Care + Career

Pharmacy technician employers can be grouped into four main categories: community pharmacies (retail pharmacies), specialty pharmacies, mail-order pharmacies and hospital pharmacies.

Education and certification requirements for these roles roles can largely be the same with some extra emphasis placed on specific tasks based on the working environment. However, the day-to-day tasks of a pharmacy technician in a hospital are unique to that environment.

Whether you're currently working in a community or retail pharmacy and considering making a career change, or you're working toward your CPhT certification and are trying to decide which working environment would best suit you, it's helpful to know some key differences.

Here are 5 tasks unique to pharmacy technicians working in a hospital setting.

Authored by Denise Propes, CPhT, Pharmacy Technician Coordinator at University of Michigan Medical Center and NHA Pharmacy Technician Advisory Board Member

Based on the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, growth in the pharmacy technician field is expected to be above the national average for all careers over the next 10 years. There are a couple of well-known causes for this growth:

Authored by Jeremy Sasser, Pharmacy Content Strategist

During my career, the practice of pharmacy has changed … A LOT. In honor of Pharmacy Technician Day I am going to share my journey into the profession.

We’re pleased to announce the recipient of the Spring 2018 NHA Career Bridge Scholarship, Julie Pham, CPhT.

For April S. in New York, the decision to become a certified pharmacy technician was easy,

"I started my career in pharmacy ringing up prescriptions at a small retail pharmacy. Watching the impact the pharmacists and technicians had, I knew I had to become one myself! I studied and worked really hard and eventually became #NHACertified. I'm now right at the forefront of medical advances and I feel so honored to have such a pivotal role in patient care."

Do you have a dream like April's?

To become a certified pharmacy technician (CPhT), you'll need to sit for NHA's ExCPT exam. In this post, we'll share what you need to know about the exam — eligibility requirements, format, content and tools that can help ensure you are prepared come test day.

In honor of today’s National Pharmacy Technician Day, we want to highlight one more way pharmacy technicians are making a difference in their pharmacies and communities. 

Pharmacy technician roles have evolved and techs have embraced many new opportunities and have excelled in them. Whether performing MTM duties or compounding, techs are an important part of the day-to-day functions of all pharmacies, helping to improve patient safety and quality of life. One valuable tech skill in particular will be put to use on this year's "Check Your Meds Day:" collecting and documenting accurate medication histories. 

The health care industry changes fast. New regulations, big announcements, mergers, best-practices – it is all hard to keep up with. Don’t worry, we have a round up of the top breaking stories in allied healthcare. Get up-to-date on the industry’s most relevant news.