Pharmacists used to fill prescriptions by preparing and dispensing doctor-specified pills, creams, and liquids, by hand. Today, most medications are manufactured by drug companies and shipped in bulk to pharmacies. As a result, pharmacists are able to focus more on providing clinical services. But someone must still measure the doses, count out the pills, and type up instructions for the patient. Increasingly, this is the role of the pharmacy technician. “Pharmacy techs” always work under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. And given the power of today’s drugs they must be extremely detail-oriented, accurate, and precision-minded. This is not a profession that tolerates mistakes and slip-ups. After all, with each prescription, someone’s life may be at stake! You’ll need a high school diploma and pharmacy tech certification from a community college, vo-tech school, or other institution. The aging “Baby Boomer” population will guarantee the need for pharmacy technicians for many years to come.