Self-study is easier with a book about the profession. The book I refer to is Mosby's Review for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination. This book covers all of the subjects on the PTCB exam, and there are similar books available that also cover the necessary topics. Another helpful book is the Merck Manual, useful as a reference for diseases, symptoms and treatments.
One important skill is measuring fluids. A pharmacy technician needs to know the conversions between common liquid measurements such as fluid ounces, tablespoons and teaspoons into metric measurements such as liters and milliliters. Try it out with glassware in your kitchen if you need practice visualizing the conversions.
A pharmacy technician needs to know about drug laws. Dispensing drugs requires reports sent to the DEA, and you must know how to fill out the forms. You also need to know who is licensed to prescribe a medication, and who is allowed to dispense it and under what conditions. Drug delivery methods are necessary to know, as well as disposal of expired medicines.
Pharmacy technicians must know the chemicals present in a brand of medication. Many medications contain a mixture of several drugs, and the technician should also know the common concentrations. Compounding chemicals in the pharmacy into a combined medication should also be studied.
Technicians must also know how to read medical abbreviations. Are you familiar with terms that explain how many times a day a drug is given, and what method is used to administer it? You will also have to estimate the total doses available in a supply of medication.
Be familiar with disease descriptions, their symptoms and typical medications. If a prescription appears wrong you have a responsibility to check with the pharmacist. You must also be aware of harmful drug interactions. Be aware that patients may lie about their conditions to obtain recreational drugs, and you should also study methods of detecting forged prescriptions and methods of verifying a prescription.
Many professional organizations exist to train pharmacy technicians. The PTCB certifies pharmacy technicians, tracks registration and offers additional articles about the profession. The California State Board of Pharmacy manages licensing for California pharmacists and technicians. Each state has its own board, and there are links to the state boards on the PTCB site.