Pharmacy Assistant

Undergraduate Program

Certificate Credentials

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The Pharmacy Assistant Certificate is a one-year foundation program that prepares students to pursue many careers in the pharmacy settings. This program introduces students to community and institutional pharmacy procedures, basic human anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology,  and medical terminologies. Students will gain fundamental insight of the health and pharmacy Industry in Canada.

School Health
Credits 30
Course Length Two Semesters (1 years)
Hours 20 hrs/week x 34 weeks
Credential Certificate
Delivery Options Onsite, Online, and Combination.
Instruction Options Full-time
Offered Fall, Winter, and Spring
Practicum Yes – Optional
Tuition (See breakdown below)
Home Student CAD 10,000.00 / year
International Student CAD 15,000.00 / year

Why a Pharmacy Assistant?

Help patients daily by providing assistance and preparing medications to aid their wellbeing. Pharmacy assistants play a vital role in pharmacies, as they assist pharmacists with the day-to-day operations in running a pharmacy, including customer service, and interacting with clients, sterilizing products, mixing compound medications, and more.

In addition to the Pharmacy Assistant Certificate, graduates of this program will also receive certification in First Aid and CPR.

Regular Applicants
  • Secondary school graduation or equivalent and 16 years of age or older.
  • Alberta Grade 12 English Language and Mathematics or
  • Successful completion of the General Educational Development (GED) test that consists of five tests with a minimum score of 450 in each test.
Mature Applicants
  • Mature applicants are at least 19 years of age and have been out of the full-time senior secondary study for at least one year.
  • Mature applicants without English 12 can write the academic achievement testing (CAT 4) with a minimum of 60% score.
  • Mature applicants without English 12 can provide proof of English Proficiency test with results.
International Applicants
  • Applicants who are not national students who meet the guidelines established for international students studying in Canada by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
  • All applicants must be high school graduates or equivalent. Students with out of country equivalencies, require equivalency assessments. Students with International transcripts must provide proof of the subject-specific requirements.
  • Applicants from non-English speaking countries must have proof of English Proficiency test with results.
  • Applicants with non-English documents must provide English translated and notarized documentation.
Minimum English Proficiency Test Result
  • IELTS- International English Language Testing Service:
    • Overall Band of 6.
    • With nothing less than 5.5.
  • CELPIP: Canadian English Language Proficiency Index Program:
    • Overall band of 6.
    • With nothing less than 6.
  • TOEFL (TOEFL iBT® and TOEFL® Essentials™):
    • Overall score of 78.
    • with nothing less than 19.
      •  CBL Equivalent Level of 6.
  • Other English Proficiency Results available on case-to-case basis.

    Graduates of this program will have acquired the opportunity for employment in a variety of health care settings, such as hospitals, long-term care facilities and community pharmacies.

    Canadian imperial College offers pharmacy assistant courses that cater to the needs of community and retail pharmacies. You will study pharmacology, pharmaceutical calculations, pharmacy software and office computer applications, and medical terminology.

    The Pharmacy Assistant program will prepare you for an indispensable career in preparing medications, and updating client information with KROLL software.

    Before you graduate, and under the direct supervision of a pharmacist, you will put these skills into practice during a real-world practicum placement within a community or retail pharmacy setting.

    Title Credits
    Semester 1
    Professional Role and Ethics 3
    Pharmacology Fundamentals 3
    Foundations of Pharmacy 3
    Pharmacotherapeutics 1 3
    Pharmacy Computer System 3

     

    Title Credits
    Semester 2
    Medical terminology/ Anatomy/ Physiology/ Pathology 3
    Dispensing 1 3
    Healthcare Communication 1 3
    Jurisprudence 3
    Preparation for practice 1 3

    *Graduates of this program will also receive certification in First Aid and CPR.