Pharmacy Aides

Career Overview

Record drugs delivered to the pharmacy, store incoming merchandise, and inform the supervisor of stock needs. May operate cash register and accept prescriptions for filling.

Also Known As

• Certified Pharmacist Assistant
• Pharmacy Aide
• Pharmacy Assistant
• Pharmacy Clerk

Alternate Job Titles

• Certified Pharmacist Assistant
• Dispensary Attendant
• Drug Clerk
• Drug Purchaser
• Front Counter Clerk
• Pharmaceutical Assistant
• Pharmacist Aide
• Pharmacist Assistant
• Pharmacist Helper
• Pharmacist's Aide
• Pharmacy Administrator (Pharmacy Admin)
• Pharmacy Aide
• Pharmacy Ancillary
• Pharmacy Assistant
• Pharmacy Cashier

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Greet customers and help them locate merchandise.
• Accept prescriptions for filling, gathering and processing necessary information.
• Operate cash register to process cash or credit sales.
• Answer telephone inquiries, referring callers to pharmacist when necessary.
• Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-of-date medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.
• Unpack, sort, count, and label incoming merchandise, including items requiring special handling or refrigeration.
• Restock storage areas, replenishing items on shelves.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Customer and Personal Service

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Comprehension
• Oral Expression
• Speech Clarity
• Near Vision
• Speech Recognition
• Written Comprehension
• Problem Sensitivity
• Information Ordering
• Written Expression
• Deductive Reasoning

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Dependability
• Attention to Detail
• Integrity
• Cautiousness
• Cooperation

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Relationships
• Support
• Independence
• Achievement
• Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

On-the-Job Training: Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Office software
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Windows
• Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

• Automatic unit dose strip packaging machines
• Capsule counting machines
• Cash registers
• Credit card processing machines
• Desktop computers
• HEPA filtered biosafety cabinets
• Label printing machines
• Laboratory blending or mixing equipment
• Laminar flow hoods
• Laser printers
• Liquid dose packaging machines
• Multi-line telephone systems
• Personal computers
• Solid unit dose packaging machines
• Tablet counting machines

Work Environment

• Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
• Telephone Conversations
• Spend Time Standing
• Contact With Others
• Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$29,360
Median	$37,000
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$58,660

Workers Employed Nationally: 41,100

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.