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Pharmacy Assistant Program

A Pharmacy Assistant helps licensed Pharmacists provide medication and other health care products to patients. Pharmacy Assistants usually perform routine tasks to help prepare prescribed medication, such as counting tablets and labelling bottles. They also perform administrative duties, such as answering phones, stocking shelves, and operating cash registers. Pharmacy Assistants refer any questions regarding prescriptions, drug information, or health matters to a pharmacist. CPR, First Aid and WHMIS will be completed during the program.

In large pharmacies and health-systems, pharmacy assistants with significant training, experience and certification can be promoted to supervisory positions, mentoring and training pharmacy assistants with less experience. Some may advance into specialty positions such as chemotherapy assistants and nuclear pharmacy assistants. Others move into sales. This program gives the student the necessary skills to be competitive in this exciting field.

Pharmacy Assistant Program Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

  • Assist licensed pharmacists in providing medication and other health care products to patients
  • Perform tasks to help prepare prescribed medications, such as counting tablets and labelling bottles
  • Perform administrative tasks such as answering phones, stocking shelves and receiving payments

Why Study To Be a Pharmacy Assistant At Sprott Shaw?

  • Lifetime access to dedicated Employment Services Specialists (ESS) who can help you with resume and cover letter writing, interview skills, and the overall job search after graduation 
  • Lifetime tuition-free access to course refreshers if you ever need to retrain and update your skills 
  • Practicum opportunities with recognized organizations across BC 
  • Multiple start dates so you can start your education when you want to without the wait 
  • Career and professional development success courses to help create a career development marketing plan, learn the cardinal rules of professionalism, and identify the target markets and employment resources in the counselling field 
  • Preparation and orientation courses to teach you how to find credible research, write papers, create proper citation formats including APA, and study effectively for exams 
  • All-inclusive program costs where what you see is what you pay. Our costs include registration fees, assessment fees, tuition, textbooks, supplies, course materials, uniforms, certificates, graduation fees, practicum fees, and much more 

  • pharamacy assistant college students sprott shaw college in pharmacy lab learning hands-on prescription pills
  • pharamacy assistant college students sprott shaw college in pharmacy lab learning hands-on prescription pills
  • pharamacy assistant college students sprott shaw college in pharmacy lab learning hands-on prescription pills

Diploma Program

Total Program Hours:
660 Hours
Full-Time Program Length:
33 Weeks
(Includes holidays and professional days)
Program content is subject to change.

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Our advisors are happy to answer any questions.

Career Opportunities

Clinical Pharmacy Assistant
Diabetic Meter Assistant
Health Care Consultant
Retail Pharmacy Assistant
Admission Requirements:
  • Grade 12 or equivalent (General Education Development, Adult Basic Education) with evidence of a ‘true certified copy’ or original transcript; OR
  • Mature student status (age 19 and one year out of high school) and completed entrance assessment with minimum scores of 20/40 in both the English and math components (and composite score of 42/80).
  • English Entrance Assessment. The equivalent credential must be evaluated and verified.
  • International students can also meet the English requirement by demonstrating one of the following three options:
  • Sprott Shaw’s English Language Assessment, OR
  • Minimum IELTS Score 5.5 overall or iBT TOFEL Score of 70, OR
  • Completion of an ESL program from one of SSC’s partnered ESL schools.
  • For more information on English Language requirements and equivalencies please click here.

Domestic Students:

  • Domestic students that can provide a Canadian transcript showing completion of English 11 or 12 (or equivalent) with a passing grade of ‘C’, will be exempt from having to write the English Entrance Assessment.
  • Domestic students that can provide a Canadian transcript showing completion of Math 10, 11 or 12 (or equivalent) with a passing grade of ‘C’, will be exempt from having to write the Math Entrance Assessment.

International Students:

  • International students that can provide a Canadian transcript showing completion of Math 10, 11 or 12 (or equivalent) with a passing grade of ‘C’ will be exempt from having to write the Math Entrance Assessment. The equivalent credential must be evaluated and verified.
  • International students that can provide a Canadian transcript showing completion of English 11 or 12 (or equivalent) with a passing grade of ‘C’ will be exempt from having to write the English Entrance Assessment. The equivalent credential must be evaluated and verified.
  • International students can also meet the English requirement by demonstrating one of the following three options:
  • Sprott Shaw’s English Language Assessment, OR
  • Minimum IELTS Score 5.5 overall or iBT TOFEL Score of 70, OR
  • Completion of an ESL program from one of SSC’s partnered ESL schools.
Diploma Requirements:
  • 60% average upon successful completion of all courses, including courses given a complete.
  • CPR, First Aid and WHMIS will be completed during the program.
Other Requirements:
  • FACPR First Aid /CPR (Comp/Inc).
  • WHMIS WHMIS (Comp/Inc).
  • Students can expect to complete 1 – 4 hours of homework per day.
* Pharmacy Assistant Program was reviewed and approved by the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

Contact an Admissions Advisor for More Information Today!

Contact Us Today!

Our advisors are happy to answer any questions.

Courses List

This 33 week Diploma program requires the student to complete the following courses.

  • MS Office Word Certification
  • MS Office Word editing, layout, templates, styles and
    sections, mail merge, tables, charts and desktop publishing

  • MS Office Excel Certification
  • Plan, edit and manage worksheets (formulas/functions)

  • Computer basics/file management
  • Goal setting, note-taking, problem-solving, teamwork
  • Overview of policies and procedures
  • Demonstrate the ability to use MS Word and MS PowerPoint

  • Research, prepare and deliver presentations
  • Apply proper use of grammar principles
  • Overview of processes of communication in the workplace
  • Use MS Office PowerPoint

  • Importance of written communication within the business environment
  • Memos, email, letters and reports

Strategies for Student Success:

  • Interview techniques
  • Create a Career Development Marketing Plan
  • Apply aspects of professionalism
  • Identify target markets and employment resources

  • Effective customer service and support
  • Problem-solving theory and applications

  • Anatomy and physiology as related to the body systems
  • Associate pathological conditions with the body systems
  • Define pharmacology and related terminology
  • Identify all standard medical abbreviations
  • WHMIS Certification

  • Pharmaceutical calculations
  • Intro to dispensing

  • Basic pharmacological terminology
  • Drug classification

  • Organization & structure
  • Cytotoxic drugs
  • Antiseptics, disinfectants

  • Billing practises
  • Merchandising

  • Pharmacy lab is an ongoing project done throughout the pharmacy program:
  • 20 lab hours in PH101 - Introduction to Pharmacy
  • 5 lab hours in PH105 - Aseptic Techniques
  • 15 lab hours in PH106 - Retail Applications

  • This course focuses on the fundamental principles of accounting with full online courseware that includes the digital textbook and learning materials.

  • Skills and strategies conducive to learning in a college atmosphere, orientation to the college environment, using technology, knowing college policies and procedures.
  • Time management, writing and using citations, study strategies, student budgeting, and wellness/self-care/stress management.
  • An orientation to the PCP program and the emergency medicine professions.
  • Prepare for upcoming studies, learning environments, and work experience placements throughout the program.

Contact an Admissions Advisor for More Information Today!

Contact Us Today!

Our advisors are happy to answer any questions.

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