ACADEMIC GUIDE

PHARMACY TECHNICIAN

T R A I N I N G

What is a pharmacy technician and is it the right career

move for your skills set? Find out now! This compact, yet

information-packed guide will introduce you to what it’s

like to be a pharmacy technician, including where you can

find employment opportunities, typical responsibilities,

career growth outlook and so much more!

What does a Pharmacy Technician do?

Pharmacy Technician Training: What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do?

Are you ready to join the ranks of pharmacy technicians nationwide and provide a much needed service in an industry that is expected to grow at a fast rate in the next decade?

In this exciting career, you will help licensed pharmacists provide medication and other health care products to patients. Your day will include counting and measuring medication, managing inventories, and completing pharmaceutical dosage forms – all on a part or full-time basis.

A comfortable pharmacy environment will provide the perfect setting to build a rewarding and lasting career. Career options for trained pharmacy technicians may be available in a hospital, community pharmacy, outpatient clinic, nursing home or pharmaceutical organization.

ARE YOU READY TOStart a high-demand pharmacy technician career? Ì

Grow in a career that is flexible and family-friendly? Ì

Experience the opportunity and reward of being employed in the health care industry, one of the Ì nation’s fastest-growing industries?

If you answered yes to even one of the above questions, this short, yet informative pharmacy technician career eBook was created especially for you. Keep reading and learn why a career as a pharmacy technician may be the perfect fit for you.

Medical Coding Career Facts and Stats from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to increase by 32 percent from 2010 to 2020, muchÌ

faster than the average for all occupations.

Job prospects should be excellent for pharmacy technicians, particularly those with formal training andÌ

those with experience in retail settings.

As a result of advances in pharmaceutical research, more prescription medications are being used to fight Ì

diseases.

P r e p a r i n g s t u d e n t s t o b e m e m b e r s o f t o m o r r o w ’ s h e a l t h c a r e t e a m

What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do? If you’re considering a career as a pharmacy technician, there’s good news! According

to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to

increase by 32 percent through 2020, which is much faster than the average for all occu-

pations. And not only that, the BLS reports that healthcare will generate 3.2 million new

wage and salary jobs between 2008 and 2018 – and one of those jobs could be yours!

Before you begin the process of launching your rewarding, new pharmacy technician

career, it’s important to understand what your daily duties might include. That way, you

can be sure this career is the right fit for your skills set.

A pharmacy technician assists the on-duty pharmacist in keeping the daily operations of a

pharmacy running smoothly and orderly. More specifically, these duties might include:

Tablet CountingÌ

Serving Customers and Receiving Prescription RequestsÌ

Preparing Customer PrescriptionsÌ

Administrative Tasks, like Answering Phones and Operating the Cash RegisterÌ

Bottling Prescriptions and Preparing Prescription LabelsÌ

Stocking Shelves and Taking InventoryÌ

Maintaining Patient Records/ProfilesÌ

Preparing Insurance Claim FormsÌ

There are certain duties that a pharmacy technician is not

authorized to perform, and should be left for the on-duty

pharmacist to handle. For example, a pharmacy technician

should never counsel a client/patient or offer medical advice.

Pharmacy technicians work in a variety of places throughout the United States, but according to the BLS, 75% of the jobs were in a retail set-ting like Target or Walmart. And that’s great news, because you may be able to land a job right in your community, near your home and/or near your children’s school. Plus, imagine the convenience of short commutes and stocking up on household goods after work!

Where Does a Pharmacy Technician Work?

Retail Pharmacy:

Larger retailers such as CVS and Walgreen’s may offer you benefits and on-the-job training. Smaller pharmacies might not offer these, but could be willing to pay for further training. If you go to work for a grocery pharmacy, you might obtain better benefits and pay, but have to join a union.

Hospital Pharmacy:

Hospital pharmacies obviously have less of a retail push than their retail counterparts. However, the duties can be more multifaceted, with pharmacy technicians interacting with doctors, nurses, patients and other hospital employees.

Clinics:

Clinic types include substance abuse, general medicine and rehabilitation. In such scenarios, the clinic physician will prescribe medication for the patient, while the pharmacy technician dispenses it.

Military:

Many branches of the military, including the US Army, Marines, Air Force and Navy have openings for pharmacy technicians. Benefits will likely be available, as well as job security, and you will need to adapt to a military environment.

Assisted Living Community:Also known as assisted living residences, these communities are for seniors who do not wish to be under 24-hour medical care, but still need the administration and supervision of medications. This scenario may require that you read patient charts in order to prepare and deliver their medication.

Pharmacy Technician Job Skills Do you have what it takes to become a pharmacy technician? Check out this helpful list of

ideal pharmacy technician job skills. Mastering these skills will make your job as a pharmacy

technician not only more enjoyable, but will help you stand out.

Ì Computer Skills: Because you will have to create patient profiles, submit insurance claims,

interact with vendors online and print prescription labels, you will need to know how to opeate

a computer. You don’t need to know be a tech whiz, but you do need to know the basics.

Ì Organization: With the hundreds of prescriptions at your fingertips from day-to-day, it’s

important to operate with a strong sense of organization.

Ì Memory: Your ability to memorize is an important part of a pharmacy technician career. A

good tip is to use index cards to help you remember all of the drug names and their generic

counterparts.

Ì Attention-to-Detail: This goes along with organization in a way. As a pharmacy technician, you

will need to pay attention to a wide range of important details, from patient histories to

accurate diagnoses.

Ì Customer Service/People Skills: Lastly, because you will be speaking to customers quite a bit,

you will need to learn how to properly and professionally handle customer complaints and

concerns. With this, strong communication skills are essential.

How to Find a Pharmacy Technician Career Training Program Are you ready to secure your spot in the pharmacy technician industry? First things first – You need to locate a quality,

pharmacy technician training program. Additionally, you want to select a pharmacy technician training program that

will prepare you for the PTCB exam. Here’s what to look for:

Accreditation

Ensure the school you select your pharmacy technician program from is accredited by an accrediting agency that is

recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. It will be your assurance that your program is legitimate, held to set

standards and worth your hard-earned money. Otherwise, if you select a program that is not reviewed or held to higher

standards, upon completion, you may not be properly prepared to take the PTCB certification exam.

100% Online Pharmacy Technician Course Options

When selecting the best pharmacy technician training course, consider the flexibility an online course can offer you.

Choosing an online, self-paced course may offer you the flexibility you need to pursue your new health care career,

while also juggling other important responsibilities. Plus, most online programs are self-paced, so you can learn at a

speed that suites your own learning style.

Affordable Payment Options

For many, a tight budget can become a barrier to receiving the quality education they need to launch a new career.

However, if you choose a school that will work with you, affording your education may be more possible than you think.

For example, what about choosing a school that offers interest free payment plans? That way, you could complete

your education without having a large student debt to repay.

Live Student Support

What if you run into a challenging concept during your online training? Who will help you? Choose a school with live

student support and you will never need to worry about this scenario. That way, if you find yourself struggling on a

particular topic, need encouragement or assistance of any kind, a live support representative will be a phone call away

so you can continue to progress through your course.

Quality Materials

Choose a program that will prepare you to pass the Pharmacy

Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Here are some examples

of the types of topics a comprehensive pharmacy technician

course should cover:

Inventory ManagementÌ

Pharmacy TerminologyÌ

Financial Practices Related to Running a PharmacyÌ

Formulations and RoutesÌ

Community and Hospital PharmaciesÌ

Pharmacy PrescriptionsÌ

CalculationsÌ

Inventory ManagementÌ

And moreÌ

Health care will generate over three million new jobs through the decade, which is more than any other industry (BLS).

This includes the exciting field of pharmacy technicians. Are you ready for the challenge?

Allied’s all-inclusive, online pharmacy technician training is all

you need to study from home on your own schedule. Successfully

complete your course and be prepared to take the Pharmacy

Technician Certification Board (PTCB) Examination.

Al l ied S tudent Benef i t s

S tuden t Fo cused

100% Online, 24/7 AccessÌ

Live SupportÌ

Flexible Study for Busy SchedulesÌ

Finish Quicker and Start You Career SoonerÌ

High Qua l i t y Educa t i on

Nationally Accredited Ì

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) ExamÌ Promise ”Pass the Certification Exam or Don’t Pay”

Select courses approved for continuing educationÌ

Compe t i t i v e Tu i t i on

No Unnecessary Filler Courses that Inflate Tuition Cost – NoÌ General Ed Classes to Hold You Back!

Interest-Free Payment Plan Available Ì

No Additional Fees – Your Tuition Includes Everything You NeedÌ

Caree r P repa ra t i on

Hands On Externship in a real pharmacy setting Ì

Externship Coordinator Secures Pharmacy Externship in Student’s Community Ì

Résumé, Cover Letter, and Interview PrepÌ

Get the support and encouragement you deserve with Allied by your side throughout each step of your training program.

Visit www.pharmacytrainingonline.com to learn more about Allied’s online, self-paced training

or call 888-822-2923 .

All employment and salary statistics, projections, and information where “(BLS)” is indicated was collected from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website. Information may be verified by visiting http://www.bls.gov/.