e-Profile Login and ID Quick Search
Vermont News: Pharmacy Technician and Intern Registrations
Published in the September 2009 Vermont Board of Pharmacy Newsletter
Since 2003, Vermont law has required that all pharmacy technicians in Vermont be registered with the Board of Pharmacy. By definition, “a ‘pharmacy technician’ is an individual who performs tasks relative to dispensing and only while assisting, and under the supervision and control of, a licensed pharmacist.” The Board considers personnel who perform packaging, pharmaceutical ordering, shelf stocking, computer data entry, or other nondiscretionary tasks within the prescription department to be technicians. Billing, delivery, and cashier staff do not have to be registered as long as these individuals are not located in the prescription area.
The Board’s goal is to ensure tight access to the prescription department and to allow only necessary personnel to be in the pharmacy. Title 26 V.S.A. §2042 b(f)states: “A pharmacist on duty shall be directly responsible for the conduct of a pharmacy technician.” This includes ensuring that the technician is registered. The pharmacist on duty, the pharmacist manager, and the employer share responsibility to ensure that all personnel working in the prescription department are registered as pharmacy technicians. The Board understands that in some cases, there is an immediate need for a new technician. Under these circumstances, on the first day of work of the technician, fax the technician’s application to the Board immediately and mail the application with the appropriate fee the following day. An online application can be found on the Board’s Web site.
In addition, all pharmacy interns who are working in the state of Vermont must be registered with the Board. Registration is required whether the intern is participating in a school rotation in Vermont or working toward the 500 hours of non-school hours required by the Board.
In summary, anyone who has access to prescription medications on a regular basis, regardless of their duties, must be registered. For example, if you have a clerk or cashier who only checks out customers, but who is located behind the counter in the prescription department, he or she must be registered as a pharmacy technician. This clarification additionally includes persons who have workstations in the pharmacy, package prepared prescriptions, or handle prepared prescriptions in the will-call area (see Title 26 V.S.A. §2042b).
