Field of Pharmacy Essential Question: How do the roles/responsibilities of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy aides compare/contrast? Written by Beverly Tippens

Pharmacists Roles and Responsibilities  In community pharmacies, dispense prescription drugs to individuals.  Advise patients and physicians etc. on selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications.  Monitor health and progress of patients to ensure safe and effective use of medication.  Compound or mix ingredients to form medications.  Counsel patients on use of prescription and over-the- counter medications.  Advise patients on general health topics.

Pharmacists Roles and Responsibilities  Provide information on products such as durable medical equipment or home health care supplies.  Complete third-party insurance forms and other paperwork.  Hire and supervise other personnel.  Oversee general operation of the pharmacy.  Provide specialized services to help patients with diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure. May be trained to administer vaccinations.

Pharmacists Roles and Responsibilities  In health care facilities, dispense medications and advise the medical staff on selection and effects of drugs.  Prepare sterile solutions to be administered intravenously.  Plan, monitor and evaluate drug programs or regiments.  Counsel hospitalized patients on use of drugs before discharge.

Pharmacists Salary Ranges  Median annual of wage-and-salary pharmacists in May 2006 were $94,520.  The middle 50% earned between $83,180 and $108,140 a year.  The lowest 10% earned less than $67,860 a year.  The highest 10% earned more than $119,480 a year.

Pharmacist Education/Training  Pharmacists must earn a Pharm.D. degree from an accredited college or school of pharmacy.  A license to practice pharmacy is required in all States, the District of Columbia and all U.S. territories.  To obtain a license, a prospective pharmacist must graduate from a college of pharmacy that is accredited by the ACPE and pass a series of examinations.

Pharmacist Job Outlook  Employment is expected to increase much faster than the average through  As a result of rapid growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupation, job prospects should be excellent.

Pharmacist Work Facilities  Community pharmacies.  Hospitals.  A small proportion worked in mail- order and Internet pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, offices of physicians, and the Federal Government.

Pharmacy Technician Roles/Responsibilities  Help licensed pharmacists provide medication and other health care products to patients.  Perform routine tasks to help prepare prescribed medication, such as counting tablets and labeling bottles.  Answer phones, stock shelves operate cash registers.  Technicians refer any questions regarding prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist.

Pharmacy Technician Roles/Responsibilities  In retail or mail-order pharmacies, technicians receive written or electronic prescriptions from doctor’s offices. They must retrieve, count, pour, weigh, measure and sometimes mix the medication.  The technician prepares the prescription labels, select the type of prescription container, and affix the prescription and auxiliary labels to the container.  Once the prescription is filled, the technicians prices and files the prescription, which must be checked by a pharmacist before it is given to the patient.  Technicians may establish and maintain patient profiles, prepare insurance claim forms and stock and take inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Pharmacy Technician Education/Training  Most pharmacy technicians receive informal on-the-job training.  Employers favor applicants who have formal training, certification, or previous experience.  Strong customer service skills also are important.  There are currently few State and no Federal requirements for formal training or certification of pharmacy technicians.

Pharmacy Technician Job Outlook  Employment is expected to increase much faster than the average through 2016, and job opportunities are expected to be good.  The increased number of middle-aged and elderly people-who use more prescription drugs than younger people-will spur demand for technicians throughout

Pharmacy Technician Salary Range  Median hourly earnings of wage-and- salary pharmacy technicians in May 2006 were $  The middle 50% earned between $10.10 and $  The lowest 10% earned less than $8.56, and the highest 10% earned more than $17.65.

Pharmacy Technicians Work Facilities  Hospitals  Retail Pharmacies

Pharmacy Aides Roles/Responsibilities  Perform administrative duties in pharmacies.  Aides often are clerks or cashiers who primarily answer telephones, handle money, stock shelves, and perform other clerical duties.  Work closely with pharmacy technicians.  Pharmacy technicians usually perform more complex tasks than do aides, although in some States the duties and titles of jobs overlap.  Aides refer any questions regarding prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist.  Pharmacy aides may establish and maintain patient profiles, prepare insurance claim forms, and stock and take inventory of prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Pharmacy Aide Education/Training  Most pharmacy aides receive informal on-the-job training, but employers favor those with at least a high school diploma.  Pharmacy aides begin their training by observing a more experienced worker.  After they become experienced, aides begin to work on their own.

Pharmacy Aide Job Outlook  Employment of pharmacy aides is expected to decline rapidly from 2006 to Job prospects, however, should be good.  Demand for pharmacy aides will fall as pharmacy technicians become increasingly responsible for answering phones, stocking shelves, operating cash registers, and performing other administrative tasks.  In addition, with increased training, many pharmacy aides will become pharmacy technicians, which will result in further declines in pharmacy aide jobs.

Pharmacy Aide Salary Range  Median hourly earnings of wage-and- salary pharmacy aides were $9.35 in May  The middle 50% earned between $7.89 and $  The lowest 10% earned less that $6.92 and the highest 10% earned more than $14.64.

Pharmacy Aide Work Facilities  General medical and surgical hospitals.  Grocery stores.  Pharmacies and drug stores.

Citation:  Bureau of Labor Statistics  U.S. Department of Labor  Occupational Outlook Handbook, Edition  Internet:  Telephone: