The Importance of Continuing Education for Pharmacy Technicians – Part 1

Are you currently working as a pharmacy technician or considering school to pursue a career in pharmacy? If so, you are likely aware that pharmacy technician licensees must participate in regular continuing education to maintain their license in good standing. 

You may wonder why it is such a big deal, given that you hope to learn (or have already learned) the foundational skills needed to become a pharmacy tech while attending school. That said, while the modern pharmacy industry has existed for decades, it continues to evolve rapidly as the pharmaceutical industry changes. 

Continuing education helps pharmacy technicians stay up-to-date or (ideally) ahead of the curve in the fast-evolving pharmacy industry. This multi-part article will explain the benefits of continuing education so that the next time you are required to attend a CE course, you are (hopefully) excited about the opportunity instead of dreading it.

Keeping Up with Pharmacy Trends

The world of pharmaceuticals moves fast. It seems like every week a new “potential blockbuster” drug comes onto the market, and inevitably, patients begin asking about these new drugs as the Big Pharma marketing machine kicks into gear. Here’s why staying on top of them is key to your success as a pharmacy technician.

New Medications 

Pharmaceutical scientists work daily to bring new medications to market to help people feel better. These may include new iterations of existing drug categories, such as new statins for cardiovascular health or new cystic fibrosis regimens that combine previous medications. 

When physicians learn about new medications, they begin prescribing them. Sometimes, that transition can happen quickly if the clinical trial data supporting the medication is strong enough. Pharmacy technicians who actively pursue continuing education learn about these new drugs as they happen, not after the fact, so they are better prepared to process these prescriptions like pros.

Updated Regulations

Laws about medications can also change. For example, the opioid epidemic has brought about many changes related to patient education and monitoring of patient prescription records. Another example includes recent changes to make certain forms of birth control available over the counter instead of through prescriptions only. 

Pharmacy technicians who skip regular continuing education risk violating new laws designed to keep patients safe or giving incorrect information about current pharmacy law. By continuing to learn, technicians ensure they follow the most essential rules, keeping patients safe and protecting their employers from liability.

That said, many pharmacy employers are national chains with large compliance departments. These chains typically provide internal continuing education to ensure technicians are prepared for regulatory changes.

Advances in Technology 

Pharmacy operations are incorporating more advanced technology than ever. Some of these technologies have existed in some form for a while, such as digital pharmacy records. Others have emerged more recently, such as automated dispensing systems, made possible by advances in machinery and popularized by big technology companies (like Amazon’s PillPack).

Other technological advancements have emerged, building on previous innovations. One poignant example is e-prescribing, which automatically transmits prescriptions from a medical facility to a pharmacy. This practice is only possible now that most medical facilities and pharmacies have adopted electronic records, since both sides of the transaction must have made the digital transition. 

Regularly engaging in continuing education courses means you won’t get left behind when new gadgets and software are introduced to the market. You may even be able to help your pharmacy adopt some of this cool new technology!

Conclusion

Continuing education offers numerous benefits to pharmacy technicians. We discussed a few of them in this article, and we will expand on these concepts and more in Part 2 of this multi-part article.