New Mexico Pharmacy Technician

In New Mexico, pharmacy technicians are taken very seriously. In fact, you are required by the Regulation and Licensing Department of New Mexico to study in one of certified New Mexico pharmacy technician schools and pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) in New Mexico.

What does a New Mexico pharmacy technician do? He or she is a pharmacy staff member who will perform many pharmacy-related functions, but under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. In a state with such diverse culture, pharmacy technicians in New Mexico should not only be skilled in pharmaceuticals, but also in the unique brand of Spanish often spoken in the state.

New Mexico pharmacy technician duties include routine tasks related to preparing prescribed medication and giving said drugs to patients. They may also do verbal prescriptions and doctor calls, compounding of medications, returns and expired credits, expense and medication orders, and non-licensed pharmacy management. However, licensed pharmacist will check all medications before it reaches the patient. A pharmacist can assist and advise patients on the proper use of medications, while a New Mexico pharmacy technician can not.

Other things that New Mexico pharmacy technicians need to do can differ. Most often, they manage assistants or do the pharmacy aide work, such as answering phone calls, stocking shelves, handling money, doing computer data entry, and other odd jobs. In a hospital however, the aforementioned jobs will be the responsibility of a pharmacy assistant while the New Mexico pharmacy technician will have higher roles of responsibility.

New Mexico pharmacy technicians can work in various locations. In a 2002 report by the United States Department of Labor, about two-thirds of pharmacy technicians in the country worked in retail pharmacies, regardless of being part of a drugstore, grocery store, mass retailer chain, or independently owned. An additional 22% of New Mexico pharmacy technician jobs were in hospitals, whereas another portion worked in Internet pharmacies, mail-order pharmacies, pharmaceutical wholesalers, clinics, and for the Federal Government.

Certified New Mexico pharmacy technicians are skilled workers in the field of allied health, hence being taken seriously and gaining the respect they receive as mentioned. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technicians in New Mexico and the rest of the country earn salaries near to those in other entry-level allied health positions, like physical therapist assistants, surgical techs, and LPNs.

Learn more about pharmacy technician education and courses by requesting free information from any of the recommended New Mexico pharmacy technician schools listed to the right!