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Pharmacist technician trainee vs certified pharmacist technician

The differences between pharmacist technician trainees and certified pharmacist technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pharmacist technician trainee has an average salary of $50,647, which is higher than the $37,059 average annual salary of a certified pharmacist technician.

The top three skills for a pharmacist technician trainee include patients, HIPAA and phone calls. The most important skills for a certified pharmacist technician are patients, direct supervision, and math.

Pharmacist technician trainee vs certified pharmacist technician overview

Pharmacist Technician TraineeCertified Pharmacist Technician
Yearly salary$50,647$37,059
Hourly rate$24.35$17.82
Growth rate5%5%
Number of jobs97,227113,033
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 29%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Average age3838
Years of experience--

What does a pharmacist technician trainee do?

A pharmacist technician trainee is responsible for supporting the staff on pharmacy operations, assisting patients on their medications, and providing other needs according to prescriptions. Pharmacist technician trainees maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the facility, including the adequacy of medicine storage and creating purchase requests. They also respond to patients' inquiries and concerns, as well as reiterating the instructions and dosage of medicines to take. A pharmacist technician trainee verifies order forms and processes payment accurately, escalating discrepancies to the supervisor immediately.

What does a certified pharmacist technician do?

A certified pharmacist technician is responsible for assisting patients by providing medicines based on their needs or their physicians' prescriptions. Certified pharmacist technicians must be able to supply the correct medications, including the right dosage to patients. They must also have a broad understanding of the medical industry, providing medicinal information to patients and referring them to the right health professionals as needed. Certified pharmacist technicians also monitor medicine inventories, manage supplies, and create sales reports.

Pharmacist technician trainee vs certified pharmacist technician salary

Pharmacist technician trainees and certified pharmacist technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Pharmacist Technician TraineeCertified Pharmacist Technician
Average salary$50,647$37,059
Salary rangeBetween $24,000 And $105,000Between $27,000 And $50,000
Highest paying CityMilford, CTVancouver, WA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaAlaska
Best paying companyAmazonDignity Health
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between pharmacist technician trainee and certified pharmacist technician education

There are a few differences between a pharmacist technician trainee and a certified pharmacist technician in terms of educational background:

Pharmacist Technician TraineeCertified Pharmacist Technician
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 29%Bachelor's Degree, 39%
Most common majorPharmacyPharmacy
Most common college--

Pharmacist technician trainee vs certified pharmacist technician demographics

Here are the differences between pharmacist technician trainees' and certified pharmacist technicians' demographics:

Pharmacist Technician TraineeCertified Pharmacist Technician
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 21.5% Female, 78.5%Male, 20.8% Female, 79.2%
Race ratioBlack 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%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 Percentage5%5%

Differences between pharmacist technician trainee and certified pharmacist technician duties and responsibilities

Pharmacist technician trainee example responsibilities.

  • Manage assigned pharmacy workstations and tasks while supporting team members in promptly, safely and accurately filling patient prescriptions.
  • Master Sig codes and math skills require to accurately input prescriptions.
  • Restock Pyxis machines, emergency crash carts, and patient cart medications.
  • Perform chemotherapy calculations and prepare chemotherapy drugs.
  • Maintain confidentiality and adhere to strict HIPAA guidelines.
  • Fill medication in Pyxis machines on each individual floor
  • Show more

Certified pharmacist technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage return authorizations of expire and damage drugs to send back to vendor or Walgreens distribution center.
  • Secure and manage PYXIS systems during facility emergencies.
  • Manage assigned pharmacy workstations and tasks while supporting team members in promptly, safely and accurately filling patient prescriptions.
  • Experience in patient intake, data entry, dosage calculations, Rx clarification, billing, adjudicate claims, and dispensing.
  • Fill prescriptions under guidance a register pharmacist using intercom.
  • Fill PYXIS machines on every floor of the hospital in a timely and accurate manner
  • Show more

Pharmacist technician trainee vs certified pharmacist technician skills

Common pharmacist technician trainee skills
  • Patients, 31%
  • HIPAA, 6%
  • Phone Calls, 6%
  • Quality Customer Service, 5%
  • Math, 5%
  • Compassion, 4%
Common certified pharmacist technician skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • Direct Supervision, 10%
  • Math, 8%
  • Telephone Calls, 7%
  • Inventory Control, 4%
  • RX, 4%

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