Walmart Pharmacy Technician: Everything You Need To Know in 2024!

Pharmacy technicians are medical practitioners who are specialists in management of drugs. They are tasked with prescribing medications, taking patient medication history, recommending treatments for patients, helping with refills, and drug reconstitution. In this post, you will learn about what it takes to be a Walmart pharmacy technician. Keep reading to find out….

Walmart Pharmacy Technicians are responsible for providing medication and related healthcare services to customers. They play a vital role in the success of Walmart's pharmacy department and the profitability of the store in general.

If you are considering working as a pharmacy technician at Walmart, this article has summarized everything that you may need to know about the work environment, qualifications, roles and responsibilities, compensations, among other specifics.

Table Of Contents

What Does a Walmart Pharmacy Technician Do?

A Walmart pharmacy technician prepares prescriptions for patients and helps the pharmacist ensure they have been filled accurately and on time. The technician also and performs clerical duties within the pharmacy.

Below is a detailed description of the specific duties of a Walmart pharmacy technician:

Fill prescriptions as directed by the pharmacist and per company policies
Accurately label prescriptions, remove old labels from prescription bottles, put new labels on bottles, and fill prescriptions for the pharmacist to review.
Enter information about prescription orders into computer systems
Ensure that proper patient identification is obtained before handing over medications
Take patient history with regard to taking pills.
Answer questions from customers about their medications, including side effects, adverse drug reactions, and precautions to be taken while taking their medications.
Stock shelves with medications, clean work areas, maintain equipment such as pill counters, etc.

How Much Is a Walmart Pharmacy Technician Paid?

The salary for a Walmart pharmacy technician varies depending on the individual's level of experience and expertise. Even so, on average, a Walmart pharmacy technician gets an hourly pay ranging between $9 - $15 and $12 on average.

It’s important to mention that the pay rate varies depending on the US state the store is based. For example, Walmart pharmacy technicians who work in California make approximately $14 an hour.

What Do the Requirements for One To Become a Pharmacy Technician at Walmart?

To become a pharmacy technician at Walmart, one has to meet some set requirements. They include, but are not limited to:

Education: To become a pharmacy technician at Walmart, you'll need to have a minimum of a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) test certificate. Different states may have additional education requirements besides the above-mentioned.
Certification and Licenses: Some states have laws that require certification for pharmacy technicians. You will need to be certified to work as a pharmacy tech in those states. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is the main certifying body in the United States. The body administers tests and issues licenses to qualified pharmacy techs and pharmacists.
Training and experience: Once you've completed your education and obtained your certification (if required by your state), you'll still need some on-the-job training before working as a pharmacy tech at Walmart. The company usually trains and compensates its new pharmacy technician recruits.

How Long Does It Take To Become a Walmart Pharmacy Tech?

Usually, it takes about 3-6 months to become a Walmart pharmacy technician. During that duration, you are supposed to have completed your training coursework and met all the state’s legal and academic requirements.

In addition, you should have also completed the minimum number of hours required for the on-the-job training. The faster your speed at meeting all these minimum requirements, the faster you’ll be ready to start your role as a Walmart pharmacy technician.

Also remember that you will be required to have at least a high school diploma or equivalent and a Pharmacy Technician Certification (CPhT). Some states may also require that you pass an exam or receive certification from an accredited organization.

Last but not least, you must be 18 years old to work as a pharmacy tech at Walmart. That’s right. Walmart has a policy against child labor and will never employ anyone younger than 18 years.

Walmart Pharmacy Technician – Is It a Good Job?

Walmart pharmacy technician is a great job. Besides the good pay that also comes with other allowances, you also get a chance to advance your skills on the job. And did I mention that they pay for your training? Oh, yes they do. So you are trained, and on top of that, you get paid.

Once you get to the job, your salary will also include allowances. The work environment is awesome, to say the least. You will certainly love it. And one last thing, the job isn’t very tedious except once in a while when you have to deal with an influx of clients.

What Skill Sets Do You Need To Become a Pharmacy Tech at Walmart?

Working as a pharmacy technician at Walmart can be a rewarding experience. Since you'll be interacting with patients daily and working closely with pharmacists, it's essential to have the right skill set for the job. Here are a few skills you'll need:

Good communication skills: You'll be talking to patients, pharmacists, and other technicians, so it's essential that one be able to communicate effectively. You should be able to convey information in no uncertain terms.
Attention to detail: Pharmacy technicians are responsible for making sure prescriptions are filled correctly, so being detail-oriented is vital for this job. It's essential that you're able to double-check your work and pay attention to small details to reduce the chance of mistakes being made.
Basic computer skills: You will be required to store, retrieve and even share data about patients and drugs using computer programs. As such, you need to be equipped with some computer skills.
Time management: You'll need to work well with deadlines and structure your time to get all of your work done in the allotted time. You will be required to report to work, change shifts, prepare reports, and even reconstitute formulations within specific time frames.
Active listening: This is important whether you're talking on the phone to a customer or working with your team. Please focus on what the other person is saying and understand the message they're trying to convey.
Customer service skill: Pharmacy techs spend their days talking to patients and assisting pharmacists. Their roles in the Walmart pharmacy involve talking to patients (the customers) and guiding and advising them where necessary with regards to taking their medications. Among other customer service skills, you’ll need to be friendly, patient, and professional in your interactions with customers.
Trustworthiness: At Walmart pharmacy, you will be recommending medications and advising patients how to take their medications, among other roles. In the course of all these, the customer needs to trust that you have their best interests at heart.
Teamwork skills: In the Walmart pharmacy, you will be working together with other medical professionals such as pharmacists, other pharmacy technicians, nurses, and doctors, among others. Teamwork is of the essence in order to deliver quality service to customers.
Confidentiality skills: In the course of your interactions with customers, you will have access to very sensitive info such as a person’s age, and health conditions, among other details. Such info must remain confidential.
Problem-solving skills: You will be required to crack some problems e.g. regarding best treatment options, understanding drug interactions, and helping pharmacists with drug reconstitutions, and many other somewhat complicated tasks.

What’s the Work Environment Like for a Pharmacy Technician at Walmart?

The pharmacy technician position is challenging and requires years of training and experience. A typical workday starts at 7 a.m., when the front desk opens, helping customers with their medications and filling their prescriptions.

They'll work until 3 p.m. when they close the pharmacy to clean it out before opening again for a second shift at 7 p.m. In brief, the work environment for a pharmacy technician at Walmart is awesome and very professional.

You will get all the assistance and cooperation you need to thrive in your career.

Conclusion

Are you considering working as a pharmacy technician at Walmart? Well, there you have it; everything that you may want to know with regard to the nature of the job, the work environment, the salary, qualifications, necessary skill sets, and a host of other relevant details.

In a nutshell, working as a pharmacy technician at Walmart can be very fulfilling as much as it is daunting. However, if you love your job and are very passionate about saving lives, you will have the best time of your career working as a pharmacy technician at Walmart.