Program Duration: 43 weeks
If you’re looking to make a difference and improve the overall health of your community, the Pharmacy Technician diploma program at CDI College is the right place to start.
This program teaches students the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in the ever-changing pharmacy industry. Pharmacy technician students learn about dispensing prescriptions, compounding medications and sterile products, performing pharmaceutical calculations, medical device training and communication skills.
Additionally, students practice their customer service skills and learn about different pharmaceutical environments in community and hospital pharmacies.
Students will also learn about body and drug interactions, how to use pharmacy software, how different drug distribution systems work and the different laws that govern the practice of pharmacy.
On-the-job Pharmacy Training
As part of your pharmacy technician training, you will partake in an eight-week, 320-hour practicum placement, split between a community pharmacy and a hospital pharmacy.
Your practicum is divided into two four-week components – one in a community pharmacy and the other in a hospital pharmacy - so you can test your new skills in two different environments and get real-world experience before graduation.
Pharmacy Technician is a regulated health profession under the auspices of the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP). Graduates of this program will attain competencies specified in 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.
Graduates will also be eligible to apply to write the certification examination offered by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) and to register with the ACP.
- Grade 12 diploma or equivalent (transcript required) with successful completion of
- Biology 30 AND
- successful completion of Chemistry 30 AND
- successful completion of Math 30-1 or 30-2 AND
- successful completion of English Language Arts ELA 30-1 or 30-2
- Passing score on the CDI College entrance examination
- Provide a criminal record check with vulnerable sector check
- Provide completed immunization report showing current immunization and free of communicable diseases
- A minimum keyboard speed of 30 words per minute
- Interview with program coordinator, or designate
Graduation Requirements
Applicants who have graduated from high school or post-secondary programs outside of Canada must demonstrate English language proficiency for program admission (including English-speaking countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Australia).
This standard is based on NAPRA recommended tests and scores. In addition, all international transcripts and credentials will be assessed through the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) prior to enrolling.
Test | Details | Minimum Score | |
---|---|---|---|
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) | Internet-based test | Speaking | 23 |
Writing | 25 | ||
Reading | 22 | ||
Listening | 21 | ||
Total | 91 | ||
Michigan Language Assessment Battery (MELAB) | Speaking | 3+ | |
Writing | 80 | ||
Reading | 83 | ||
Listening | 80 | ||
Total | 81 | ||
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) | Academic format | Speaking | 6 |
Writing | 6 | ||
Reading | 6 | ||
Listening | 6 | ||
Overall Band | 6.5 | ||
The Canadian Test for English Scholars and Trainees (CanTEST) | Speaking | 4.5 | |
Writing | 4.0 | ||
Reading | 4.5 | ||
Listening | 4.5 |
CDI College, Edmonton City Centre – Pharmacy Technician Faculty
Terra Young, RPhT – Pharmacy Technician Program Coordinator – terra.young@cdicollege.ca 780-424-6650
Kim Sanford, RPhT – Instructor
Tamiza Manji-Dhanani, RPhT – Instructor
Nicole Schultz, BSc, RPh - Instructor
Jamil Ramji, BSc Pharm-D, BSP, ACPR, CTE – Instructor
Samantha Roberts, RPhT – Laboratory Assistant
Misty Hui, RPhT – Laboratory Assistant
Carol Hall, RPhT – Laboratory Assistant
The Pharmacy Technician Program of the CDI College – Edmonton City Centre campus has been awarded Accreditation status by the Canadian Council of Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) for a three-year term ending June 30, 2021.