One good thing about a career as a pharmacy technician is that there are a few different career paths you can take that offer completely different work environments. Often, I have heard that hospital pharmacy is considered more professional and better than retail pharmacy, but there are several reasons why working in retail pharmacy has many advantages and could be a rewarding career for some pharmacy technicians.
You are a valued part of a team
In the best retail pharmacies, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work together, side-by-side, to accomplish the pharmacy workflow. There is a team camaraderie that I have not experienced in other workplaces, that is like being the crew of a ship. Everyone has an important role to play, and you really appreciate the hard work of your co-workers. You witness and learn from the patience, professionalism, and customer service skills of your work mates every day (if you don’t, find a new workplace). Your hard work does not go unnoticed, and your absence is felt if you are gone. Some people do not like that pressure, but it is good to know that your work is valued and respected.
You are part of your community
Working in a pharmacy, you have a good chance of meeting most of the people that live in your community at some point. Illnesses do not discriminate, and people from every socio-economic class, age and ethnicity use their community pharmacy. From toddlers getting antibiotics to hospice patients getting end-of-life care drugs, you will serve them all. You get to know regular patients who pick up their medications on a monthly or weekly basis, and you develop a friendly rapport with many of them. You will be thanked for your service on occasion, which can be very humbling, and can reaffirm your choice to work in retail pharmacy.
You are continually learning
Working in retail pharmacy, you are at the forefront of new medications and trends, and gain knowledge and awareness of current news and public health issues. As with hospital pharmacy, you are required to complete CE’s (continuing education credits) to renew your pharmacy tech license but working directly with the public you tend to hear about new drugs, outbreaks and vaccines as soon as or even before the information is available to the public. You learn from first-hand accounts of people who tell you that a medication has been life-changing for them (Eliquis, Thermotabs), or that they had a bad reaction to a different medication. You know of new recommendations for vaccines from the CDC and can make informed decisions about what you want for you and your family. You gain knowledge from listening to the pharmacist council patients on the same medications over and over again. It is never boring, and there is always an opportunity to learn something new every day.
You provide a necessary service
It is true that working in retail pharmacy is one of the most high-stress retail environments, and demands a high level of customer service, but you can be part of the solution as a retail pharmacy tech. The work you do is important, and if you ever doubt that, consider that it is an essential service for people in the community. A patient might just be coming home from surgery and need pain medication, or antibiotics for an infection. Someone’s loved one might have cancer and they need anti-nausea medication to feel better. You might be suffering from a mental health issue and getting proper treatment helps you function better in life. At times when other businesses close due to wildfires, holidays and other natural disasters, pharmacies try their best to keep their doors open to ultimately help people.
You can live and work anywhere
Whether you want to live in a city or a small town, you can find a job as a retail pharmacy technician. The current demand for experienced and certified pharmacy technicians is high, and chances are, you can choose where you want to live and find a job as a pharmacy technician there. As bleak as the pharmacy industry has been in the last few years with staffing shortages, bankruptcies and retail pharmacy closures, the future of pharmacy is promising as the pharmacy industry evolves. There are still independent pharmacies across the country that are profitable and stable and will serve their communities for years to come. If you want to travel, you can be a travelling pharmacy technician. Achieving national certification allows you to work anywhere in the country, but you must also be licensed by the state board of pharmacy as well if your state requires it.
Working in retail pharmacy is hard, and it’s common to question your career choice at times, but if you know why you are making that choice it can be a great decision. Whether you are a hospital, home-infusion, retail or insurance pharmacy technician, one path is not better than any other, they are just very different. If you like people and want to be a valued part of a team and your community, being a retail pharmacy technician could be the right lifestyle and choice for you.