Pharmacy assistants read prescriptions written by doctors, prescription bottles and various medical and pharmaceutical literature. In order to do this, pharmacy assistants must have extensive knowledge of medical and pharmaceutical terminology.Terminology is comprised of three components: word root, suffixes and prefixes. Each of the components is learned separately and then applied to decoding whole terms. Doctors often use shorthand in medical notes and prescriptions and so it is studied as well.
In order to prepare and dispense medication, pharmacy assistants must know how to complete pharmaceutical calculations. There are a handful of formulas specific to pharmaceuticals that must be memorized as well as basic math skills that must be perfected, as there is no room for error. In addition to memorization, solving problems is essential to learning and applying the knowledge. Ratios are also important in making the correct dosage for liquid medications, so time is focused on calculating ratios and converting them appropriately.
As with all health sciences, pharmacy practice is overseen by rules, ethics and laws. In order to uphold these, pharmacy assistants learn about the ethics in pharmacy practice, which are universal. Laws can differ by state so it is important to learn these well. Failure to follow any guidelines or laws can result in harm to the patient and revocation of licensing or even legal action.
Pharmacology is the study of medicine and its action in the body. Pharmacy assistants must be aware of drug and food interactions. Although the pharmacist is the advanced degree-holder who advises patients on these interactions, pharmacy assistants must know this information as well, as they often act as the first line of defense against complications because of interaction with patients. If a pharmacy assistant notices a possible interaction in patient history, she will report it to the pharmacist. In order to study pharmacology, different drugs and drug companies are memorized.