Keeping Army pharmacies running smoothly is an incredibly important task. It's up to the pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to handle their operation. Patients and physicians depend on Army pharmacies to fill their prescriptions accurately. As an integral member of the pharmaceutical team, the Pharmacy Specialist, under the direction of a pharmacist, prepares and dispenses prescribed drugs and medicines, while also maintaining pharmacy supplies and records.

The Pharmacy Specialist is primarily responsible for preparing, controlling and issuing pharmaceutical products and supervising pharmacy activities. In addition to assisting a Pharmacy Officer, some of your duties as a Pharmacy Specialist may include:

• Prepare, control and issue pharmaceutical products
• Under close supervision, manually or using a computerized system: receive, interpret, compound, manufacture, fill, label, issue and file prescription, bulk drug, sterile product and/or unit dose orders
• Evaluate orders to verify dosage, dosage regimen and quantity to be dispensed
• Calculate and annotate proper dosage
• Evaluate completed orders to ensure integrity of final product
• Verify patient eligibility for receipt of medication
• Provide instructions to patients regarding medication consumption and side effects
• Perform quality control checks on medications
• Issue medication to patients, wards, clinics and other using agencies

Job training for a Pharmacy Specialist requires nine weeks of Basic Training, where you'll learn basic Soldiering skills, and 19 weeks of Advanced Individual Training, including practice in pharmaceutical tasks. Some of the skills you'll learn are:

• Pharmacy laws and regulations
• Drug types and uses
• Mixing and dispensing drugs

Helpful attributes include:

• An interest in mathematics, chemistry, biology, physiology and anatomy
• An ability to work using precise measurements and standards
• An ability to follow strict procedures and directions

Advanced level Pharmacy Specialist provides guidance, supervises and trains other Soldiers within the same discipline. As an advanced level Pharmacy Specialist, you may be involved in:

• Prepare, control and issue pharmaceutical products to include chemotherapeutics
• Evaluate sterile products and orders to include calculations, identification of drug interactions and drug compatibilities
• Maintain pharmacy system database

The skills you learn as a Pharmacy Specialist will help prepare you for a future as a pharmacy helper at pharmacies, drug stores, hospitals or clinics. You'll perform tasks such as storing supplies, cleaning equipment and delivering prescriptions while under the direction of pharmacists.

With additional study and the completion of a written exam, you may qualify for certification as a pharmacy technician.

• Health Care Specialist (68W)
• Medical Laboratory Specialist (68K)
• Operating Room Specialist (68D)
• Preventive Medicine Specialist (68S)
• Radiology Specialist (68P)

Learn more about the relationship between military training and civilian certification requirements.