What is the Difference Between a Pharmacy Technician and a Pharmacy Assistant?

Are you interested in a career in the medical field? If so, you might be wondering what the difference is between a pharmacy technician and a pharmacy assistant.

Both roles are important in ensuring that patients receive the medications they need, but there are some key differences between the two positions. Read on to learn more about the responsibilities of each role and what kind of training is required.

A pharmacy technician is someone who is trained to dispense prescription medications and provide customer service in a retail setting, while a pharmacy assistant is someone who helps with administrative tasks in a hospital or clinic setting.

Working in either the retail or healthcare industry, pharmacy technicians and assistants play a vital role in helping pharmacists dispense medications.

Pharmacy technicians are specifically trained to counter customer service in a retail setting, as well as stock shelves with prescription and over-the-counter medications. 

Building on their knowledge of medical terminology, they attend to customers’ needs by accepting prescriptions, verifying information, filling prescriptions and other tasks.

Pharmacy assistants instead help with administrative tasks in a hospital environment, for instance by filing paperwork and updating patient records. Both technician roles come with their own unique challenges but offer job satisfaction for those who are suited to the profession.

Pharmacy technicians typically have more responsibilities than pharmacy assistants, including measuring and mixing medications, entering patient information into the computer system, and answering questions from patients and customers.

Pharmacy technicians can play an important role in the healthcare system. Not only do they measure and mix medications, but they also enter patient information into computer systems to keep records organized so that pharmacists can easily access it when filling prescriptions.

Additionally, pharmacy technicians are always available to answer any questions patients or customers may have about their medication or the services being provided.

This extra level of support can go a long way in ensuring that people are receiving the best possible care for their condition. All this makes pharmacy technicians an essential part of the healthcare team.

Pharmacy assistants typically have less responsibility than pharmacy technicians, but they may be responsible for stocking shelves, taking inventory, and ordering supplies.

Pharmacy assistants, while having less responsibility than technicians in a pharmacy setting, still have a significant role to play.

Their duties include stocking shelves with necessary medication, taking inventory of available items, and ordering supplies as necessary. This often means that pharmacy assistants are required to be organized, detail-oriented, and reliable in order to ensure the optimal running of the pharmacy.

Assisting customers by providing any needed advice or help may also be part of their job depending on the particular business. Pharmacy assistants are crucially important for the day-to-day running of any successful pharmacy.

Both pharmacy technicians and assistants must be able to read and understand prescriptions, as well as have knowledge of common medications used to treat various conditions.

Pharmacy technicians and assistants play an important role in the healthcare chain, as they need to have the important skill of being able to read and understand prescriptions. This is especially true given that all prescriptions must be accurate in order to ensure that patients receive the correct medication at the proper dosage.

In addition to this technical skill, pharmacy technicians and assistants must also have knowledge of common medications that are used for a variety of conditions, allowing them to inform patients not only about their medications but any potential side effects related to their treatment.

With these skills, pharmacy technicians and assistants can help save lives by helping to ensure that proper medications are available in a timely manner.

The job outlook for both pharmacy technicians and assistants is positive, with an expected growth of 20% from 2018-2028.

The job outlook for pharmacy technicians and assistants looks very promising, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasting a growth rate of 20% from 2018-2028. With an expanding elderly population and increasing access to health care, the demand for the services of skilled pharmacy professionals is expected to increase.

Pharmacy technicians help licensed pharmacists dispense prescription medications, so a higher number of prescriptions that come in due to population growth makes these positions increasingly important. Those who train to become pharmacy technicians have great career prospects ahead as this field continues to develop and benefit from economic expansion.

An exciting and developing career

If you’re interested in a career in the pharmacy field, it’s important to understand the difference between pharmacy technicians and assistants.

Pharmacy technicians typically have more responsibilities than pharmacy assistants, including measuring and mixing medications, entering patient information into the computer system, and answering questions from patients and customers.

However, both positions are expected to experience significant growth in the next decade. Those who are interested in becoming a pharmacy technician or assistant should contact Northwest Career College about our Pharmacy Technician trade school programs.

Start your new career as a Pharmacy Technician now!

Northwest Career College is one of the premier pharmacy technician schools in Las Vegas. Our course provides our students with the skills and training they need to take advantage of the growing need for pharmacy technicians.

Our experienced instructors offer online and on-campus classes to accommodate your Las Vegas work and family schedule. 

Once you’ve graduated, we will continue to support you, and the commitment of our Career Services Team has led to us having a 100% job placement rate for our pharmacy technician graduates. Call us today at (702) 403-1592 to speak to one of our enrollment specialists.