Pharmacy Aide

Pharmacy Aide is described with 21 tasks that show the work’s tempo, when interruptions occur and what must be documented. The entries are direct, testable and job‑relevant. Each one shows where we found it, and comes with an AI prompt you can copy and use straight away.

21evidenced tasks
21ready prompts
6tools of the trade
31-9095.00O*NET-SOC code
39,530hold this job (US, BLS 2025)
$37,680median pay/yr (US)
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What it pays

Government survey numbers — not estimates, not ads.

Half of all Pharmacy Aides in the U.S. earn more than $37,680 a year — the middle 80% land between $29,820 and $56,010. About 39,530 people in the U.S. do this work. Figures are for the U.S. occupation group “Pharmacy Aides”. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, published 2025.) In India, Service and sales workers earn about ₹15,575 a month on average — around ₹1.9 lakh a year (government PLFS survey via ILOSTAT, occupation-family figure).
$37,680typical pay / year
39,530people in this work
$56,010+top 10% earn
₹1.9 lakha year in India (family avg)
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The work, task by task

These are the real jobs-to-be-done, not a wish list. Each task shows where we found it, and the prompt underneath is written for that exact task.

Keeping the record4

Operate cash register

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Ring up Frank Thompson's prescription refill, verify his insurance and co-pay, accept payment, print and…
Ring up Frank Thompson's prescription refill, verify his insurance and co-pay, accept payment, print and attach the receipt, and tell him the pickup time while offering to count out his tablets at the counter if he wants verification.
The tools that do the workCash registerESCOjob descriptionsO*NET

Manage stock

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Check pharmacy shelves for low stock, count insulin and common antihypertensives, update the inventory sheet,…
Check pharmacy shelves for low stock, count insulin and common antihypertensives, update the inventory sheet, place orders for items below par level with the supplier, and move soon-to-expire lots to the front for rotation.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelESCOjob descriptions

Perform general duties

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Stock the dispensary shelves, check expiry dates, reconcile the till against today's prescriptions, restock…
Stock the dispensary shelves, check expiry dates, reconcile the till against today's prescriptions, restock labels and counselling leaflets, and flag any insurance claim issues to the pharmacist before close of shift.
The tools that do the workCash registerESCOjob descriptions

Greet patients/customers

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Stand at the pharmacy entrance, welcome each patient by name when possible, ask whether they need a…
Stand at the pharmacy entrance, welcome each patient by name when possible, ask whether they need a prescription pickup or consultation, note language preferences, and direct urgent clinical questions to the pharmacist.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsjob descriptionsO*NET
The daily work17

Update patient files

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Update patient files for today’s morning shift: verify each patient’s contact, insurance and allergy entries…
Update patient files for today’s morning shift: verify each patient’s contact, insurance and allergy entries against the paper intake forms, correct any discrepancies, add missing immunisation dates, and flag unclear records for the pharmacist to review before 4pm.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsjob descriptions

Clean pharmacy area

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Clean the pharmacy area after the noon rush: wipe counters and shelves, dispose of expired samples into the…
Clean the pharmacy area after the noon rush: wipe counters and shelves, dispose of expired samples into the hazardous waste box, restock hand sanitiser and labelled prescription trays, and leave the dispensary tidy for the 3pm pharmacist check.
The tools that do the workCash registerjob descriptions

Move items/materials around

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Move stock to reshelf: collect the three boxes from the back storage, check expiry dates as you transfer,…
Move stock to reshelf: collect the three boxes from the back storage, check expiry dates as you transfer, rotate stock so earliest expiry is front, refill the OTC shelf and place heavy items on lower racks by 2pm.
The tools that do the workCash registerjob descriptions

Interact with healthcare users

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Speak with patients at the counter: greet them, confirm their name and DOB, explain wait times for…
Speak with patients at the counter: greet them, confirm their name and DOB, explain wait times for prescriptions, answer simple medication questions within scope, and escalate clinical queries or insurance disputes to the pharmacist or billing lead.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsESCOsee the evidence ↗

Prepare prescription labels by typing or operating a computer and printer.

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Prepare accurate prescription labels for Joan Marshall, 30 tablets of metformin 500 mg, verifying patient…
Prepare accurate prescription labels for Joan Marshall, 30 tablets of metformin 500 mg, verifying patient name and prescription number, include dosage instructions and pharmacy phone, print two copies and set them with the filled vial for pharmacist review.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsO*NET

Restock storage areas, replenishing items on shelves.

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Restock aisle B shelves with commonly dispensed oral meds today, replace expired stock, rotate older bottles…
Restock aisle B shelves with commonly dispensed oral meds today, replace expired stock, rotate older bottles to front, update inventory bin counts on the shelf list, and leave a note for Sarah if any fast-moving SKU is low.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft ExcelO*NET

Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.

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Wipe down the counting tray, clean the capsule sorter, sanitize the prep counter with hospital-grade…
Wipe down the counting tray, clean the capsule sorter, sanitize the prep counter with hospital-grade disinfectant, remove empty boxes from the workbench, and log the cleaning in the daily maintenance sheet.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft WordO*NET

Compound, package, and label pharmaceutical products, under direction of pharmacist.

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Follow the pharmacist's formulation: compound 1 L oral suspension of amoxicillin 125 mg/5 mL, measure…
Follow the pharmacist's formulation: compound 1 L oral suspension of amoxicillin 125 mg/5 mL, measure ingredients, mix in sterile bottle, affix batch label with lot, expiry, initials, and place for pharmacist final check.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsO*NET

Process medical insurance claims, posting bill amounts and calculating copayments.

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Enter Mrs. Nguyen's claim details, post billed amount of 42.50, calculate her insurance copay and the patient…
Enter Mrs. Nguyen's claim details, post billed amount of 42.50, calculate her insurance copay and the patient responsibility, print the receipt, explain the breakdown in simple terms, and mark the transaction complete.
The tools that do the workCash registerO*NET

Deliver medication to treatment areas, living units, residences, or clinics, using various means of transportation.

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Deliver scheduled meds to Ward 4B and to Sunnyvale Home at 14:00, verify recipient name and med list, use…
Deliver scheduled meds to Ward 4B and to Sunnyvale Home at 14:00, verify recipient name and med list, use locked transport bin, record time and signature on delivery log, and return unused meds to pharmacy.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft OutlookO*NET

Reorder medications

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Check current par levels for metformin, lisinopril, and insulin vials, compare to last three weeks' usage,…
Check current par levels for metformin, lisinopril, and insulin vials, compare to last three weeks' usage, create a reorder list for Supplier HealthDirect with quantities to cover four weeks, and flag urgent shortfalls for pharmacist approval today.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Exceljob descriptions

Answer phones

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Answer incoming calls, triage between prescription queries, insurance questions, and urgent refill requests,…
Answer incoming calls, triage between prescription queries, insurance questions, and urgent refill requests, take caller name, DOB and phone, place urgent refill and pharmacist callbacks on the urgent queue, and log non-urgent messages for next shift.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Outlookjob descriptions

Handle transactions

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Process the customer's purchase: verify prescription and insurance details, calculate co-pay, accept payment,…
Process the customer's purchase: verify prescription and insurance details, calculate co-pay, accept payment, print and staple the receipt to the prescription file, and note any claim denials for the pharmacist to follow up.
The tools that do the workCash registerjob descriptions

Schedule appointments

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Schedule follow-up immunization and medication review appointments for Mr. Ahmed, offering Tuesday or…
Schedule follow-up immunization and medication review appointments for Mr. Ahmed, offering Tuesday or Thursday afternoons, record chosen slot and contact details, and send an appointment confirmation to his phone today.
The tools that do the workElectronic health recordsjob descriptions

Record drug deliveries

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Receive the delivery of oxybutynin and amoxicillin, check boxes against the delivery note, note lot numbers…
Receive the delivery of oxybutynin and amoxicillin, check boxes against the delivery note, note lot numbers and expiry dates, update the receiving log and mark any discrepancies for the pharmacist to inspect before shelving.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Wordjob descriptions

Stock shelves

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Restock shelves starting with high-demand OTC analgesics and inhalers, rotate stock by expiry so oldest is…
Restock shelves starting with high-demand OTC analgesics and inhalers, rotate stock by expiry so oldest is front-facing, update shelf labels with quantities, and report low-stock items to the reorder list before end of shift.
The tools that do the workMicrosoft Officejob descriptions

Cash register

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verify today's prescription sales against the pickup list, update the cash register with each completed…
verify today's prescription sales against the pickup list, update the cash register with each completed transaction and patient initials, note returned or voided items, and leave a written handover for pharmacist Luis.
The tools that do the workCash registerO*NET

Says who?

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The logs, files & records this job keeps

Shared with other careers — the same record means something different in each.

Related careers

Same family of work — each with its own tasks and prompts.

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Built on public evidence: O*NET®, ESCO, Wikipedia, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, ILOSTAT. All sources & licenses