Description of Position Ads for Pharmacy Technicians

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Workforce Analysis
• Healthcare Professional Roles
• Job Market Trends

Background:

• The role of pharmacy technicians is expanding with pharmacist responsibilities.
• A lack of standardized definitions exists for pharmacy technician roles.
• Understanding current expectations is crucial for workforce development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify common duties and qualifications for pharmacy technicians in the US.
• To analyze patterns in pharmacy technician job advertisements.
• To describe the evolving expectations for pharmacy technicians.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 14 days of pharmacy technician job listings from Pharmacy Week (2018).
• Data extraction included job title, location, setting, type, duties, and requirements.
• Job duties and requirements were systematically coded by themes.

Main Results:

• 21,007 job listings were analyzed, predominantly full-time (96.4%) and in retail settings (96.78%).
• Key requirements included State Board registration, high school diploma, task performance, communication, and physical abilities.
• Common duties involved general office tasks, supervised work under a pharmacist, and professionalism.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacy technician roles exhibit significant variation in required qualifications and performed duties.
• The findings highlight the dynamic and evolving nature of the pharmacy technician profession.
• This study provides a snapshot of current expectations for pharmacy technician applicants and hired professionals.