When you get a prescription filled, did you know that your prescription was probably completed by a pharmacy technician, and not the pharmacist? In fact, when you are at the pharmacy, can you tell the difference? Most people would say no, because pharmacist technicians work hand in hand with pharmacists. Pharmacy technicians assist in almost every pharmaceutical endeavor, and that’s why they are an essential part of the process.

Pharmacy technicians work in a variety of environments, including retail and mail-order businesses. In the case of a mail-order pharmacy, pharmaceutical technicians would receive written or electronic requests for prescriptions from doctors. It’s up to them to verify prescription information, and count or measure the medications themselves. It’s also their responsibility to label the prescriptions and price the items. All prescriptions filled by a technician are checked by the pharmacist, as that is the law.

The great thing about pharmacy technician certification is that it doesn’t require nearly the same amount of formal education that licensed pharmacist certification does. Ultimately, it is still the responsibility of the pharmacist to ensure that all medications are being dispensed properly. As a pharmacy technician, your job would be to support the pharmacist and help him or her get the right medications to the right people.

Because of the nature of the work, pharmacy technician certification is required. You must have a solid grounding in the basic practices of pharmaceutical work and technology, and you must understand pharmacology and the ethical guidelines that go along with dispensing drugs. The Certified Pharmacy Technician program at our site is designed to address all these things, and many more.

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