They are members of the<unk>  workforce trained in the technical aspects of the supply of medicines and medical devices to patients. They may have a high level of expertise and ability to tackle difficult situations. Some<unk> s are experts in their fields; for example, medicines management, clinical trials and aseptically compounding sterile and non-sterile medicines.<unk> s work in a variety of locations (usually in community, retail, and hospital<unk> es), but can also work for long-term care facilities,<unk> utical manufacturers, third-party insurance companies, computer software companies, in government, or in teaching. Job responsibilities often include dispensing prescription drugs and other medical devices to patients and instructing patients on their use. They may also perform administrative duties in<unk> utical practice, such as reviewing prescription requests with doctor's offices and insurance companies to ensure correct medications are provided and payment is received. Additionally,<unk> s handle inventory related tasks such as cycle counts and returning expired and damaged medications back to the manufacturers.<unk> s may take on the role of Compounding Supervisor, overseeing day to day sterile and non-sterile medicines preparation while meeting standards required by regulatory bodies. In recent times,<unk> s also speak directly with the patients on the phone to aid in the awareness of taking medications on time. In many countries, both developed and developing, the relative importance of<unk> s within the<unk>  workforce has been amplified in recent years, largely as a reaction to<unk> st shortages, resulting in an increase in their numbers and responsibilities; alternative medicine,<unk> therapeutics, customer care, retail and hospital software systems, inventory management, and infection control. Practical training, such as completing an internship in a<unk> , is required as part of training for licensing and employment as a<unk> . Many employers favour<unk> s to be certified by a national and/or local<unk>  boards by passing standard written and practical examinations, including paying licensing fees and obtaining liability insurance. In the United States, voluntary certification is available through many private organizations. Elsewhere, such as in Canada, Tanzania and the United Kingdom,<unk> s are required to be registered with a provincial or a national regulatory body or council.
Pharmacy technician
Pharmacist
Biological pharmacist
Clinician
Biomedical scientist
Clinical biologist
Mental health professional
Biomedical equipment technician