Pharmacy Technician
CTE Externship
Orlantha F. Nin, M.Ed.
Saddleback College
Note: Photographs were not taken
inside the Kaiser facility, photos inserted
from Google Images.
Externship Location,
Mission Viejo Kaiser
Pharmacy
Community Partner
Clare Adams
Doctor of Pharmacy
Occupational Outlook
Career Outlook
Source
Occupational Outlook Handbook 2009
“Job opportunities are expected to
be good, especially for those
with certification or previous
work experience.”
Source: Bureau of Labor & Statistics, OOH
(2008)
Where are the jobs?
 326,300 pharmacy technicians jobs in 2008
 A majority of the positions were in a retail
setting (75%), and about 16 % of positions
were in hospitals.
 Employment of pharmacy technicians is
expected to increase by 31 percent from 20082018.
Source: Bureau of Labor & Statistics, OOH (2008)
Preparation Requirements
Training
Employers prefer pharmacy technicians with National or State Certifications
 Locations: community colleges, vocational schools,
hospitals, and the military. Depending upon the
program, students may receive a diploma, certificate,
or an associate’s degree.
 Time: From 6 months to 2 years and include classroom
and laboratory work.
 Internships: Many training programs with internships.
 Subject Areas: medical & pharmaceutical terminology,
pharmaceutical calculations, pharmacy recordkeeping,
pharmaceutical techniques, & pharmacy law / ethics.
 Additionally: Technicians are required to learn the
“names, actions, uses, and doses of the medications
they work with”.
Source: Bureau of Labor & Statistics, OOH (2008)
National Certification
 The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board
(PTCB) and the Institute for the Certification of
Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT) administer
national certification examinations.
 Continuing education required to keep
certification.
 State certification varies state to state.
Source: Bureau of Labor & Statistics, OOH (2008)
Personal Qualities
 After observing three
pharmacy techs at Kaiser, I
found that those considering
this profession should be:
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Self-Directed
Direct and clear communicators
Patient
Team Players
Able to multi-task
Flexible
Precise and detail oriented
Technical Skills Needed
 They should also possess or be able to
learn the following:
 Math & measurement skills
 Computer proficiency
 Type approximately 45-60 wpm
 Accuracy with numbers and letters
 Reading & spelling
Work Environment
 The staff of this pharmacy
included pharmacy assistants,
pharmacy technicians (referred
to as “techs”) and pharmacists.
 The staff worked closely in a
team environment in constant
communication with one another.
 The staff were on their feet and
were busy for their entire shifts
with very little downtime.
 The environment was fairly fastpaced with patients in line,
telephone calls and pages
between the pharmacy and the
physicians.
Schedules
 In this facility, the pharmacy is open from 9 AM
to 9 PM. Pharmacy techs may leave much later
than the closing time if they have
customers/patients waiting.
 Pharmacy Techs were scheduled in varied shifts
and may include weekend and evening hours.
 Other facilities may offer more of a daytime
schedule or operate in a 24 hour capacity.
Hourly Compensation
 2008 Median hourly wage-- $13.32
 2008 Middle 50 percent ---Between $10.95 and
$15.88.
 2008 Lowest 10 percent less than $9.27
 2008 Highest 10 percent more than $18.98.
 Some Pharmacy Technicians belong to unions.
Source: Bureau of Labor & Statistics, OOH
California among the Top 3 in
Salary for Pharmacy Techs
State
Employment
Mean Hourly Wage
Alaska
570
$17.42
California
27,470
$17.36
Washington
5,790
$17.29
Source: Bureau of Labor & Statistics, OES (2008)
Career Paths
 Many of the pharmacy
technicians at this facility
started their careers in a
retail pharmacy (such as
CVS or Rite Aid) as a
pharmacy assistant.
 Some were sent to training
to become a pharmacy
technician. The training was
provided by their employer.
 Others sought training on
their own prior to seeking
employment.
Duties of a Pharmacy
Technician
Typical Duties
 Communicating over the phone with patients,
doctors, insurance & pharmaceutical companies.
 Reading codes and entering information onto the
computer
 Filling prescriptions
 Mixing or “compounding” medications and
creams.
 Quality control and inventory activities
 Note: Prescriptions cannot be given to a patient
or customer without a Pharmacists final review
and approval.
Tools & Equipment
 Pharmacy Technicians use
the following tools &
equipment:
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Computer
Phone
Calculator
Scales
Compounding Equipment
Some pharmacies are more
automated than others