Pharmacy Technician Certification: A Brief History

There are over 415,000 pharmacy technicians working in the United States, and technicians are integral to the workflow in all sectors of pharmacy. Though vital, the role of the pharmacy technician is relatively new, first developing in the 1950s in hospital pharmacies. Since that time, the role has continued to evolve and now pharmacy technicians are instrumental in the care of patients and the provision of professional pharmacy services. This educational program will examine the history of pharmacy technician regulation and certification and explore options for technicians desiring to earn national certification.