Pharmacy Technician Career Guide

Pharmacy technicians work closely with pharmacists on all the tasks related to fulfilling prescriptions. Specific responsibilities depend on your role and where you work, but they often include pulling medication from inventory, communicating with providers and payers, authorizing and billing prescriptions, discussing patients’ medical history and medications, and even preparing customized medicines.

The differences between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are a matter of responsibility. While some tasks may overlap, it is ultimately the pharmacist who answers patient questions, ensures patients are not taking conflicting medications, and verifies dosage and accuracy of medications. Some pharmacy technicians are “lifers,” and others use the job as a stepping stone to become a pharmacist, physician assistant, nurse, or other clinical position.

Either way, the outlook for the field is strong.

“As baby boomers age, more and more healthcare positions will be needed,” says Glen Gard, CPhT, CSPT, director of sterile compounding compliance at the infusion services company Option Care Health. “Pharmacy technicians are filling valuable roles within pharmacies, and in many places they are taking on duties that traditionally were a pharmacist’s role. There is a lot of growth potential in this field.”

Steps to Getting a Job as a Pharmacy Technician

Want to become a pharmacy technician? Each of these steps will bring you closer to your career goal.

Education

Education and training requirements for pharmacy technicians vary, depending on where you work. Some states require only a high school diploma or GED. Others have a higher bar, for which you’ll need postsecondary education.

Depending on how soon you want to start working, you can choose from several educational options. A certificate/diploma program can be completed in as little as four to five months. An associate degree, which is more comprehensive and includes general education requirements, typically takes two years to complete.

For both these options, you can find partial or full online programs.

Certification

About half the states in the U.S. require certification (CPhT or others). All certifications require completion of a training or education program approved by the PTCB or NHA.

You will need to research your state’s requirements and stay up to date, since they can change.

The introductory certification is designation as CPhT. More experienced pharmacy technicians can earn other certifications as well as complete specialty certificate programs. These demonstrate expertise in specific areas or skills, such as reducing the risk of misused drugs or immunizations.

Pharmacy technician certifications can improve your career outlook both in terms of job opportunities and earnings.

Jobs and Workplaces

There are “boundless opportunities” for work as a pharmacy technician, Gard says. One of the most exciting aspects of the field is the diversity in roles, responsibilities, and workplace settings. You can design your career according to where your passions and skills lie.

Pharmacy technicians are in demand by a variety of employers. As a pharmacy tech, you can work at:

Ultimately, you have a lot of flexibility in finding a pharmacy technician job that’s just right for you.

Salary and Job Outlook

You can jumpstart a career as a pharmacy technician in much less time than many healthcare careers, opening the ability to quickly earn a solid salary. When you are just starting out, your earnings will be less than more experienced technicians.

The job outlook for pharmacy technicians through 2032 is 5.6%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is right at the average job growth for all positions within the U.S.