RX for Success: A Pharmacy Career
One major reason for the growth of pharmacy careers is because of the growing demand for drug-related services. Pharmacies are popping up across the US, and with them, opportunities for new pharmacists to enter the market.
Our society's increasing reliance on pharmaceuticals has led to a large demand and an ever-growing need for pharmacy technicians at hospitals, doctor's offices and clinics. Though these positions may not be as high profile as Doctor or Attorney, they are quite rewarding in their own right. Pharmacists have also found success in many other fields like health education and research that involve drug therapy.
Pharmacy jobs can be found in a number of settings and environments. While retail pharmacy is the most traditional setting, pharmacists have opportunities to work in hospitals, doctor's offices, and other health care settings. In addition to the traditional everyday practice of filling and filing prescriptions, pharmacists have opportunities to specialize in the following disciplines:
Another field in which pharmacists are finding success is pharmaceutical sales. "The pharmaceutical industry is large and growing larger by leaps and bounds. It's one of the fastest growing segments within healthcare." says Dale Tillery, PharmD, FCCP, who has been involved as a consultant or speaker/lecturer for some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in America over the past 15 years.
As the industry grows, so does the need for experts in various fields. Pharmacists are well suited to fill these positions due to their extensive drug knowledge and understanding of the inner workings of the industry. "Pharmacists' skills are extremely transferable to pharmaceutical sales and marketing" states Tillery, who is currently serving as Vice President of Sales for Total Home Healthcare in Knoxville, TN. Dr. Tillery has been named one of the top 5 pharmaceutical sales people in the nation by Pharmaceutical Business News Magazine, and has been featured in articles such as USA Today, The Tennessean (Nashville), The Memphis Business Journal along with appearing regularly on numerous radio shows including NPR's Science Friday News show.
Total Home Healthcare, which was the first pharmaceutical sales organization to be awarded the prestigious President's Award for its efforts in "Providing National Leadership in Direct-to-Consumer Advertising," employs over 60 pharmacists and has over 750 people employed internationally. In a recent interview with Tillery, he listed some of the perks of working as a pharmacist in pharmaceutical sales:
Given these numbers and this trend, it is easy to see why pharmacist positions within pharmaceutical sales are quickly becoming one of the most sought after pharmacy jobs. And with the industry growing at such an unprecedented rate, there is no sign that this trend will slow down soon.
Being a pharmacist requires a great deal of education and professional training that is necessary for success in the field. Pharmacy Technicians or Pharmacy Aides work in retail and hospital pharmacies, or in some pharmacy research, pharmaceutical manufacturing or biopharmaceutical companies. The names you might hear depending on the setting are parochial school aids, pharmacy aids, hospital pharmacy assistants, medical records assistants, medical clerks and assistant pharmacists. In the workplace they may be called stock medication repairers, sales representatives or field service representatives.
They are often referred to as technicians because they perform technical role tasks like filling prescriptions and taking inventory at retail pharmacies and hospitals. However, technically speaking this is inaccurate. Although they may perform some technical tasks, pharmacy technicians are pharmacists. Technicians assist pharmacists by filling prescriptions, operating the pharmacy's cash register, stocking and restocking shelves, receiving and processing payments for prescriptions, preparing prescription labels and packaging drugs. Technicians also maintain records of prescriptions filled by the pharmacist on a computer. They are licensed to dispense OTC medications such as aspirin and sometimes injectables. The technician also assists the pharmacist in cleaning up after a doctor's visit as well as helping with other administrative functions at the pharmacy. Technicians typically earn $9-$12 per hour with benefits and sometimes overtime pay.
Technicians can also be employed in pharmacies within hospitals and medical centers. In these work environments, technicians serve a dual role as both pharmacists and technicians. Technicians fulfill the responsibilities of a technician at all times except when filling prescriptions for patients. Technicians are also responsible for providing immediate treatment to patients in case of an emergency situation and for dealing with any other emergencies which may arise during their shift.
Most technicians are students completing an undergraduate degree in pharmaceutics through a four-year pharmacy program or an associate degree in pharmacy from community colleges, technical colleges or vocational schools. They usually complete the coursework required to obtain their license prior to employment as technicians by being directly hired by the pharmacy where they will be working. In some states, technicians can work as technicians before obtaining their license.
Technicians often also serve as instructors within their state's pharmacy school or in a community college's pharmacy technician program. They frequently also instruct on-site during seminars and continuing education courses. Technicians who are certified to teach and provide continuing education may be called guest speakers or teaching pharmacists.
Most technicians have been trained to operate the more complicated pharmaceutical equipment such as the automated syringe filling machine and IV pumps, whereas other tasks such as cleaning and packaging can be performed by other employees in a pharmacy. In hospital settings, there are specific roles for technicians so that they are not needed understaffed specifically to perform these tasks. Some technicians in hospital settings have the extra training necessary to perform specialized tasks, such as those found prepping surgical cases and performing medication incident investigations. These technical-pharmacists are typically given more independence in their work and can therefore operate independently of a pharmacist at times. These technicians typically work alongside pharmacists who oversee the technicians' daily work, monitor it for quality purposes, serve as mentors to ensure that technician-learned skills are practiced correctly and provide additional training when new skills are learned.
Technicians must complete two exams for certification: one exam for a state license and one to take by the National Association of Boards Examiners (NABE). Technicians are also required to have Continuing Professional Education in order to maintain their certification. Others must complete continuing education to maintain their certification as technicians.
The job is different for hospital pharmacy assistants. These technicians are employed at either a hospital or a nursing home, and they perform many of the same tasks as the pharmacy technician but in a hospital setting. These technicians typically report directly to a pharmacist and assist him in performing the daily functions of his position. They typically perform general maintenance and assist in the dispensing of medications. They also assist the pharmacist in preparing prescriptions for administration to patients.
Career opportunities for technicians are abundant due to the high demand for pharmacists as a whole, and greater job security within the industry. According to the BLS, this occupation has added 6,300 jobs between 2010 and 2014 – a nearly 11 percent increase. As a result of these growing numbers, many new schools are being opened across the nation specifically to train technicians in order to keep up with demand.
Education Requirements: Pharmacy Technicians typically complete an undergraduate degree program that is considered vital in attempting to enter this career path however community college programs are available as well.
Conclusion
The average annual salary for technicians was $40,000 in May 2016. That fact is linked to the importance of the technician's job as well as the strength of the job market.
Like all pharmacy technicians, a technician must be able to work in a manner that requires patient care and accurate attention to detail in order to correctly prepare medications for administration.
Through extra training, a technician may also be able to work independently from pharmacists so that they can perform tasks such as filling prescriptions, operating cash registers and cleaning rooms. This can lead to greater responsibility for those with the proper training, allowing them to manage and maintain their jobs better than those without it.