General Information
Pharmacy technicians assist and support licensed pharmacists in providing health care and medications to patients. Pharmacy technicians must have a broad knowledge of pharmacy practice and be skilled in the techniques required to fill prescriptions, constitute IV solutions, and prepare medications, but they do not need the advanced college education required of a licensed pharmacist.
Although pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of a pharmacist and must be willing to take directions, they must also be able to work competently without constant instruction by the pharmacist. Pharmacy technicians must care about serving patients. Because of the critical nature of many pharmacy duties, pharmacy technicians must perform precise work where details can be a matter of life or death. Good communication and interpersonal skills are essential to interact with patients and other health care professionals on a daily basis.
The Pharmacy Technician technical certificate is a twelve month program designed to prepare students for certification by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) . A cohort of 36 students is accepted each Fall semester. The courses in this program are not designed for college transfer credit. This program is accredited by American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) . Click here to view Program Requirements .
Career Opportunities
- Community Pharmacies
- Drug Manufacturing Companies
- Drug Wholesale Companies
- Home Health Care
- Hospital Pharmacies
- Nuclear Medicine Pharmacies
- Nursing Homes
Salary and Employment
The starting salary for pharmacy technicians is in the range of $8 to $10 per hour with additional shift differentials and fringe benefits such as medical and dental insurance, sick leave, and retirement plans. Many employers now prefer to hire formally educated technicians and are willing to compensate for their skills thus raising salaries. A well trained and experienced technician can earn up to $15 per hour as a base rate.
The employment outlook is quite optimistic with the increasing pharmacy workload due to our aging population.
