By Erin Michael, MBA, MS, CPhT, PCCA Director of Member Engagement

This is the fourth article in a series that explores career opportunities for the pharmacy technicians of today. In the first article, I discussed how technician roles have changed over time. For the second article, I interviewed Jennifer Petska of the Alliance for Pharmacy Compounding to get her take on technicians now and in the future. I interviewed Liza Chapman of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board for the third article to get her insights as well. This one features Mike Johnston of the National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA), whom I also talked to for my first article. Here, he echoes what he shared with me previously: He has seen the role of pharmacy technicians evolve significantly over the years, and as a result, we are seeing it become more advanced and career oriented. I hope you enjoy the interview!

Mike Johnston, CPhT, pictured above, is the CEO of NPTA.

How did you get started in the pharmacy field?

I got my start in the mid-1990s in a retail pharmacy at a time when there were no real regulations or training programs for technicians. It was all on-the-job training. I obtained my Pharmacy Technician Certification Board CPhT certification in 1997 and went on to start NPTA in 1999.

Also on The PCCA Blog: Professional Opportunities for the Pharmacy Technician of Today

How have you seen the role of the pharmacy technician evolve over the years?

The role of the pharmacy technician has evolved immensely over the past 25 years, coinciding with the evolution of the role of pharmacists. Now that we have more regulations, national certification, and generally accepted education and training requirements, we have seen pharmacy technicians be able to take on more of the administrative and dispensing functions while pharmacists have been able to move more into clinical roles.

If you had a crystal ball, what would the role of the pharmacy technician look like in 10 years?

While I don’t try to speculate too much, I feel confident that in 10 years, the role of the pharmacy technician will be even more advanced to support the advancing role of pharmacists.

Also on The PCCA Blog: The Evolving Role of Pharmacy Technicians: An Interview With Jennifer Petska of APC

What advice would you give someone who is a new pharmacy technician or thinking about becoming one?

There has never been greater demand or opportunities for pharmacy technicians, and the opportunities extend well beyond traditional retail and hospital pharmacy.

What advice would you give experienced technicians about advancing their careers?

The best advice I could give experienced technicians about advancing their careers is to never stop learning, growing and networking. There are exciting opportunities for those who are willing to invest in themselves and their careers.

Also on The PCCA Blog: The Evolving Role of Pharmacy Technicians: An Interview With Liza Chapman of PTCB

Erin Michael, MBA, MS, CPhT, PCCA Director of Member Engagement, joined the PCCA staff in July 2006. She has been working in pharmacy for more than 25 years, of which 23 have been in compounding and promoting the practice of pharmacy. She holds an MBA in health care administration and an MS in hospitality management. She was recognized as PCCA Technician of the Month in August 1999 and California Pharmacists Association Technician of the Year in 2003.

A version of this article originally appeared in PCCA’s members-only magazine, the Apothagram.