Pharmacy technician is a technician, who performs various pharmacy related task under the supervision of a pharmacist. Work of a pharmacy technician involves counting tablets, filling up medical prescriptions, helping the patients, and labeling the bottles. Pharmacy technician requirements are very simple. Technicians are required to have the certification and the formal training.

Before actually starting with the program of pharmacy technician, one should first assess all the pharmacy technician requirements defined by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. Starting with the pharmacy technician-training program, one should have a high school diploma and should possess good communication and reading skills to enroll in any pharmacy technician school. American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) is that organization, which provides accreditation to pharmacy technicians training programs. One can get the information related to accredited institutes from the ASHP website. The technical colleges and vocational schools mostly provide training programs. Nowadays there are online schools, which provide training and help to the students in obtaining the technician certificate.

The basic requirement to be a pharmacy technician is passing national certification exam. After becoming a certified pharmacy technician, renewing the certificate after going for a 20 hours training in every two year is mandatory. To appear for the certification exam, one needs a high school diploma. A person should not have any criminal record and any drug offenses.

After passing a national level exam, the student can work as an entry level assistant. Skills, which a student develop while getting the certification and training are such as ability to fill the prescription and mix the medicines, maintaining the inventory of medicines, taking orders from the patients and doctors, and assisting the pharmacists. Knowledge and skill are the two basic requirements, the more knowledge and skill one have, more are the chances to get a better paying job.

The main work of a pharmacy technician is to advice the patient about the different ways of taking a drug. If a patient is prescribed different medicines at a time, then the responsibility of the technician increases. Technician should take care that the medicines are given in proper quantity. Some basic pharmacy technician requirements other than the certification are- a person pursuing a career in this field must have a good knowledge about pharmaceutical calculations, human anatomy, and he/she must know about the pharmaceutical terms. After completion of diploma, one can work in hospitals, nursing homes, and retail stores. Pharmacy technicians help in running the day-to-day operations in the pharmaceutical industry. Work of a pharmacy technician is same as that of the pharmacist the only thing is technician works under the supervision of the pharmacist.

The basic pharmacy technician requirements are been stated in the points discussed above. This field is emerging as a great career option for many. The pay out in this job is quite attractive. An experienced pharmacy technician can earn approximately around $80000 in a year. The pay of a pharmacy technician keeps on increasing as the experience and certification increases. The growth rate of this profession is around 10% in a year, which is actually quite good if compared with other professions. Even at the time of recession in the year 2008, this profession showed an upper trend. Therefore, if one fulfils all the pharmacy technician requirements then he/she can go a great way ahead in their career.