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Test your interest in medicine by learning about what keeps the human body running. Choose one of these topics from Khan Academy to learn more and watch videos about how the systems in your body work.

Learn about the major organ systems of the body.

Empathy is an integral part of our human nature. It is a skill ingrained in us, but it can also be learned and improved upon. Explore ways to develop your empathy and be more successful in life.

Watch a TED Talk about empathy.

Pharmacists fill prescriptions but a lot happens before those medications get prescribed. Watch this playlist, specially curated by TED staff, and get a deeper understanding of drugs and vaccines.

Get a deeper understanding of medications.

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Pharmacy Technicians

Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Actively looking for ways to help people.

Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Health Practitioner Support Technologists and Technicians

Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

Health Technologists and Technicians

Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.

Enter prescription information into computer databases.

Establish or maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients.

Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.

Receive and store incoming supplies, verify quantities against invoices, check for outdated medications in current inventory, and inform supervisors of stock needs and shortages.

Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.

Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items, or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information.

Operate cash registers to accept payment from customers.

Price and file prescriptions that have been filled.

Mix pharmaceutical preparations, according to written prescriptions.

Medical condition coding software

MEDITECH software

Patient record maintenance software

Pharmaceutical software

Microsoft PowerPoint

Database software

Drug compatibility software

Microsoft Excel

Label-making software

Microsoft Outlook

Billing and reimbursement software

Pharmacy management software

Microsoft Office software

Microsoft Word

Equal-arm balances

Single-beam balances

Torsion balances

Unequal-arm balances

Automatic bottle filling machines

Computer-based dispensing equipment

Semiautomatic sterile solution transferring devices

Benchtop colloid mills

Colloid mills

Grinding and shearing colloid mills

Automatic unit dose strip packaging machines

Tube filling and crimping machines

Electronic signature capture equipment

Blending/agitating machines

Total parenteral nutrition TPN compounders

Intravenous IV infusion pumps

Petri dishes

Bunsen burners

Agar slides

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Extremely important

How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?

Every day

How often does this job require working indoors in an environmentally controlled environment (like a warehouse with air conditioning)?

How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?

Constant contact with others

How frequently does your job require you to use E-mail?

Once a week or more but not every day

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Once a month or more but not every week

Continually or almost continually

More than half the time

About half the time

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

Very important

How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?

Important

How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?

Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People

Pharmacy Technicians

Overview

Career

What Pharmacy Technicians Do

Other Job Titles Pharmacy Technicians May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Pharmacy Technicians

Overview

Career

What Pharmacy Technicians Do

Other Job Titles Pharmacy Technicians May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Pharmacy Technicians

Majors Related to Career

Related Leaders