Are you considering a career path as a pharmacy technician? This is an in-demand career choice that allows you to help others.
Pharmacy technician tasks include offering customer service in retail and hospital pharmacies, filling out prescriptions under the direction of a pharmacist, portioning out pre-prepared medications, and compounding custom medications.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that job openings for pharmacy technicians will continue to grow by 7 percent from 2018 to 2028. This growth rate is faster than the 5 percent job opening growth rate for other occupations.
It takes a certain kind of personality to pursue pharmacy tech training successfully. This article will list down some of the essential qualities you should have if you decide to follow this career path.
Detail-Oriented
The safety of the customers is on the line when it comes to a pharmacy technician’s job. A pharmacy technician needs to focus on the little details when filling prescriptions or compounding medications.
Unlike most jobs, giving a patient the wrong medication can not only inconvenience them but also potentially harm them.
Being a pharmacy technician involves detailed record-keeping, which often means filing, entering data, and making inventory records.
If you are the type to read all the instructions before filling out a form or create detailed packing lists before going for a trip, you may have the detail-oriented mindset required to be a pharmacy technician.
Excellent Customer Service
Pharmacy technicians work directly with the customers when processing prescriptions and handling payments. This career requires you to listen to the customer’s needs and concerns, offer service with a smile, and stay calm despite working with someone upset.
Working in hospital settings with other busy nurses and practitioners can be stressful, which makes staying calm and focused even more critical.
If you can go above and beyond to solve problems for others and stay positive and cool-headed in your current occupation, you may have the qualities needed for this role.
Aptitude for Math and Technology
While you don’t need to be a genius when training for your pharmacy technician certification, you at least have to be comfortable working with numbers. You will need to learn applied mathematics skills.
It helps to have an aptitude for keeping a budget, maintaining spreadsheets, and even solving sudoku puzzles.
You would also need to work with computer software programs to track prescriptions, payments, and customer records, so it is necessary to learn and use new software programs.
A Desire for Learning
The field of medicine is constantly changing. The medical procedures and treatments from as early as ten years ago are drastically different from what we use today.
Pursuing a career as a pharmacy technician requires you to have a genuine interest in medicine and a wiliness to learn about it continuously.
Conclusion
Several aspects of being a pharmacy technician can be difficult. It requires a certain kind of personality to pursue this career path. However, it is also a fulfilling choice because it allows you to help others.
Are you looking for a pharmacy technician school in Illinois to help you pursue this career path? We at Northwest Suburban College can prepare you to work in all types of pharmacy settings confidently. Contact us for admissions information.
