Changing Roles of Pharmacy Technicians

The healthcare and pharmaceutical industries have come a long way and so has evolved the role of a pharmacy technician. The job not only includes processing of prescription orders but also covers several other administrative and managerial aspects. However, what exactly pharmacy technicians are expected to do depends upon their educational background and work experience as well as the type of establishment they are employed with.

In current times, when healthcare and pharmaceutical industries are rapidly progressing, being a pharmacy technician is a great career option today. The professionals can be employed with retail pharmacies, online pharmacies, hospitals, long-term care facilities, nursing homes, clinics and pharmaceutical companies.

The pharmacists play a crucial role in the entire health system as they dispense necessary medication to patients. The field offers myriad of job opportunities to professionals in the areas of research and development, manufacturing, pharmacy education and regulatory bodies. These are additional fields where pharmacy technicians can find employment.

Employment Prerequisites

The job opportunities are vast; however, the competition in the job market still persists. In fact, it’s getting fiercer day by day. The expectations of employers are high. They are keen on hiring people who not only have undergone professional pharmacy technician programs but can also manage inventory, assist in the provision of pharmaceutical care, and interact with patients and other healthcare providers. With this, they must possess excellent communication skills, mathematical abilities, critical and self-directed thinking, strong numeracy skills and thorough understanding of pharmaceutical legislations and industry standards.

Work Life

Pharmacy technicians may need to work for long hours and deals with patients, healthcare providers as well as pharmaceutical companies and distributors. They may also need to maintain client database and update it on regular basis. In addition, they are expected to:

Treat patients/clients with respect Build relationships with clients and suppliers Process prescriptions Manage inventory Check for drug outdates Answer telephone calls Perform drug calculations

With this, the professionals need to be alert while dealing with clients and make sure not to dispense medication that needs a prescription from a registered medical practitioner. The job sometimes can be very hectic. Despite this, they are expected to deal with patients respectfully.

Entering the World of Work

The basic requirement to enter the world of work is to have undergone a post-secondary pharmacy technician course. Centennial College’s two-year program in pharmacy technician is considered to be one of the most prestigious programs in the country. It is accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs.

Moreover, it is taught by experts who have considerable experience in all areas of the pharmaceutical industry. The program also includes extensive hands-on practical experience in laboratory and opportunities for work experience in hospital, community and corporate environments. The course also offers students an eligibility to become a registered pharmacy technician with the Ontario College of Pharmacists.

In order to apply for this program, the students need to fill an application form and submit a copy of secondary school diploma certificate, and scores of English Grade 12 C or University or equivalent, mathematics Grade 11 m or 12 C or University or equivalent and one senior science course (biology, physics, chemistry or exercise science).