Pharmacist vs Pharmacy Technician
When you go to a hospital or private pharmacy with a prescription, you’re likely to encounter both a pharmacist and a pharmacy technician. These two roles may appear similar, but there are key differences in their responsibilities, education, and salaries. Let’s take a closer look at the distinctions between these two roles.
Key Takeaways
- Pharmacists have a higher level of responsibility and education, resulting in significantly higher salaries than pharmacy technicians.
- Pharmacy technicians handle administrative tasks and assist the pharmacist, but cannot give advice on medications or handle new customer prescriptions.
- The length of schooling required for pharmacy technicians is much shorter than for pharmacists, who must complete a bachelor’s degree.
Pharmacy technicians are responsible for performing most administrative duties and assist the pharmacist. Pharmacists, on the other hand, can give advice to patients regarding medications and their side effects due to their greater experience and education. They spend many years learning the names of medications, their composition, and their side effects. New customers in a pharmacy are handled by the pharmacist, while pharmacy technicians can attend to regular or returning customers. Additionally, only a pharmacist is allowed to take prescriptions over the phone.
Pharmacists are also responsible for counting and matching medications with prescriptions before handing them over to patients. This practice may seem discriminatory, but it is due to the difference in the length of schooling required for each role. The course for a pharmacy technician can be completed in under a year, while a pharmacist’s bachelor’s degree may take 4-6 years to complete.
The differences in these roles are also reflected in their earnings. A pharmacy technician may earn around $25,000 per year, while a pharmacist earns between $80,000 and $120,000 annually.
In summary, there are significant differences in the roles and responsibilities of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Pharmacy technicians can be considered as helpers or assistants to the pharmacist while only pharmacists can provide advice to customers about medications and handle prescriptions for new customers. The length of education and the salaries for each role also reflect these differences.
