Pharmacy Technician Diploma

Prescription for Success. After just 12 months of full-time study at Bow Valley College’s downtown Calgary campus, students complete 2 months of practicum in hospital^† and community pharmacies to obtain a Pharmacy Technician Diploma.

The program has Full Accreditation Status with the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP), preparing graduates for the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada’s national certification exam. Pharmacy Technicians are regulated under the Health Professions Act and register with the Alberta College of Pharmacists.

Registered Pharmacy Technicians have an expanded scope of practice that includes responsibilities previously reserved for Pharmacists, such as performing final checks on prescriptions and receiving verbal orders from prescribers. Other tasks could include compounding mixtures, dispensing medications, or preparing sterile products such as eye drop compounds or intravenous mixtures. Demand is increasing and Pharmacy Technicians can earn up to $35/hour.

With over 350 lab hours in a state-of-the-art facility, this program integrates cutting-edge technology and emphasizes hands-on training to produce competitive dispensary-ready graduates. Students learn to prepare sterile products in authentic certified sterile production hoods and operate a new PACMED^® high-speed automated medication packager.

All students registered in this career program are required to write the Test of Workplace Essential Skills (TOWES) assessment in semester one of their program.

^†Every effort is made to accommodate students in hospital placements within the time frame of the program. In some cases, students may be required to complete their hospital placements by travelling to alternative locations outside of Calgary. In rare instances, the College may need to delay the date of completion until a hospital placement can be arranged.

Program Faculty

Crystal Lane, BSc Pharm, RPh (Program Coordinator, Allied Health)
Diane Valiquette, BSc Pharm, RPh (Program Lead)
Cheryl Callicutt, ACP Provisional Pharmacy Technician (Educational Assistant)
Loren Voice, ACP Provisional Pharmacy Technician (Instructor)
Marion Chorney, BSc Pharm, RPh, MCEd (Instructor)
Amyn Kanjee, BSc Pharm, RPh, (Instructor)
Blake Cyca, BSc Pharm, RPh (Instructor)
Amira Aly, BSc Pharm, RPh (Instructor)

Facilities

The Pharmacy Technician program has a designated laboratory and classroom, which offers each student an individual laptop. The world-class laboratory simulates both community and hospital pharmacy practice with individual work areas equipped with computers, phones and dispensing supplies; compounding equipment; certified sterile production hoods; and a high-speed automated medication packager (PACMED^®).

Courses in Program

Curriculum Subject to Change

Semester 1 

Course	Credits	Hours
English: Composition (ENGL150)	3	45
Pharmacy Jurisprudence and Ethics (HHC0093)	3	45
Pharmacotherapeutics I (HHC0094)	2	30
Pharmacotherapeutics II (HHC0095)	3	45
Pharmacy Calculations (HHC0098)	4	60
Prescription Processing I (HHC0099)	3	45
Pharmacy Theory (HHC0112)	3	45

Semester 2

Course	Credits	Hours
Pharmacy Management and Inventory Control (HHC0092)	2	30
Pharmacotherapeutics III (HHC0096)	3	45
Pharmacotherapeutics IV (HHC0097)	3	45
Community Pharmacy Practice (HHC0101)	4	60
Community Dispensing Lab (HHC0102)	6	90
Non-Prescription Self-Care (HHC0103)	3	45
Hospital Pharmacy Practice (HHC0105)	4	60

Semester 3

Course	Credits	Hours
Prescription Processing II (HHC0100)	2	30
Extemporaneous Compounding (HHC0104)	3	45
Hospital Dispensing Lab (HHC0106)	6	90
Institutional Procedures (HHC0107)	3	45
Sterile Production (HHC0108)	3	45
Entry to Practice Preparation (HHC0109)	2	30

Semester 4

Course	Credits	Hours
Community Pharmacy Practicum (HHC0110)	3	160
Hospital Pharmacy Practicum (HHC0111)	3	160

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Admission requirements

Academic Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Minimum 65% in English 30-1 or 30-2 or equivalent
• Minimum 60% in:
  • Math 30-1 or Math 30-2 or equivalent
  • Biology 30 or equivalent
  • Chemistry 30 or equivalent

Additional Requirements

• 70% on math skills assessment (administered after application is reviewed)

• 30 words per minute on keyboarding assessment (administered after application is reviewed)

• Current Police Information Check (PIC) with a Vulnerable Sector Search (VSS) must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the program start date in order to maintain a seat in the program.  Updated PICs may be required one month prior to practicum. The existence of a criminal record may postpone or prevent practicum placement or professional registration.

• Proficient manual dexterity is essential. An aptitude for working with spreadsheet and database applications is an asset. Candidates should be detail-oriented with the ability to problem-solve and multi-task.

Pre-Practicum Requirement

• Immunization Requirements must be met prior to participating in practicum placements. Details will be provided after being accepted into the program. Up-to-date immunizations are valid for the duration of the program.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

• See English Language Proficiency Requirements for details

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Transferability