The difference between a pharmacist and a pharmacy technician is that a pharmacist is a medical doctor who specializes in dispensing prescriptions and is responsible for making sure that the user is not using one drug that would cause a bad reaction with the one you are ordering. The pharmacy technician on the other hand will receive the requests, obtain approval of the pharmacist, count the correct number of pills, label the bottle, and dispense the medication. They may also manage at least part of the office duties such as answering the phones receiving deliveries, stocking shelves, and operating cash registers, and generally support the pharmacist in any way that they need.
The level of contact and involvement that a certified pharmacy technician is allowed to work depends on State law. Some States allow them to process mail-order and electronically submitted but some States do not. Before you will be able to work in this field however you will need to obtain your certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the classes that you need will include the legal requirements and restrictions in your area.
One of the most important jobs for a pharmacy is labeling. When the medication is prepared, in most cases, the bottles must be correctly labeled. The main label must correctly reflect the dosage and timing exactly as it is written on the prescription but the technician must also have appropriate warning stickers, such as “do not use heavy machinery”, or “take with food” that are necessary for this medication to be used correctly and safely. Once the prescription is filled, the containers correctly labeled, and the prescription filed, the pharmacist must check it to make sure that everything has been done correctly.
A certified pharmacy technician will begin earning about $13.50 an hour or about $28,000 a year based on a 40 hour work week. This number will vary however by the region of the country you are working in. The Deep South for instance may have many tech jobs that only pay $10 an hour but in New York or Los Angles however some techs are earning more than $15 an hour or more. If you work for an independent local pharmacy you will not see many chances for advancement unless you want to study for a pharmacist license. Many of the mail-order houses however offer supervisory and management programs, sometimes up to Vice President positions with excellent benefits. A trained pharmacy technician with several years of experience can also change professions and work as a very effective sales person for one of the major pharmaceutical companies or mail-order pharmacies.
