About Pharmacy Technician Careers
Pharmacy technician can fill prescriptions, but are not allowed to answer questions about prescriptions or health problems, and cannot advise people about medications. They also perform administrative tasks, particularly in pharmacies which do not also employ pharmacy assistants.
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Filling Prescriptions
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When customers bring prescriptions to the pharmacy, the technicians retrieve medications from storage areas. They count pills and measure liquids to fill the prescriptions, and sometimes mix liquid medicines, or prepare ointments and creams.
Packaging
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Pharmacy technicians select the appropriate containers and print labels for the medicine, and a pharmacist double-checks all the filled prescriptions.
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Administrative Work
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Administrative work performed by pharmacy technicians includes maintaining patient records and insurance data on the computer, and tracking inventory. They also may do cashiering and customer service.
Location
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Pharmacy technician careers usually involve working in retail drugstores, including independent stores, chains, department stores and supermarkets. Tech also often work in hospital and nursing home pharmacies.
Education Requirements
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Most employers prefer pharmacy technicians with a certificate from a two-semester program or a two-year associate's degree. These can be obtained at technical schools or community colleges.
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