Difference Between Pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician And Pharmaceutical Technologist

Pharmacist

Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians work closely together. They both focus on delivery of medication and advice to patients on medication use. They are right and left hand to each other. They have their individual roles but work together.

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In some countries, pharmacy technicians are also called pharmaceutical technologists. Their job description looks the same. However, there seems to be variation in their education qualification.

Difference Between Pharmacist, Pharmacy Technician And Pharmaceutical Technologist

Pharmacists spend more years in school (5-6 years). They acquire their degree in the university. They are either awarded a bachelor of pharmacy (B Pharm) or doctor of pharmacy (Pharm D) degree.

Pharmacy technicians in Nigeria spend about three years in school to get their certificate. They go to school or college of health to get an ordinary national diploma (OND). Their curriculum covers just the basics. However, some countries don't have a formal school for pharmacy technicians. Just get some specified years of training in an approved pharmaceutical establishment and you are good to go. There may be a national examination for all who think they are now pharmacy technicians.

Pharmaceutical technologists are sometimes interchangeable with pharmacy technicians. But when it is different, they school in polytechnic and get an OND and higher national diploma (HND) certificate. In Nigeria, they are doing their best to copy the pharmacy curriculum. But the founders wanted to build technologists that can work with pharmacists in the industry.

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From the above, it is clear that a pharmacist knows everything a pharmacy technician and pharmaceutical technologist knows and many more. Pharmacy technician and pharmaceutical technologist assist the pharmacist in the day to day activities of pharmacists in all areas of practice. They include the day to day handling of prescription, private patient file, insurance clearance and record keeping in hospital and community pharmacy. In the industry, they assist in the production process like mixing, blending, weighing, etc.