Pharmacy Technician Program Offers Theory and Lab Experience

If you have an interest in a career as a Pharmacy Technician, you may want to consider attending Centennial College’s Pharmacy Technician program. As a result of attending Centennial College’s Pharmacy Technician courses, you will be eligible to write the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada qualifying exam for pharmacy technicians in pursuit of the Registered Pharmacy Technician (RPhT) designation. You will also eligible to complete structured Practical Training (12 weeks of supervised practice) in pursuit of the RPhT designation. The Pharmacy Technician program at Centennial College is accredited with the Canadian Council of Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs.

Once you enter the field, you will be a valued and essential member of Ontario’s healthcare team who is able to prepare, dispense and compound medications. You will also be responsible for receiving, ordering and managing inventory, interacting with patients and a variety of health care providers and assisting in the provision of pharmaceutical care and pharmacy services. Based on graduate employment surveys, the average starting salary for Centennial Pharmacy Technician program graduates is in the range of $34,500 and there is a graduate employment rate of 96 per cent.

To get you from student to Pharmacy Technician, Centennial College’s Pharmacy Technician program is based on the Morningside Campus. As the school’s most technologically advanced location, it offers high-tech labs with equipment that students will find in the field upon graduation. As hands-on practice is an important aspect of the Pharmacy Technician courses, classroom, lab work and four field placements in community, hospital and corporate environments total 389 hours to ensure that you are prepared for the field.

Among specific Pharmacy Technician Courses are: Advanced Pharmacology (offers theoretical knowledge of pharmacology including review of anatomy and physiology and pathophysiology to common significant medical conditions and auxiliary labels); Home Heath Care and Non-Prescription Products (focuses on the pharmacy technician’s triage role in gathering patient information that assists the pharmacist with product recommendations. Also provides you the opportunity to become familiar with commonly requested over-the-counter medications and home health care products and devices); Professional Practice and Drug Programs (development of a professional portfolio is integrated and emphasis is placed on examination of jurisprudence and the ethical standards that govern community pharmacy practices); and more. Students in the Pharmacy Technician program also learn ethics in business, community pharmacy computers, pharmaceutical calculations, professional practice and drug programs, compounding, introduction to pharmacology, introduction to anatomy and physiology, institution dispensing, and more.

In order to be eligible for application to the Pharmacy Technician program, you must possess an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent or are 19 years of age or older. In addition, you must have completed the compulsory English 12C or U credit or skills assessment, or equivalent; the Math 11M or U or 12C or U or skills assessment, or equivalent; 11C, or U or 12C, or U, chemistry, physics or biology, or skills assessment, or equivalent.