5.9 Program: Pharmacy Technician
Video: Pharmacy Technician
Video: “Pharmacy Technician” by Fanshawe College [0:44] No Speaking.
About the Profession
Pharmacy technicians are medical professionals who work alongside pharmacists to help and support patients by utilizing their technical expertise in many aspects of pharmaceutical care (Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians, n.d., para. 1)
More information on the scope of practice can be found at: Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians FAQ’s
Places you might find yourself employed include
Commercial pharmacies (Shopper’s Drug Mart, Rexall, Pharmasave, Costco), hospital pharmacies, pharmacies in nursing homes or elder care facilities.
The Vocational Learning Standards
Professional Associations
More information on the profession and associations can be found in the following links:
Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP) licensing
Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP) provides information on all pharmacy personnel Pharmacy Professional Training and Qualifications
Ontario Pharmacists Association (OPA)
The Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians (CAPT)
National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA)
The Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP)
Program Fit
What personal qualities should someone interested in this career have?
- Perform in an ethical manner in working with peers, faculty, health care staff, patients and customers
- Able to empathize with others
- The ability to remain calm and handle emergencies
- The ability to pay close attention to detail
- Able to make decisions quickly and request assistance/guidance from others as needed
- Able to multitask
- A willingness to keep up to date with new products and practices
- Cooperative/respectful to all members of the health care team
- Able to take charge in a situation and provide direction to others
- Able to work as a member of a team
- Active listening
- Provide feedback to people
- Enjoy working with and caring for people
- Prepared to work with people in vulnerable situations
- Able to communicate with people across the lifespan
- Strong time management/prioritization skills
- Must be self-directed
Typical working conditions for this kind of work:
- Able to accurately recall and apply oral and written procedures
- Must be able to distinguish gradients of colours (need to recognize different pills)
- May be required to work shifts including evenings, weekends and holidays, sometimes under stressful conditions
- Pharmacy technicians are on their feet for most of their shift and may be required to lift and move objects that weigh up to 10 kilograms.
Tasks a graduate may do in the workplace
See Ontario College of Pharmacists website for details.
- Gather and enter patient information and doctors’ prescriptions in computer systems
- Assess prescriptions for completeness
- Receive and transcribe verbal prescriptions from prescribers
- Prepare, package and dispense prescription medications after a pharmacist has determined appropriateness of therapy
- Maintain prescription and inventory record keeping systems
- Maintain proper drug storage and security
- Place and receive orders for stock to maintain inventory
- Provide pharmaceutical care in collaboration with a pharmacist
- Process prescriptions, prepare medications (tablets, suspensions, creams, injectables) and counsel patients on medicine administration and use of diagnostic devices (blood glucose meter)
Becoming a Pharmacy Technician
The Pharmacy Technician program at Fanshawe College is A 60 week, Ontario College Diploma program starting in September each year. The program workload is considered to be heavy with:
- Seven courses in your first semester
- Two hours of study/assignments on average for each hour in class
- 22 hours of class & labs each week (44-66 hour/week commitment)
The courses you would take at Fanshawe College can be found on the Pharmacy Technician page.
Fanshawe Pathfinder: Pharmacy Technician © Fanshawe College used with permission, All Rights Reserved
Admission requirements:
Pharmacy Technician Admission Requirements
PHS Graduates
Graduates of the PHS2 Pre Health Science – Pathways to Advanced Diplomas and Degrees with a grade no lower than 2.0 in ANAT 1002, ANAT 1009, BIOL 1003 and BIOL 1009 may be eligible to apply for advanced standing in Anatomy and Physiology upon discussion with the Program Coordinator. Subject to change.
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Jennifer Podeszwa de Oliveira, MSc.(MPH), BSc., RPhT
Coordinator, Pharmacy Technician Program
Professor, Pharmacy Programs
Current Employer | Fanshawe College (FT) Commissioners Pharmacy (PT) |
Skills you use professionally | Communication, leadership, organization, adaptability, interpersonal skills, time management. |
Favorite memory/experience | Sharing my knowledge, experiences and mentoring students. |
Credentials/Past professional experiences | Registered Pharmacy Technician, BSc. In Pharmacology and Medical Sciences, Masters (BSc.) Public Health (Health Services Management). |
One thing you would tell your student self | Work hard and learn as much as you can from your professors and placement experience. Take your time, quality is more important quantity while you are learning. |