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:
Record drugs delivered to the pharmacy, store incoming merchandise, and inform the supervisor of stock needs. May operate cash register and accept prescriptions for filling.
On the job, you would:
Greet customers and help them locate merchandise.
Accept prescriptions for filling, gathering and processing necessary information.
Operate cash register to process cash or credit sales.
Business
customer service
administrative services
Arts and Humanities
English language
Basic Skills
listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions
talking to others
Problem Solving
noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it
Verbal
listen and understand what people say
communicate by speaking
Math
choose the right type of math to solve a problem
People interested in this work like activities that include data, detail, and regular routines.
They do well at jobs that need:
Integrity
Self Control
Cooperation
Attention to Detail
Stress Tolerance
Dependability
You might use software like this on the job:
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel
Presentation software
Microsoft PowerPoint
Electronic mail software
Microsoft Outlook
high school diploma/GED or certificate after high school usually needed
Get started on your career:
New job opportunities are less likely in the future.