Pharmacy technicians work under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist, and assist in pharmacy activities not requiring the professional judgment of a pharmacist.  Their duties may include compounding therapeutic drugs, preparing and labeling medicines, filling bottles and capsules with the correct quantity of medicine, issuing medicines to the customers, maintaining inventory, and keeping patients’ medication profiles in specified records or forms.  They must be aware of the necessity for aseptic techniques, cleanliness, orderliness, and accuracy in the work areas.  The pharmacy technician assumes such duties as determined by the pharmacist, thus allowing the pharmacist more time for therapeutic care of patients and customer counseling. 

Areas of Specialization
Pharmacy technicians who want to learn to compound (preparing two or more ingredients to produce a medication) may receive additional training through weekend seminars.  A technician may also specialize in mixing intravenous solutions through additional training, usually through on-the-job training in a hospital or nuclear pharmacy setting.

Work Environment
Pharmacy technicians are used in a wide variety of practice settings: hospitals, in-home care, long-term care facilities, cancer treatment facilities, mail service facilities, educational and training programs, and retail pharmacies, either independently owned or part of a drugstore chain, grocery stores, department stores, or mass retailers.