Pharmacy Technicians

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Pharmacy technicians are healthcare professionals that serve an essential role on the healthcare team. Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in both medication preparation and distribution and their unique skill sets and experiences allow them to work in a variety of settings. Some of these settings include: specialty pharmacies, sterile compounding pharmacies/companies (i.e., outsourced admixture pharmacy), community pharmacies (ie, local independent, large community chain, large grocery store pharmacy), home infusion companies, long-term care pharmacies, nursing home pharmacies, managed care companies, hospitals or large medical centers.

The demand for pharmacy technicians is expected to rise due to the increase in medications needed for a larger population of patients, including aging baby boomers. An increased demand for prescription medications will lead to the need for more pharmaceutical services. To become a pharmacy technician, the educational requirement is a high school diploma or GED (general education diploma). To sit for the pharmacy technician examination, candidates must complete a “recognized education/training program” or have equivalent work experience (a minimum of 500 hours). At this time, pharmacy technician certification is required for most pharmacy technicians working in hospitals in New York State. Most other states require pharmacy technicians to be certified to practice in “all settings.” Offerings to NYSCHP technician members include: committee participation, continuing education, annual state meeting, bi-monthly newsletter, representation at the House of Delegates, and professional networking.

How to be a Pharmacy Technician in New York