Program Courses

• Student Success Strategies [BC-SSSD]

  • Students will gain a better understanding of themselves through an exploration of their personal attributes, transferable skills and learning styles. This course will introduce techniques for time, conflict, and stress management and develop interpersonal communication skills. Fundamental study and motivation skills will be covered, preparing students to excel in their program of choice. Students will also prepare a professional resume and learn how to write effective cover letters.

• Introduction to Computers [ITCE]

  • This course is a broad-based introduction to using a personal computer. It teaches the fundamentals of an operating system and the most popular application software including word processing, spreadsheets, and presentations. You will also learn about the Internet, Web browsers, electronic mail and antivirus software. The course is based on the Windows 10 operating system, Microsoft Office 2016 and a variety of popular software programs for the Internet-related and security-related applications.

• Medical Language I: Foundations [MAA101]

  • Medicine, like other professions, has its own language. Students will learn to work with the specialized terminology of medicine, including the pronunciation and spelling of terms to describe medical circumstances and situations. Students will learn through descriptions, illustrations and exercises to identify the major anatomical features and systems of the body and the common pathologies, which can adversely affect these systems.

• Health Care Communication & Interpersonal Skills [MAA110]

  • This course is specially designed for the new healthcare professional. In any business or interpersonal contact, an impression of a person forms in the first 10 to 15 seconds, so it is crucial to the success of that relationship. The importance of the ‘customer’ and of customer relations, to business success is examined in this course, including through case studies and role playing. Students learn relevant techniques in human behaviour and how they may be applied to improve customer (patient) relations in the medical office. Learning basic communication skills, especially related to the medical field, will assist the student in dealing with all kinds of patients. Understanding cultural differences and appreciating diversity will add another dimension in how to deal with patients and provide safer healthcare delivery in the medical office.

• Medical Emergency – First Aid Procedures [MEC4]

  • This course provides students with the knowledge and skills that are required to recognize and prevent medical and dental emergencies within a medical/dental office. It will prepare students to assist the physician/dentist in administering immediate care for the client in the medical office environment. Students also participate in CPR and First Aid training. Lectures, reading assignments, and laboratory projects will provide a basic understanding of medical emergencies and the role of the office assistant in assisting with the administration of care used in the office. This information permits the student to interpret and relay information and to communicate to the health care team and emergency workers. Note: This one-week course may extend beyond 20 hours due to First Aid and WHMIS training on specific days, which may be being full-day hours.

• Anatomy and Physiology [PHA100]

  • This component of the program is designed to introduce students to the structures and functions of the human body. Emphasis is placed on the various effects of the disease states of the body and the manner in which pharmaceutical products affect them.

• Introduction to Pharmacy [PHA200]

  • Introduction to Pharmacy provides students with an understanding of the pharmacy profession. The history of medicine and pharmacy will be reviewed, focusing on the evolution of Pharmacy roles, especially Pharmacy Assistant. The profession of pharmacy as it is today will be examined, and the structure of the various types of pharmacies in our society will be explored. Students are introduced to the important roles of all pharmacy personnel including the role they will play in a career as a Pharmacy Assistant. Students become familiar with the Federal and Provincial Laws that govern pharmacy in Canada. This module provides the necessary knowledge and skills to identify a valid prescription, patient profile and label, and introduces the process of filling a prescription. Transcription of Latin abbreviations and physician directions are reviewed. Drug nomenclature is introduced along with the use of required resources to research drugs. Students will learn both Federal and Provincial drug benefit plans along with other private thirdparty insurance companies and their billing procedures.

• Pharmacology: Diseases and Drugs [PHA210]

  • This course explores the basic principles of pharmacology, with an emphasis on drugs used for prevalent diseases in the community setting. Students will learn the pharmacokinetic processes that affect medications and the body. Students will learn to identify drugs by their therapeutic use. Students will learn about conditions that affect the different body systems and how these conditions are treated with prescription and over-the-counter medications. Commonly prescribed Canadian generic and brand name drugs will be discussed along with dosage forms, indications, contraindications, side effects, drug interactions and other special administration considerations and dispensing tips.

• Pharmaceutical Calculations [PHA220]

  • Students will learn about ratios, fractions, and other math related topics and how they play a major part in calculating different prescription and medication dosages. Students also learn about math calculations routinely used in IV preparation, a requisite skill for employment in hospital pharmacies.

• Community Pharmacy [COMMUNITY PHARMACY]

  • This course is designed to teach students about the various aspects of community pharmacy from the viewpoint of the pharmacy assistant. The course covers the dispensing process and dispensing techniques, pharmacy business practices, third party billing, and blister packing. Students learn about pharmacy business practices both in the dispensary and front store. Students learn to complete many of the technical tasks associated with the day-to-day operations of a pharmacy. Students read and interpret a prescription, review calculations, enter prescriptions into the manual or computerized system to be filled, and complete the appropriate filling process including packaging. Pharmacy equipment and dispensing techniques will be demonstrated within the course with the opportunity for students to practice as well. The course exposes students to general principles of effective and efficient inventory management. Theory and practice will educate students about control and maintenance of community pharmacy inventory. Students will be learning a minimum of 200 commonly used Canadian drug names and reviewing their use. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS) objectives will also be covered. An Introduction to Kroll, pharmacy software, and prescription entry is explained, demonstrated and practiced.

• Compounding [PHA240]

  • This module is designed to give the student the skills and knowledge that are required to develop a career as a Pharmacy Assistant. Students will become efficient at preparing pharmaceutical preparations and the necessary documentation to meet and maintain standards. Emphasis is on calculations in this module. The students will become proficient at the use of equipment and supplies used in compounding. A variety of dosage forms will be reviewed with emphasis being placed on the knowledge and skills that are needed to accurately prepare prescribed compounds. The students will review and practice the various mixing techniques and NAPRA standards of non-sterile compounding and learn the necessity of compounding medications. Students are expected to calculate, measure, weigh and mix. Proper and timely cleaning and maintenance of compounding equipment and area will be stressed.

• Pharmacy Software Fundamentals [PHA250]

  • Pharmacy software applications are necessary in both the retail and institutional setting. The students are required to efficiently use the KROLL pharmacy software in all aspects of the daily processes that take place in a pharmacy. The more knowledgeable the student is with respect to the detail involved in entering and processing prescriptions, the more valuable they will be to the employer. Many pharmacies are actively using the KROLL pharmacy software. It is a user-friendly program with a variety of options that help deliver optimal care to the patient.

• Pharmacy Assistant Integration Practice [PHA260]

  • In this final integration practice module, students are provided with the opportunity to practice and understand the basic technical duties required to work as a Pharmacy Assistant in a community pharmacy in Canada. Students will participate in duties and tasks as Pharmacy Assistants working in a community pharmacy. Their daily tasks will include receiving prescriptions, patient and prescription data entry, generating labels, retrieving or compounding medications, filling each prescription, leaving prescriptions to be checked, returning stock to inventory, filing completed prescription hard copies, storing prescriptions for pick-up and delivery.

• Career & Employment Strategies [CES4]

  • This course looks at the planning, preparation, execution, and follow-up stages of an interview: how people find jobs; employer expectations; presenting an enthusiastic attitude; focusing on the right job; transferable skills; the job interview; effective resume preparation; cover and thank you letters; effective telemarketing; tapping the hidden job market; handling objections; job search management; self-confidence and self-esteem building; mock interviews (video-taped); and individual counselling and coaching.

• Pharmacy Assistant Practicum [PHA299]

  • This practicum will place students in actual workplaces related to their field of study where they are expected to act as a regular employee for the set time periods in order to gain the valuable “real world” experience, often sought by employers who are hiring. Students are encouraged to find their own work experience; however, once placed, continuation in the placement is a mandatory diploma requirement. This practicum is an unpaid work experience. Students and practicum hosts are provided with a practicum “package” that outlines the expectations of both the student and the host that need to be met to have a successful outcome.