Modern medicine is a true miracle, allowing us to enjoy a high quality of life by relieving injury and illness alike. Pharmacies have made this miracle easily accessible to the public, but without highly trained professionals running them, they could never bring us the life changing medications we need. We call these professionals pharmacy technicians and today we’ll be exploring what life is like for them and why they’re an invaluable part of public health.
Job Description:
Each day, technicians report to a pharmacist who oversees the entire pharmacy. It’s the technician’s job to assist them in keeping things running smoothly by completing tasks such as processing medications and stocking the store. They also interact with customers by teaching them how to take their medication, managing insurance information, answering phones, and completing transactions. Additionally, pharmacy technicians are the front line for infection control and sterilizing equipment. This is especially important as they prepare prescriptions for countless individuals.
Because they provide a vital service, technicians are often required to work tirelessly. Pharmacies are open on weekends, holidays and overnight. It can be a hectic, fast paced job in a high stress working environment, but the work is essential and can be extremely rewarding considering the positive impacts.
Skills Needed:
Technicians need to be well rounded, with a wide skillset. They must be excellent communicators and work well as a part of a team. The complicated nature of the job requires them to be detail orientated with a high regard for both organization and routine. This ensures they avoid mistakes that lead to serious consequences, such as a mislabeled prescription.
The job is quite physical, with workers spending a great deal of time on their feet stocking shelves, working the cash register, or performing other organizational tasks. This makes stamina and flexibility vital traits of any technician. Additionally, the job also involves much needed technical skills including data entry and administrative expertise.
The Importance of Pharmacy Technicians:
Imagine arriving at the pharmacy with a head-splitting earache, in massive amounts of pain, but upon reaching the counter, no one is there for your assistance. You would have one excruciating night ahead of you. This highlights the sheer importance of pharmacy technicians.
The public relies on them to prepare vital medications needed to uphold our quality of life. They are the final link in a long supply chain that connects us to the entire healthcare system. If it weren’t for these well-trained frontline workers, millions of people would be far less healthy and in much more pain. In short, their importance cannot be overstated.
If becoming a pharmacy technician is something you feel called to do, then Idaho Medical Academy is the place for you! Along with a variety of other healthcare courses, we are pleased to offer a pharmacy technician training class to prepare students to enter the field with the proper skillset and a sense of confidence!
This six-month course will train students to process prescriptions, use medical math, understand the legal/ethical aspects of pharmacy work, prevent infection and much more! Students will also get the chance to sharpen their skills in a training lab to set them apart as a candidate with hands on experience. This course will prepare students to work in both hospital and retail settings. To start on the path of becoming a pharmacy technician, please visit our website where you can explore all the options we have available for students entering the healthcare field!
