You are considering the possibility of transitioning into the field of pharmacy. Why not take that first step? Start by upgrading your job into a career with a bright future! Sending in your application to become a pharmacy technician could be your first step towards achieving this goal.
What Is A Pharmacy Technician?
Pharmacy technicians handle prescriptions (collection and distribution) for patients alongside pharmacists. Training is required because of how crucial the job is. Duties can include, but are not limited to:
- Cash registers being operated
- Conversations with patients
- Medications being stocked
Technicians also have the ability to explain drugs to consumers and prepare prescriptions. There’s a lot of diversity within the role, so it doesn’t just have to be a career path. For some, it is also the starting point towards other careers in the medical field.
What a lot of people don’t know is that a college degree isn’t necessary to get the role of a pharmacy technician! So getting started doesn’t have to be after a certain number of years or at a certain level of education.
What Are the Advantages Of Becoming A Pharmacy Technician?
Career Options
Pharmacy technicians often have the opportunity to use their training in settings beyond drug stores. In addition to drug stores, you could also apply for jobs in department stores, grocery stores, and general merchandise stores. And because you’ll likely need to spend some time stocking shelves or reaching high places, you might even get discount store-wide employee discounts.
Career Satisfaction
The responsibility that comes with this job is not light at all. It can make or break the recovery or well-being of a person, after all. A single error while filling or distributing prescriptions can have precarious consequences. Aside from the personal gratification to that end, it also helps in terms of forming relationships and the joy of knowing you play a role in the healing of a person.
Career Stability
The demand for this job is incredibly high, especially these days. Between the decade of 2016 to 2026, the United States’ Bureau of Labor and Statistics sees a projected 12% growth in employment here. That’s practically twice as fast as that of other jobs out there. Almost 48,000 jobs are expected to open. If you’re worried about unemployment, don’t be; the rate is under 3%.
Training Is Vital
While a college degree isn’t required for this job, training is. Thankfully, day-class students only need a matter of months to complete a program. This is where you will learn to properly count and measure medicine, complete routine tasks in a pharmacy, correctly label and pack medicine boxes, tubes, and bottles as well as compound or mix medications like creams and ointments.
Conclusion
The pharmacy technician profession is more diverse than one would think. Advantages include career stability, career options, and career satisfaction. It’s a great medical career or at least a stepping stone for working in the healthcare field in general. Instead of a college degree, all that’s needed is training.
Looking for a pharmacy technician school? Check out Northwest Suburban College today! We offer healthcare career training at our campus near Schaumburg, IL.
