Healthcare

6 Types of Pharmacies Where Pharmacy Technicians Are Employed

HealthcareJanuary 01, 2022

Nearly 62,000 pharmacies serve customers across the United States, according to a 2022 analysis in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association. But the retail pharmacy at your local grocery or drug store — where most pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work — is just one of several types of pharmacies.

Aspiring pharmacy technicians can apply their skills in a range of settings, choosing the work environment that suits them best. Those who are considering enrolling in a pharmacy technician training program should be aware of the different types of pharmacies where they may eventually work.

The Pharmacy Technician’s Role in a Pharmacy

Pharmacy technicians serve a key role in healthcare. While it might be easy to think of a pharmacy technician as the person who hands out your medication, they do far more than that.

In addition to helping pharmacists prepare medications, technicians communicate proactively with customers to ensure that they receive their medications and use them properly. These professionals receive specialized training to develop the skills to help patients achieve positive health outcomes.

While their responsibilities can vary based on the types of pharmacies in which they work, pharmacy technicians commonly perform duties such as:

  • Obtaining customer information that is necessary to fill prescriptions

  • Receiving customer payments for prescriptions and handling related insurance claims

  • Answering customers’ questions about their prescriptions

  • Connecting customers with pharmacists when patients need detailed advice and information about prescriptions

Pharmacy technicians also can be responsible for:

  • Preparing prescription labels and packaging

  • Maintaining medication inventories in pharmacies

  • Assisting in the preparation of compounded prescriptions

  • Helping provide patients with intravenous medications (for example, in a hospital setting)

  • Operating medication dispensing equipment

With some pharmacies open on a 24-hour basis, the work hours of pharmacy technicians can vary. In some cases, pharmacy technicians work on weekends or night shifts.

6 Types of Pharmacies

Exploring the various types of pharmacies is a good way for those who are interested in becoming pharmacy technicians to become familiar with possible work settings. The information below highlights some examples of the different kinds of pharmacies where pharmacy technicians can work.

1. Retail Pharmacy

The majority of pharmacy technicians work at retail pharmacies. Most of these are chain pharmacies, but retail pharmacies also include independently owned and franchised businesses. In rural areas, independent retail pharmacies are particularly important because healthcare providers are relatively scarce in these areas.

2. Hospital Pharmacy

Hospital pharmacies provide medication to patients who are receiving inpatient and outpatient services in the facility. Pharmacy technicians working in hospitals collaborate directly with other medical professionals, such as the physicians and nurses who administer the medication to the patients. The hospitals where pharmacy technicians work may specialize in a specific area of healthcare, such as critical or cardiac care or oncology.

<h3>3. Clinic Pharmacy</h3>

A clinic pharmacy is located inside a medical clinic. Patients who receive prescriptions during their appointments can fill them at clinic pharmacies, instead of going to retail pharmacies. Pharmacy technicians who work in these settings have closer contact with physicians in case any questions arise. Clinics also can specialize in a particular aspect of healthcare, so pharmacy technicians also may develop expertise in specific types of treatments.

4. Research Pharmacy

A research pharmacy is a unique type of pharmacy that can be found at pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities and other research locations, such as universities. These pharmacies are involved in researching and producing new drugs in a laboratory setting. They put new medications through complex and intensive trials, so pharmacy technicians in these settings may be involved in closely monitoring experiments and their results.

5. Regulatory Pharmacy

A regulatory pharmacy ensures medications meet stringent rules and regulations. At this type of facility, pharmacy technicians are involved in processes to test drugs and make sure they are safe for the public to use. Regulatory pharmacies are often part of public health organizations and regulatory health boards.

6. Compounding and Infusion Pharmacy

Some drugs need to be specially formulated for a specific patient. The practice of customizing medicine for an individual’s use is known as compounding. In this case, pharmacy technicians and pharmacists prepare drugs for patients, changing the strength, adding or removing ingredients, or altering the delivery form. Working in an infusion pharmacy involves creating medicines that are delivered intravenously.

Skills and Requirements to Become a Pharmacy Technician

To qualify for a position as a pharmacy technician, individuals must satisfy certain requirements. Specifically, they need to:

  • Earn a high school diploma. In lieu of a high school diploma, aspiring pharmacy technicians also can choose to pass the General Educational Development (GED) test.

  • Acquire the skills and expertise to work as a pharmacy technician. These can be gained by enrolling in a pharmacy technician training program or an associate degree program that teaches pharmacy technician skills. For example, students can cultivate skills in pharmacy operations, pharmaceutical dispensing, recordkeeping related to pharmaceuticals, drug interactions, and calculations related to pharmaceuticals.

  • Become certified as a pharmacy technician and obtain licensure. After completing a pharmacy technician educational program, students then need to pass an exam to become certified as a pharmacy technician. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the National Healthcare Association offer the certification exams to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT). Some states also require a pharmacy technician to obtain a state license.

As they progress in their careers, and depending upon the types of pharmacies in which they work, pharmacy technicians may choose to pursue additional certifications. For example, the PTCB offers the Advanced Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT-Adv) certification, which demonstrates a more advanced level of expertise, and the Certified Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician (CSPT) certification, which focuses on preventing contamination during the drug compounding process.

Learn More About Becoming a Pharmacy Technician

Working as a pharmacy technician in any category of pharmacy can be a fulfilling career that offers the opportunity to help others achieve positive health outcomes. Pharmacy technicians carry out important responsibilities that help promote the health of each person they serve.

Individuals who are interested in entering the field can explore the medical technologist and technician programs at Fortis, including pharmacy technician programs, to learn how those programs can help them achieve their professional goals. Offering classroom instruction and real-world, hands-on training, these programs are designed to prepare individuals to pursue rewarding careers in healthcare.

Take the next step on your career path today.

Recommended Readings
What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do?
Pharmacy Technician vs. Pharmacist
How Pharmacy Technicians Work With Patients

Sources:
Indeed, “Q&A: What Is a Pharmacy Technician?”
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, “Access to Access to Community Pharmacies: A Nationwide Geographic Information Systems Cross-Sectional Analysis”
National Healthcare Association, Your Path to ExCPT Pharmacy Technician Certification
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, Advanced Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT-Adv) Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, Certified Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician (CSPT)
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
Pharmacy Technician Certification Board, State Regulations and Map U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Pharmacy Technicians