One of the first things anyone should consider when trying to decide on a career path is to look at what interests you. In the past, people chose work and believed that’s what they would do for the rest of their lives. Over the last couple of decades we have seen how science, technology and the state of our nation’s economy can make for a very precarious job market.
Today, thirty years and a pension isn’t a guaranteed ticket to a comfortable retirement. This makes the task of choosing a life-long profession even more challenging.
A common mantra and very good advice is to do what you love and feel passionate about. However, for some people, life can take them down many different roads before they find a career that really engages them.
So why does someone decide to become a Pharmacy Technician?
If you’re new to the job market or are changing careers, it’s important to make a list of things you feel will make a career path a good fit for you. Are you a team player? Are you a people person? Do you want to help people and be of service to your community? Do you like variety and change? Can you multi-task and still remain focused on details? If so, then you may find that a Pharmacy Technician career is the right choice for you.
If you know anyone in the profession, you might want to ask them what they like and dislike about their work. You can learn first-hand what pharmacy techs and pharmacists do each day, by volunteering at your local hospital pharmacy. You can also learn more about what hospital techs do by checking out Pharmacy Technician job profiles. Some retail pharmacies will provide training to employees who express an interest in becoming a technician. Or maybe your ultimate goal is to become a Pharmacist?
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics has determined that that nearly two thirds of all Pharmacy technicians work in retail pharmacies and approximately twenty five percent work in hospitals. However a growing number of technicians also work in:
- drug research and manufacturing
- drug distribution
- long-term care facilities
- mail order pharmacy
- psychiatric hospitals
- compounding pharmacies
- online pharmacies
- a nuclear pharmacy
- narcotic waste auditing
- medical insurance
- teaching
- armed services
As you can see, depending on your experience and level of education, there are many opportunities for growth and advancement as a pharmacy tech.
What kind of salary can you expect to earn?
The latest data from the BLS (May 2009) puts the average annual Pharmacy Technician salary at around $35,000. However, salaries are really determined by what area of the country you live in, your work environment (retail, institutional or other), experience, education and whether you have attained national certification. Typically, hospital pharmacy technicians earn more than retail technicians. If you live in the western U.S. and work in a hospital pharmacy, average annual salaries are upwards of $40K.
What kind of education and qualifications do you need to become a Pharmacy tech?
While no formal training is mandated by the States to work as a pharmacy technician, those seriously considering the profession as a career should invest in themselves and attend at least a 9-12 month program with an externship. An externship will infinitely gain you an advantage over other job applicants and in many cases could lead to full time job offer once you have graduated. A high school diploma or its equivalent and good moral character is all that is usually required to gain entrance to any Pharmacy Tech training program.
A recent study, NACE’s Summer 2010 Salary Survey, conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, revealed that the average entry level salaries for a four year liberal arts degree were $34,747. That seems to be fairly close to the average salaries earned by pharmacy techs. All things considered, getting formal Pharmacy Technician training would seem to be an excellent return on your investment and you can complete the training in less time.