Pharmacy Technicians

Employers

There are approximately 420,400 pharmacy technicians employed in the United States. Most opportunities for pharmacy technicians are in retail. An externship provides a suitable way to segue into this position. Technicians also work in hospitals and long-term care facilities as well as in clinics at military bases, prisons, and colleges. Technicians are also finding work with home health care agencies, mail-order and Internet pharmacies, and with the federal government.

Starting Out

In some cases you may be able to pursue education and certification while employed as a pharmacy technician. Some chain drugstores pay the certification fees for their techs and also reward certified techs with higher hourly pay. This practice will probably increase—industry experts predict a need for pharmacists and technicians as more chain drugstores open across the country, and more pharmacies offer 24-hour service.

Pharmacy technicians often are hired by the hospital or agency where they interned or externed; others may find jobs through networking, professional organizations, or a general job search.

Professional pharmacy associations often offer job listings at their Web sites. For example, the National Pharmacy Technician Association offers a career page at http://www.pharmacytechnician.org/npta-career-center.