|
Pharmacy Technician Degree
Formal pharmacy technician education programs require classroom and laboratory work in a variety of areas,
including medical and pharmaceutical terminology, pharmaceutical calculations, pharmacy recordkeeping,
pharmaceutical techniques, and pharmacy law and ethics. Many training programs include internships, in
which students gain hands-on experience in actual pharmacies. Students receive a diploma, a certificate,
or an associate’s degree, depending on the program. Strong interpersonal and communication skills are
needed because pharmacy technicians interact daily with patients, coworkers, and health care professionals.
Teamwork is very important because technicians often are required to work with pharmacists, aides, and
other technicians.
Scope for Pharmacy Technicians
Job openings for pharmacy technicians will result from the expansion of retail pharmacies and other
employment settings and from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or leave the
labor force. The increased number of middle-aged and elderly people—who use more prescription drugs than
younger people—will spur demand for technicians in all practice settings. In addition, cost-conscious
insurers, pharmacies, and health systems will continue to expand the role of technicians. As a result,
pharmacy technicians will assume responsibility for some of the more routine tasks previously performed
by pharmacists. In some States, technicians have assumed more medication-dispensing duties as pharmacists
have become more involved in patient care, resulting in more technicians per pharmacist.
Leading Programs:
- Pharmacy Technology
- Pharmacy Technician
- Pharmacy Technician - Retail
More Pharmacy Technician Colleges
|
