Pharmacy assistants play a crucial role in the functioning of a pharmacy, performing administrative and customer service tasks. No special education or training is required, making it an entry-level job. Strong organizational, communication, and stress management skills are necessary. The job can lead to a career as a registered pharmacy assistant or technician or provide an opportunity to learn the business before attending pharmacy school. Work can be found in hospital or client-based pharmacies.
A pharmacy assistant is a crucial member of any functioning pharmacy. As pharmacists and technicians deal directly with prescriptions and customers, you’ll be doing a lot of critical work to ensure they can perform these tasks well. Also, a pharmacy assistant job usually requires no special education or training. This job incorporates many administrative and customer service functions that are important to a successful pharmacy.
One of the attractive factors of a pharmacy assistant career is its ability to help you get involved with pharmacies from an entry-level level. Most only require a high school diploma to start working. Mathematics, chemistry and foreign language classes are useful in this role and should be focused on during school. Another benefit of this job is that it acts as a stepping stone to a career as a registered pharmacy assistant or technician or even provides an opportunity to learn the business before attending pharmacy school.
A pharmacy assistant has many roles that help make the job of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians easier. If you want to become a pharmacy assistant, know that one of your biggest jobs will be receiving pharmaceutical shipments, sorting them properly, and placing them in the correct storage space. Records management is another important job, requiring you to update customer files and retrieve them frequently for the pharmacist’s reference. Pharmacy assistant roles also require you to make phone calls, often from patients filling prescriptions. In addition to these administrative jobs, you will also be called upon to work the cash register and handle cash and credit card payments by customers.
Performing these important tasks means you must have a strong skill set to be a successful pharmacy assistant. Organization and self-motivation are crucial as you are expected to store pharmaceuticals accurately and keep records with little or no supervision. Communication is another important skill to possess in this job because you will have to work with co-workers and clients. Stress management is also crucial, as pharmacies get very busy and your time is often stretched to the limit.
A pharmacy assistant can find work in a number of places. You can work in a hospital pharmacy or a client-based pharmacy. A hospital may provide a more fast-paced work environment, but less contact with patients because you’ll be getting orders from across the hospital. In a pharmacy like a pharmacy, you will have more customer interaction and a slower pace.
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