Pre-Health
PHAP Perspective: What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do?
Written by Chris Popovics '26, Pre-Med
Starting as a pharmacy technician during the COVID-19 pandemic, I had the opportunity to really see the importance of what technicians do in terms of taking care of people. Working at CVS, a place where many people came to get their vaccines, seeing a face of concern and fear turn into a face of relief and assurance, when they received their vaccination, was a very rewarding feeling. Every time I got to help someone, whether it was filling their prescription, figuring out how to navigate their insurance, or explaining their medication, I felt a sense of fulfillment knowing that I could help someone in a positive manner in terms of taking care of their health.
Pharmacy technicians help keep the pharmacy running smoothly by helping the pharmacists in a variety of capacities, especially in terms of talking to customers. Working in this role, a pharmacy technician is the first person a customer comes into contact with, and it is up to them to ensure that this customer has a smooth and satisfactory experience. Pharmacy technicians have a lot of responsibility because they are the ones that fill medications, so they have to make sure that they get the right medication with the correct dosage, that the medication is not expired, and that they dispense the correct amount/quantity of the specific medication. Seeing the same patients over multiple visits, pharmacy technicians develop a unique relationship with their customers because the customers feel a sense of care when they are dealing with the pharmacy technicians. Knowing that they can rely on their pharmacy technicians to ensure that the medications they are giving them are correct and beneficial to them is a trust that often is overlooked.
One of my most memorable experiences as a pharmacy technician was during the peak of the pandemic and occurred with a customer I had helped. Wearing scrubs on my walk to the pharmacy, I was stopped by a couple who had stopped by the pharmacy a few days prior. They told me how relieved they were to have received the vaccination because their job did not allow them to take off from work and they were high-risk. Seeing how thankful they were made me feel a sense of pride working during the pandemic in a healthcare capacity, and I was reminded of the tangible difference that I was making in the lives of many during a frightening time. Since this first time, there have been many other instances where customers have expressed gratitude for the work that the pharmacy does in taking care of them and their families.
I believe that the pharmacy is a great way to get involved in a healthcare capacity, while simultaneously learning about laws and regulations in terms of insurance and medications. Not only do you learn how to take care of people in a healthcare setting, but you also learn the importance of many common medications that many people you know probably use. With this knowledge, you can become familiar with how these medications affect people, especially those close to you, and you can use this to help out in ways that you once could not have before. If this profession, which counts as clinical experience for pre-health fields, interests you at all, I encourage you to reach out to your local pharmacies to see if there are opportunities for you to get involved and jumpstart your career!