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Laboratory coordinator vs pharmacist technician

The differences between laboratory coordinators and pharmacist technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a laboratory coordinator has an average salary of $52,690, which is higher than the $36,090 average annual salary of a pharmacist technician.

The top three skills for a laboratory coordinator include lab equipment, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a pharmacist technician are patients, math, and direct supervision.

Laboratory coordinator vs pharmacist technician overview

Laboratory CoordinatorPharmacist Technician
Yearly salary$52,690$36,090
Hourly rate$25.33$17.35
Growth rate3%5%
Number of jobs64,91473,800
Job satisfaction-1
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age4438
Years of experience2-

What does a laboratory coordinator do?

A laboratory coordinator is responsible for supporting laboratory examinations and experiments, collecting laboratory samples, and ensuring the efficiency and performance of laboratory tools and equipment. Laboratory coordinators maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the laboratory facility at all times to avoid contaminations and hazards that may affect laboratory results and accuracy of examinations. They also perform scientific processes under the supervision of a scientist or laboratory technicians and keep an organized report of findings in the database.

What does a pharmacist technician do?

Pharmacist technicians assist pharmacists in their daily activities. They receive prescription medicine order requests of customers, validate the prescription, prepare the medicines, properly label medicine bottles, and hand them off to customers. They also answer customer inquiries and attend to customer concerns. Pharmacist technicians also manage the pharmacy's inventory and ensure that all records are up to date. They are also authorized to create purchase requisition requests for medicines that are running low and need to be refilled, but these requests should still be authorized by a doctor.

Laboratory coordinator vs pharmacist technician salary

Laboratory coordinators and pharmacist technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Laboratory CoordinatorPharmacist Technician
Average salary$52,690$36,090
Salary rangeBetween $38,000 And $72,000Between $26,000 And $48,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiAlaska
Best paying companyAbbVieValley Presbyterian Hospital
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalHealth Care

Differences between laboratory coordinator and pharmacist technician education

There are a few differences between a laboratory coordinator and a pharmacist technician in terms of educational background:

Laboratory CoordinatorPharmacist Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common majorBiologyPharmacy
Most common collegeUniversity of Pennsylvania-

Laboratory coordinator vs pharmacist technician demographics

Here are the differences between laboratory coordinators' and pharmacist technicians' demographics:

Laboratory CoordinatorPharmacist Technician
Average age4438
Gender ratioMale, 41.5% Female, 58.5%Male, 24.9% Female, 75.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 10.1% White, 60.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage8%5%

Differences between laboratory coordinator and pharmacist technician duties and responsibilities

Laboratory coordinator example responsibilities.

  • Lead a team to decide on an optimal LIS.
  • Manage curriculum development, authore and publish lab manuals in physiology and ecology.
  • Prepare and audit patient charts according to HIPAA compliance.
  • Reject patient specimen samples that do not meet CLIA requirements.
  • Maintain records and training for all CLIA waive testing for all practice employees.
  • Follow EPA and OSHA mandates to ensure the proper and safe disposal of hazardous samples and waste.
  • Show more

Pharmacist technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage the OPTIFILL (automation) operations and maintenance of equipment, including the PYXIS medication dispensing machine.
  • Manage assigned pharmacy workstations and tasks while supporting team members in promptly, safely and accurately filling patient prescriptions.
  • Manage inventory; process physician orders; prepare chemotherapy and intravenous medications; support departments in distribution and preparation of medications.
  • Consult with patients as an (CPhT) on their medical usages via written prescription by authorize medical personnel.
  • Compound TPN's (total peripheral nutrition), chemotherapy, iv admixture, antibiotics, and other pharmacy medications.
  • Record customer information into Rx computer system.
  • Show more

Laboratory coordinator vs pharmacist technician skills

Common laboratory coordinator skills
  • Lab Equipment, 15%
  • Patients, 13%
  • Patient Care, 8%
  • Chemistry, 6%
  • Laboratory Safety, 3%
  • CLIA, 3%
Common pharmacist technician skills
  • Patients, 32%
  • Math, 12%
  • Direct Supervision, 5%
  • HIPAA, 4%
  • Collective Bargaining, 4%
  • Telephone Calls, 4%

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