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By Erin Michael, MBA, MS, CPhT, PCCA Director of Member Engagement
This is the third in a series of articles that explore career opportunities for pharmacy technicians in light of their evolving role within health care. Whether getting certified to administer vaccines through the National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA) or taking on leadership roles within pharmacies and beyond, we’re seeing an incredible expansion of possibilities that go well beyond the traditional idea of the technician.
My first article in the series discussed how technician roles have changed and highlighted NPTA’s vaccination certification program. In my second article, I interviewed Jennifer Petska, CPhT, of the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding (APC), to get her take on technicians now and in the future. Liza Chapman is the second of the professionals we will be featuring in this series. Beyond telling her story, she also provides advice to both new and experienced technicians. I hope you enjoy the interview and find her insights valuable.
Liza Chapman, PharmD, FAPhA, pictured above, is the Vice President of Partnership Development at the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).
It was not until the summer before I went off to college that I ever considered a career in the profession of pharmacy. For as long as I could remember, I always wanted to be a teacher — high school science, to be exact. During freshman orientation at Berry College, my advisor, Dr. James Rhodes, shared with me a few occupations that I should think about, and one was becoming a pharmacist. He said that, based on my interests and personality, I may be well suited for a profession in pharmacy. From that point on, I began doing my research to identify the prerequisite classes for admission into a college or school of pharmacy. I even shadowed a pharmacist from my hometown to determine if pharmacy was the best career for me. I quickly fell in love with all aspects of community practice and was very driven and focused, with my eye set on the goal of being accepted into pharmacy school.
After applying, being interviewed and taking the PCAT, I was accepted to Mercer University College of Pharmacy in Atlanta, Georgia, and I graduated in May of 2002. After graduation, I completed a PGY1 Community-Base Pharmacy Residency with Mercer University and The Kroger Co. I have Dr. Rhodes to thank for setting me on the path of a lifelong and meaningful profession in pharmacy.
In my opinion, the role of pharmacy technicians has evolved dramatically over the past 23 years from when I entered the profession. Two decades ago, pharmacy technicians weren’t providing patient-care services as they are today. Technicians at that time were serving in supportive roles, assisting with billing, paperwork, dispensing, ordering supplies, and other administrative tasks. Today, technicians are highly qualified and trained to administer vaccinations and conduct point-of-care screenings. Technicians have stepped up and are performing medication histories in both community and institutional practice settings while compounding the majority of medications in sterile and nonsterile environments. Technicians are serving in leadership and supervisory roles as well, such as store and district management of large pharmacy corporations, while some have become owners of neighborhood pharmacies. The days of pharmacy technicians only serving in customer service and dispensing roles are memories of the past.
Also on The PCCA Blog: Professional Opportunities for the Pharmacy Technician of Today
The opportunities, along with the roles and responsibilities for pharmacy technicians, have expanded greatly over a very short period of time and will continue to do so as the demand for patient care continues. My crystal ball tells me that employers and regulators value the expanded responsibilities of technicians and are taking notice of the enhanced supportive roles that are allowing pharmacists to perform and practice at the very top of their licenses. With this, employers are creating greater career opportunities with establishing ladders for success within their organizations, and regulators are taking the necessary steps to change rules and regulations and even legislation to allow pharmacy technicians to meet their highest potentials. Technician job satisfaction is increasing while more and more individuals are choosing to establish lifelong careers. Ultimately, patients are winning as their care is optimized through the work of pharmacists and technicians.
If you have any interest in learning more or are considering a career as a pharmacy technician, I strongly encourage you to do your research about the profession, including speaking with several technicians working in different practice settings. Receiving firsthand information about the job requirements is a great way to determine if the career is something to consider. With HIPAA, it can be difficult to shadow or volunteer in a pharmacy these days, but it is still worth seeing if there are any shadowing opportunities at a local pharmacy. It is truly worth asking the owner if any options exist.
Also, I would recommend seeking out career fairs for organizations hiring pharmacy technicians. Attending a job fair may also allow you to gain more information and ask important questions about the requirements of the profession. Consider applying for a job, too, because there is no better way to know if you have what it takes to work as a technician. Visiting your state board of pharmacy website will also be extremely helpful to determine the necessary requirements to serve as a pharmacy technician in your specific state. Doing ample research will answer many questions and help you to determine if being a pharmacy technician is a true fit for you.
If you want to advance your career in the profession of pharmacy, I would first suggest speaking with your supervisor about growth opportunities and establishing a path for advancement. Asking about the options available for promotion and the requirements involved will also allow management to know that there is interest in moving up within the organization. If you aren’t nationally certified, I would encourage you to pursue certification. This will open up more doors for you to assume greater roles and responsibilities, and it validates your commitment to the profession to fellow colleagues and employers. Certified technicians are able to perform additional tasks, such as product verification, prescription transfers and immunization administration, while increasing the pharmacist-to-technician ratio in states that have regulations that allow such responsibilities. If you are a PTCB-certified pharmacy technician, you now also have the opportunity to earn the Advanced CPhT (CPhT-Adv) credential by pursuing assessment-based certificate programs in various areas to demonstrate expertise and interest as well as work experience. Finally, you should be willing to take on additional challenges and chances, and seek opportunities even when options are not readily available.
Also on The PCCA Blog: The Evolving Role of Pharmacy Technicians: An Interview With Jennifer Petska of APC
Erin Michael, MBA, MS, CPhT, PCCA Director of Member Engagement, joined the PCCA staff in July 2006. She has been working in pharmacy for more than 25 years, of which 23 have been in compounding and promoting the practice of pharmacy. She previously worked for an independent pharmacy owner and was the general manager of multiple locations. Erin was instrumental in developing and implementing programs to promote and grow the compounding and traditional parts of that business. She holds an MBA in healthcare administration and an MS in hospitality management. She was recognized as PCCA Technician of the Month in August 1999 and California Pharmacists Association Technician of the Year in 2003.
A version of this article originally appeared in PCCA’s members-only magazine, the Apothagram.