Can you imagine yourself working alongside a pharmacist, filling prescriptions and compounding medications, educating patients, as well as assisting with the daily operations of a pharmacy? If yes, this career choice could be the ideal fit for you.
Full Time: 59 weeks
In-class schedule: Weekdays
10 weeks*
As a Pharmacy Technician, you work alongside pharmacists, other health care 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
**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.
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.
The Pharmacy Technician program is 59-weeks, including a 10-week 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:
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.
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.
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.
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:
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.
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:
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:
Additional Requirements:
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
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.
Find out what your personality is like and discover your traits, worries & concerns about taking the next step to study at school towards a new and rewarding career. This quick and easy assessment will provide you with some insight into what to focus on and what you might need to watch out for to best prepare you for your new career and school goals!
Take Assessment!Anderson College knows first-hand how stressful and frightening it can be to establish a career in a new country or to build a career in a country you’ve spent years in. Whether you’ve selected the program or are just beginning your research of what Anderson College offers for some students, the financial aspect of paying for school can seem daunting.
After being partner to thousands of students as they transitioned from student to success story, we can say with confidence that your career and your future are absolutely worth the investment and you can afford it. We want to make the financial part of this process as easy to navigate as possible, so you can get to start-date and then graduation day. We’ve laid out some of the details that can help you below, or feel free to contact us directly and a member of our team will be happy to help you understand your options.
Anderson College provides interest-free financing for self-funded students. For more information, please contact us and speak to one of our advisors.
Most Canadian banks and credit unions offer student loans or lines of credit to finance your education. Please visit your bank or select one of the links below for more information.
Financial assistance may be available to those who qualify.
Students who have been named a beneficiary under a family members’ Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), may use funds from the RESP to finance their education.
The Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) allows you to withdraw from your RRSPs to finance full-time training or education for you or your spouse or common-law partner. For more information, please visit this link.
The Canada-Ontario Job Grant (C.O.J.G.) provides an opportunity for employers to invest in their workforce with help from the government.
The Job Grant provides direct financial support to individual employers who wish to purchase training for their employees. It’s available to small, medium, and large businesses with a plan to deliver short-term training to existing and new employees, and will:
If you’re an employer who needs to provide training for your employees, or an employee who wishes to inform your employer of the job grant and get training while employed, contact us to learn more. Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis and we will be happy to guide you through the process.
Anderson College is one of Canada’s oldest colleges, having opened our first location in 1885 We have trained more than 100,000 students over a 137-year history, and have been an empowering partner for students overcoming career challenges and transitioning to the next phase of their lives. With ten locations in Ontario and one in British Columbia, we are recognized for our high-calibre faculty, hands-on, real-life career training and supportive culture. At Anderson College, we are more than our century-old history, our programs and state-of-the-art facilities; we are a team of caring individuals, deeply committed to helping our students become skillful, confident and in-demand employees.
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