The Department of Pharmaceutical Services provides a full range of services for patients cared for by the UCSF Medical Center, as well as its providers and payers. These services include, but are not limited to, drug procurement, storage, and security; safe accurate and timely preparation and distribution of drugs; clinical pharmacy services for patients; Development of drug uses policies within the Medical Center; drug information services for clinicians and patients; and participation in technology assessment and quality assurance programs. The Department encompasses with the Department of Clinical Pharmacy, an academic campus unit within the School of Pharmacy, which has a primary responsibility for teaching professional courses in the PharmD curriculum, research and public service. The Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Services share their philosophy of pharmaceutical care. Under Pharmaceutical Services, the Inpatient Pharmacy, at Parnassus and Mount Zion Sites, provides pharmaceutical care to patients hospitalized at Moffitt, Long and Mount Zion Hospitals and specialized services to researchers on campus.

All Pharmacy Technicians are accountable to the supervising or operating pharmacist who is legally responsible by virtue of state licensure for the care and safety of patients served by Pharmaceutical Services. The Pharmacy Technician II performs all activities related to traditional pharmacy prescription dispensing and medication distribution. They may also participate in the computer entries of medications and prescriptions, including entries of special medications in the patient profile as directed by a pharmacist.