Health Careers
Pharmacy Technician
Professional Activities
Pharmacy Technicians, also known as Pharmacy Assistants or Pharmacy Aides, work under the direction of a licensed Pharmacist. Pharmacy Technicians support pharmacists in providing medications and other health care products to patients. Their duties may include: checking for authenticity, accuracy, and completeness of prescriptions/physicians orders; filling and labeling of prescriptions; prepackaging tablets/capsules;; maintaining drug inventories; and maintaining all records and files. In retail pharmacy settings the Pharmacy Technician may deal directly with customers, handle insurance forms, and run a cash register.
Pharmacy Technicians work wherever Pharmacists are employed. In rural Alaska they may be employed by hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, private and chain drug stores, and research laboratories.
Educational Requirements
- A high school diploma or equivalent.
- Must be at least 18 years of age.
- Fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English.
- Math proficiency (pre-algebra), keyboarding proficiency, and computer proficiency.
- Must have an active Alaska State Pharmacy Technician License.
Note: Standards for pharmacy technicians can vary from state to state. Each state sets its own standards on requirements for education, licensing and certification. Detailed information for each state’s requirements are available from Boards of Pharmacy.
Academic Programs
Training has traditionally been on-the-job. However, more pharmacies are looking for formally trained Pharmacy Technicians for improved customer quality and safety and to meet the immediate shortage. There are four formal pharmacy technician educational pathways. Each pathway offers a different level of education. These pathways include: a)occupational endorsement certificate (16 credits) b)pharmacy technician certificate (30 credits) c)associate degree in pharmacy technology (60 credits) and d)pharmacy specialist (a military program only).
UAA offers an Occupational Endorsement Certificate in Pharmacy Technology which includes six distance delivered courses. Courses includes an introduction to the field of pharmacy, pharmacology I and II, pharmacy practice (both retail and hospital), an in-depth look at pharmacy math, and current issues in pharmacy. At the completion of these courses, students would be adequately prepared to pass the national certification examination administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). For more information about the National Certification Examination see: http://www.ptcb.org For m.ore information on the UAA Pharmacy Technician Program contact:
Pharmacy Technology Program
University of Alaska, Anchorage
3211 Providence Drive, AHS 161
Anchorage, AK 99508-4614
Phone: (907)786-6928
Fax: (907) 786-6938
Contact: Roxann Valentine
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/alliedhealth/academics/pharmacy.cfm
Contacts
State Contacts:
For licensing information, contact:
State of Alaska
Department of Commerce and Economic Development
Division of Occupational Licensing, Board of Pharmacy
PO Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811
Phone: (907) 465-2589
Fax: (907) 465-2974
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.dced.state.ak.us/occ/ppha.htm
Alaska Pharmacists Association
203 W. 15th Ave. #100
Anchorage, Alaska 99501
Phone: (907) 563-8880
Fax: (907) 563-7880
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.alaskapharmacy.org
National Contact:
American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
2215 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington D.C. 20037
Phone: (202) 628-4410
Toll free: (800) 237-2742
Fax: (202) 783-2351
Web site: http://www.pharmacist.com/
National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA)
PO Box 683148
Houston, TX 77268
Phone: (888) 247-8700
Fax: (888) 247-8706
Web site: http://www.pharmacytechnician.org/
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)
2215 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20037
Phone: (800) 363-8012
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Web site: http://www.ptcb.org
This page was last updated by Janice Troyer on November 05, 2012
