education, and train on the job. As the face of the pharmacy, pharmacy technicians and aides need customer service skills and a strong eye for detail. Ensuring customers receive the correct medication —in a timely fashion— is essential to our health care system.
What they do:
Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.
On the job, you would:
Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
Prepack bulk medicines, fill bottles with prescribed medications, and type and affix labels.
Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.
Business
customer service
administrative services
Arts and Humanities
English language
Health
medicine and dentistry
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
reading work related information
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
communicate by speaking
Ideas and Logic
notice when problems happen
order or arrange things
Math
add, subtract, multiply, or divide
choose the right type of math to solve a problem
Hand and Finger Use
hold or move items with your hands
People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
Attention to Detail
Integrity
Concern for Others
Cooperation
Dependability
Stress Tolerance
You might use software like this on the job:
Medical software
Medical condition coding software
MEDITECH software
Data base user interface and query software
Database software
Drug compatibility software
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
high school diploma/GED or certificate after high school usually needed
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