What is a Pharmacy Technician?

A Pharmacy technician, also sometimes known as a pharmaceutical technician, is a health care worker who performs pharmacy related functions, generally working under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist or other health professional. Pharmacy technicians work in a variety of locations, usually in community/retail and hospital pharmacies but also sometimes in long-term care facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, third-party insurance companies, computer software companies, or in government or teaching. Job duties include dispensing prescription drugs and other medical devices to patients and instructing on their use. Pharmacy Technicians talk to a patient about their medications. They may also perform administrative duties in pharmaceutical practice, such as reviewing prescription requests with doctor's offices and insurance companies to ensure correct medications are provided and payment is received. In recent times, they also speak directly with the patients on the phone to aid in the awareness of taking medications on time.

That's the Wikipedia version. The truth of the matter is that Technicians are the BACKBONE of the pharmacy. They handle all the dirty work. They fill most of the prescriptions, take the heat from angry patients, and endure the wrath of some mean pharmacists.

As a pharmacist, I appreciate technicians and all their hard work. Standing behind every good pharmacist and good pharmacy is one or more excellent technicians.