What Is a Certified Pharmacy Technician?

Certified pharmacy technicians play an essential role in the health care industry. They assist pharmacists with their daily tasks and act as a link between the pharmacy and its customers. Becoming a certified pharmacy technician can lead to a rewarding career, but it's important to research the role before embarking on this journey. We can help you better understand what a certified pharmacist is, what they do, and what it takes to be successful in this field. 

Role and Responsibilities of a Certified Pharmacy Technician

Certified pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of licensed pharmacists. They play essential roles in ensuring that the medication patients receive is safe and effective. Tasks are generally dependent on the work setting. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the largest employers of certified pharmacy techs in 2024 were pharmacies and drug retailers, with 52%, and hospitals, accounting for 17%. Grocery and specialty food retailers employed 9% of certified pharmacy techs, general merchandise retailers 9%, and ambulatory health care services 4%.

Common tasks that certified pharmacy technicians perform throughout a workday include:

• Assisting pharmacists: The primary role of a certified pharmacy technician is to assist licensed pharmacists in preparing and dispensing prescription medication. They're usually responsible for selecting the appropriate medication, controlling its dosage, and labeling the containers with safety information.
• Processing insurance claims: Their day also includes administrative tasks, such as processing insurance claims for patients. This involves liaising with the patient's insurance company to verify their coverage and updating it in the pharmacy's database.
• Managing inventory: Another key responsibility is to keep track of the pharmacy's inventory. Certified pharmacy techs routinely review the current inventory, either visually or with computerized records, and reorder, as necessary.
• Providing customer service: Certified technicians answer phone calls and emails and handle pharmacy customer service. They answer questions regarding prescriptions and assist patients on how to use the drugs they're buying, referring them to the licensed pharmacist for complex queries and issues.
• Performing administrative tasks: Pharmacy administrative tasks are part of a certified technician's workload. Examples include managing stock, cleaning equipment, training new assistants, labeling medications, and maintaining records.

Related: Pharmacy Technician License vs Certification
 

Becoming a Certified Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians must meet certified pharmacy tech requirements that enable them to complete a recognized program and pass the certification exam. 

Education

The minimum educational requirement for a pharmacy technician is a high school diploma or equivalent, with subjects such as chemistry, biology, and mathematics providing the strong foundation required for this role. After acquiring a diploma or equivalent, candidates are eligible to pursue entry-level roles that provide on-the-job training. 

Training

Some pharmacies provide training to entry-level technicians, while others prefer hiring people who have completed a pharmacy tech program. Concorde Career College's comprehensive Pharmacy Technician education program provides the opportunity for students to engage in the proper training to gain the skills and knowledge for a health care career.

The Pharmacy Technician Diploma program can be completed in as few as seven months of study and includes theory courses and hands-on training. The more in-depth Associate of Applied Science program includes general education courses and can be completed in as few as 8 months.

Certification

Pharmacy technician certification demonstrates the necessary knowledge and skills for success in this role. It's mandatory in many states for pharmacy technicians to have certification before applying for relevant roles. The two most often used credentialing organizations are:

• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board: Earning your certification from the PTCB requires a high school diploma or GED. The exam comprises 90 multiple-choice questions and takes a maximum of two hours to complete.
• National Healthcareer Association: This exam requires a high school diploma, at least a year of experience working as a pharmacy technician, or a completed training program. The exam takes two hours and consists of 100 questions.

Individual State Regulations

The PTCB certification is a national credential, but requirements for becoming a certified pharmacy technician generally vary by state, each having its own rules regarding how and when technicians can practice.

Renewal

Regardless of the certification program, certification must be renewed every two years. There are specific requirements for maintaining your active status, which typically involve completing 20 hours of continuing education over two years to refresh your knowledge and keep up with the latest industry practices.
 

Work Environment and Career Outlook

Workplaces for certified pharmacy technicians are varied and include pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, and retail outlets, usually indoors in hygienic, well-lit, and properly ventilated areas. The job requires extended hours of standing to prepare prescriptions, interact with customers, and manage the pharmacy's inventory. Night and weekend shifts are sometimes required.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that employment for pharmacy technicians is projected to grow by 6% from 2024 until 2034, which is faster than the average for all occupations.

Skills and Qualities of Successful Certified Pharmacy Technicians

Succeeding as a certified pharmacy technician generally requires a combination of hard and soft skills. Some of the most important pharmacy technician skills include:

• Attention to detail: When working with medicines and prescriptions, even minor errors can have major consequences. This makes attention to detail an essential trait.
• Math skills: The role involves applying math to calculate quantities, measure dosages, and ensure the customers are correctly billed.
• Customer service: Pharmacy technicians are the initial point of contact for customers seeking pharmaceutical services, so they must be able to interact efficiently and politely.
• Communication: Besides interacting with customers, pharmacy technicians must also communicate effectively with pharmacists and health care practitioners.
• Structure: Keeping track of the pharmacy's records, drug supplies, and prescription orders requires strong organizational skills.
• Knowledge of medical terminology: Understanding the different types of medicine and how they affect the human body, as well as the correct terminology, can help to avoid misunderstandings.
• Tech skills: These skills include a thorough understanding of the human body, sterile and nonsterile compounding, hygiene and safety practices, equipment standards, pharmacy-specific software, medical inventory management, and applicable regulations.

Advancement Opportunities for Certified Pharmacy Technicians

Certified pharmacy technicians have various career advancement opportunities available to them as they gain experience and knowledge. While this may lead to different roles and career growth, it usually comes with increased responsibilities.

Pharmaceutical Specialization

A common career advancement option for certified pharmacy technicians is working in a specialized area, such as:

• Compounding: preparing medications for patients with specific needs
• Nuclear pharmacy: using radioactive materials for medical imaging and some medications
• IV therapy: administering medications to patients intravenously
• Chemotherapy: preparing and giving chemotherapy medication to patients

Advanced Certification

Some pharmacy technicians choose to study advanced certifications while working full time. Commonly pursued advanced certifications include:

• Advanced Certified Pharmacy Technician
• Sterile compounding
• Hazardous compounding
• Nonsterile compounding

The following programs also offer certification:

• Billing and reimbursement process
• Prevention of controlled substance diversion
• Handling and managing hazardous drugs
• Storage, handling, and administration of immunization
• Managed care pharmacy practice
• Documentation of medication history
• Medication therapy management
• Pharmacy leadership and management
• Point-of-care testing
• Knowledge and skills in regulatory compliance
• Supply chain management
• Technician product verification

Management Positions

Certified pharmacy technicians with a managerial background can advance to management or administrative positions. A popular one is lead pharmacy technician, which involves supervising technicians and being the link between the pharmacists and the rest of the staff. Other pharmacy roles include:

• Operations manager
• Quality insurance manager
• Training coordinator
• Purchasing technician
• Pharmacy technician educator/trainer

Advancing to a Pharmacist Role

Another potential career advancement for certified pharmacy technicians is becoming pharmacists. While this is a realistic career path, it's not direct. Pursuing a pharmacy degree requires significant additional education and training.
 

The Relevance of Becoming a Certified Pharmacy Technician

Working as a certified pharmacy technician is a viable career path that may lead to many personal and professional rewards. As with any sought-after profession, it's important to know exactly what you need to do if you want to pursue this career path successfully. While the path may be challenging, completing Concorde's Pharmacy Technician program can prepare you for a rewarding career as a certified pharmacy technician.