Pharmacy Technician Program

PHARMACY TECHNICIAN DIPLOMA**

As a Pharmacy Technician, you work alongside pharmacists, other healthcare providers and the patient to fulfill health and drug-related needs and optimize safety. You uphold and demonstrate professional standards of practice, codes of ethics and policies, all practiced within the legal requirements of the industry. Some of your duties may include taking prescriptions in person or over the phone, preparing medications, managing inventory systems and ensuring quality patient care by giving clear and professional instructions using medical devices, and interviewing patients to obtain best possible medication history.

In addition, you’re committed to maintaining and enhancing your personal growth, as well as your professional development, and are able to comply with the standards of a pharmacy setting by making evidence-based decisions. You also work as a liaison between the pharmacists and the public, helping set up consultations and recommendations.

*Practicum Experience: You will complete a total of 375 hours

• Retail Community Pharmacy placement (215 hours)
• Hospital Pharmacy placement (160 hours)

**Please note – program content and practicum duration is as per registration with the Ministry and may vary slightly from campus to campus. Not all programs are offered at all campuses. Contact us for more information.

Program Vision Statement: To create an innovative and collaborative learning environment that fosters personal and professional development, appreciation for diversity, mentorship, and critical thinking.

Program Mission: The Mission of the Pharmacy Technician Program is to provide a comprehensive, dynamic education designed to prepare graduates for their role as a Registered Pharmacy Technician.

ACCREDITATION

This program is fully accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs, and learning outcomes meet the entry-to-practice competency requirements of the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities.

As a graduate of this program, you will be eligible to complete the necessary steps to become a regulated pharmacy technician in Ontario. These steps include completing Structured Practical Training (SPTs), the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP) Jurisprudence exam, the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) qualifying exams and obtaining personal professional liability insurance. Regulation is mandatory to work as a pharmacy technician in any pharmacy in Ontario. For more information, visit the OCP’s website and the PEBC’s website.

Is a Career as a Pharmacy Technician Right for You?

Take the “Anderson College Pharmacy Technician Career Discovery Quiz”

This fun, online quiz takes 4 minutes to complete, and you’ll get a personalized report. Determine your strengths, align your passion and interests with a training program and discover the positions best suited to you. Get your Pharmacy Technician Career Discovery Quiz score now!

WHAT TO EXPECT

The Pharmacy Technician program is 59-weeks, including 375 hours of practicum with on-the-job training, which will take place offsite with potential employers. The program includes Retail Community Pharmacy placement (215 hours) & Hospital Pharmacy placement (160 hours)period as well as a well-rounded combination of in-class instructions and rigorous pharmacy practice to ensure you are professionally competent to enter the profession and build a rewarding career. It is a comprehensive program with learning outcomes aligned to the Canadian Pharmacy Technician Educators Association (CPTEA), and the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) competencies.

The program offers hands-on training to gain proficiency in operating and maintaining the pharmacy software “Kroll”, entering prescriptions, printing labels, creating and maintaining a patient’s health profile, proper search techniques, and third-party billing and inventory management. A state-of-the-art, fully equipped pharmacy laboratory provides our students with hands-on experience in dispensing medications and non-sterile and sterile compounding. This program offers extensive training in communications and customer service skills, inter and intra-professional education, problem solving techniques and conflict resolution.

The program will help you enhance your skills by providing you with a comprehensive knowledge base in core subjects such as Pharmacology, Anatomy and Physiology, pharmacy calculations, pharmacy legislation, compounding, and sterile aseptic technique.

With hands-on training in a state-of-the-art simulation lab, you will learn to:

• Read, understand and interpret medication orders
• Prescription data entry using current industry software
• Prepare, package, label, and dispense medications
• Perform sterile and non-sterile compounding
• Interprofessional collaboration, critical thinking and identify problems pertaining to drug therapy

Our Pharmacy Technician program is designed to meet the standards set by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). By the end of the program, students are expected to be able to meet the Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice established by the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) and the Educational Outcomes for Pharmacy Technician Programs in Canada established by Canadian Pharmacy Technician Educators Association (CPTEA).

Graduates of CCAPP-accredited programs meet the education requirement of the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP).

Through a combination of in-class learning, hands-on labs and workshops, and community and hospital practical placements, this diploma program will ensure you graduate with confidence in the theoretical and practical skills required to pursue Pharmacy Technician registration.

As a graduate of this program, you’ll be eligible to pursue technician registration with the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP), which is required to practice as a pharmacy technician in Ontario.* You’ll also be eligible to write your Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) qualifying exam and the OCP Jurisprudence Exam.

* Note: When registering with the OCP, you’ll also need to obtain personal professional liability insurance, submit a police background check and declare that your past and present conduct meets the OCP’s good character requirements.

“Pharmacy Technician”  is a protected title, in order to use the term Pharmacy Technician graduates must be registered with OCP or other provincial regulatory authorities. We strongly encourage and expect our graduates to pursue registration so that they can achieve their full potential as Pharmacy Technicians.

PHARMACY TECHNICIAN COURSES

• Career Strategies, TPI and Enriched Academy (25 hours)
• Clinic Development and Inventory Management (25 Hours)
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills (50 Hours)
• Community Pharmacy Dispensing (106.25 Hours)
• Compounding (56.25 Hours)
• Critical Thinking & Inter/ Intra Professional Collaboration (100 hours)
• Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology I & II (56.25 Hours)
• Fundamentals of Pharmacology I & II (100 Hours)
• Hospital Pharmacy Procedures (75 Hours)
• Jurisprudence (75 Hours)
• Orientation to Pharmacy Practices (50 Hours)
• Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms (100 Hours)
• Pharmacy Calculations (100 Hours)
• Pharmacy Software Applications (75 Hours)
• Sterile Products: Working with Intravenous Admixtures (106.25 Hours)
• Community Practicum (215 Hours)
• Hospital Practicum (160 Hours)
• Long Term Care (50 hours)
• Comprehensive Review and Practice Readiness (75 hours)

BECOMING A REGISTERED PHARMACY TECHNICIAN IN THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO

To be eligible to become a Registered Pharmacy Technician, you must graduate from a program that has been accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). There are additional registration requirements after graduation to pursue registration as a pharmacy technician with the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP) including comprehensive National examinations. These requirements are fully described on the OCP website at http://www.ocpinfo.com/registration/register-technician/ccapp-technician/.You should become familiar with your future professional body by visiting the OCP web site at www.ocpinfo.com.

WHAT SETS US APART

We pride ourselves on providing exceptional programs to our students across the board, but what sets us apart in this program is two-fold – learning objectives and hands-on training aligned with the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice and the Canadian Pharmacy Technician Educators Association (CPTEA) Educational Outcomes for Pharmacy Technician Programs in Canada and, its accreditation by the Canadian Council for Accredited Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). This represents a significant achievement, reflecting the quality of our program’s development, delivery and practical training and ensures our graduates are equipped with the knowledge and confidence to succeed.

PRACTICAL PLACEMENTS

Anderson College has an excellent working relationship with various members of the medical industry. We will supplement your in-class training with a practical placement arranged by Anderson College. The placement provides an opportunity to apply what has been learned in the classroom, gain confidence, and open doors to future employment. The rotations enable us to provide front line experience for our students, under the direct supervision of a preceptor, who may be a pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician. The placement is broken into two parts: 7 weeks within a retail/community setting, including 1 week in a specialty pharmacy setting (e.g., Long term Care Pharmacy) and four weeks within a hospital setting.

Successful completion of the supervised practical placement is mandatory for graduation.

FROM CLASSROOM TO LIFE

• The Pharmacy Technician program is designed to prepare you for employment in community, industrial or institutional pharmacy settings
• Your program combines theoretical classroom learning with practical hands-on training, ensuring that you become well-versed in all aspects of the pharmaceutical industry
• Gain real-time knowledge and best practices onsite from our industry-expert instructors and offsite through a practicum with future employers Know that your program is supported by a Program Advisory Committee made up of industry experts in the fields of pharmacy, education, and business, to ensure we are aligned with current industry trends, regulations, and requirements
• Work within our fully equipped, simulated pharmacy stocked with the equipment and supplies you need to experience your new career first-hand

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The demand for pharmacy technicians is expected to rise in order to meet the healthcare needs of Canada’s growing and aging population. It is expected the roles and responsibilities of a pharmacy technician will continue to evolve in the years to come. Career opportunities exist in:

• Hospital Pharmacies
• Community Pharmacies
• Long-Term Care Pharmacies
• Insurance Companies
• Pharmacy Software Providers
• Specialized Pharmacy Settings
• Research Settings.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Academic Requirement: Ontario Secondary School (OSSD) Diploma or equivalent. An applicant 18 years of age or over without an OSSD may apply as a mature student and write a Ministry of Colleges and Universities approved mature student entrance exam.

In addition to a successful OSSD/equivalent or mature student entrance exam, an applicant must have the following courses at an OSSD level or equivalent:

• Grade 11 or 12 Math-upper level
• Grade 11 or 12 Chemistry
• Grade 11 or 12 Biology
• Grade 11 or 12 English and/or French

To meet academic requirements, Canadian citizens or permanent residents with international credentials are required to provide WES or ICAS evaluation.

English Language Proficiency: Language proficiency is an essential skill required for all pharmacy technicians. A pharmacy technician’s ability to communicate is critical in the delivery of safe and effective patient care. Applicants whose first language is not English must meet one of the specific English Language Proficiency requirements as set out below:

1. Language proficiency test results that meet the NAPRA Language Proficiency Requirements for Licensure as a Pharmacy Technician in Canada; or
2. Graduation from a high school in Canada with three consecutive, first language English courses/credits; or
3. Graduation from a Collège d’enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec with threeconsecutive, first language English courses/credits; or
4. An undergraduate degree from a university in Canada, where instruction was provided in English.

Reference Resources:

Language Proficiency Requirements for Licensure as a Pharmacy Technician in Canada | NAPRA

Additional Requirements:

• Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident or Immigration approval
• Assessment interview to determine suitability for the Pharmacy Technician program
• A medical report including current immunizations is required for placement
• Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Screening are required for placement.

NOTE: All International Students must complete an English or French Language Proficiency Assessment in line with *NAPRA Language Proficiency requirements as per the Council of Pharmacy Registrars of Canada (CPRC) consensus statement 2015 – IELTS, MELAB, CanTEST or TOEFL

*For full details on minimum scores, visit Language Proficiency Requirements for Licensure as a Pharmacy Technician in Canada and http://www.ocpinfo.com/registration/training-exams/language-proficiency.

TUITION & FEES

Pharmacy Technician Program tuition fees (in CAD) for Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents.

Tuition: $13,995

Books (est): $1,100

Other Fees: $3,130

Total: $18,225

WE’RE IN IT WITH YOU

Contact us to talk with one of our Admissions Experts. We’ll walk you through the details of what you’ll need and how to apply, the details of the program curriculum and the next steps to get you on your way to your first, or next, successful career.

BOOK EXPRESS APPOINTMENT