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The Caring Support Blog

Pharmacy Assistant Courses in Canada

April 11, 2023

It is anticipated that the number of people seeking employment as Pharmacy assistant job will increase in order to fulfill the requirements of an expanding and maturing population in Ontario's healthcare system. There are job opportunities available for pharmacy assistants in retail and community pharmacies, as well as in facilities that provide long-term care and pharmaceutical manufacturing companies.

How to become a pharmacy assistant in Canada

In most cases, in order to become a pharmacy assistant, you will need to complete an in-class Diploma Program, which will take a total of 34 weeks to finish and will include a full-time practical placement of 6 weeks. Pharmacy assistant courses run Monday through Friday, for a total of eight hours per week. There is also the option of enrolling in an online distance education diploma program, which takes a total of 34 weeks to finish if 20 hours per week are devoted to learning in addition to any assigned homework and a full-time, six-week practical placement included. The vast majority of the course's material is finished online within the confines of predetermined milestones. The weekly scheduling of the instructor's time is done through the use of video lectures. In the Pharmaceutical Laboratories of the schools located in Ottawa and Mississauga, prescheduled practical labs are available to the students.

Pharmacy Assistant Course Curriculum

Students who complete the Pharmacy Assistant Certificate program will have the foundational knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a variety of occupations within the pharmacy industry. Students will learn the fundamentals of human anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medical terminology throughout the course of this program. Topics covered include community and institutional pharmacy practices. The students will get a foundational understanding of the health and pharma industries in Canada.

Pharmacy Assistant Course Cost

Pharmacy assistant courses normally cost approximately CAD 10,000.00 per year for local students and approximately CAD 15,000.00 per year for international students.

Pharmacy Assistant Course Qualification

  1. The applicant needs to be a mature student who is at least 19 years old or in the 12th grade.
  2. Grade 10 Math or equivalent.
  3. Also requires a passing score on the English Language Assessment Test that is provided by the college.

Pharmacy Assistant Course Online

Jobs in the pharmaceutical industry are expanding at a rapid rate, just like the rest of the healthcare industry.

In pharmacy assistant online courses, you can learn at your own pace and on your own time, and you can get academic support via email, the phone, or online. This makes them very convenient. The content is presented in the form of online lectures and individualized study modules. There are no prerequisites that need to be met in order to enroll. You will have your diploma within as short as four months.

become a pharmacy assistant in Canada

Pharmacy Assistant Courses

Pharmacy Assistant Certificate at Canadian Imperial College

Students at Imperial College will learn the fundamentals of human anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medical terminology throughout the course of this program. Topics covered include community and institutional pharmacy practices. The students will get a foundational understanding of the health and pharma industries in Canada.

Pharmacy Assistant Course at Western Community College

This curriculum at Western Community College is intended to provide the student with the knowledge and abilities necessary for them to become a pharmacy assistant once they have completed the program. Pharmacology, pharmacy math, and pharmacy billing software are some of the topics that the students will become familiar with. Students will be given an overview of the fundamentals of mathematics, and they will develop an understanding of computer applications and keyboarding skills.

Community Pharmacy Assistant at Niagara College Canada

This course at Niagara College is designed to provide students with an enhanced learning experience in a simulated community pharmacy. Simultaneously completed academic courses and practical training in the form of lab work and field placements that provide hands-on, applied learning. Get a deeper understanding of the most up-to-date pharmaceutical products, methods, and drug delivery networks.

Community Pharmacy Assistant at Fanshawe College

In this course at Fanshawe College, you will learn the technical concepts, problem-solving strategies, and interpersonal skills necessary to support a pharmacy healthcare team in the following activities: processing prescriptions, maintaining patient records, managing inventory, compounding non-sterile products, and providing assistance to customers with products found for sale in a community pharmacy. You will receive classroom teaching, as well as hands-on training in Fanshawe's cutting-edge pharmacy lab, and you will also be required to complete a 4-month placement in a community pharmacy, where you will gain valuable, real-world experience working as an integral member of the staff.

Pharmacy Assistant Program at Algonquin Academy 

At Algonquin Academy, You will be prepared for an entry-level position in a Community/Retail Pharmacy, Manufacturing Facility, or Long-Term Care pharmacy if you complete the Pharmacy Assistant diploma program. During the time that you spend studying to become a Pharmacy Assistant, you will gain knowledge about the following topics: the development of pharmacy, the legislation that governs it, and the health care systems; the roles of the pharmacist, technician, and assistant; the various pharmacy organizations in the province; and the ethical standards that govern them. As part of the training, participants will become familiar with the terminology used in dispensaries as well as in medical and pharmaceutical settings, as well as with the interpretation of prescriptions and their abbreviations, as well as with an introduction to the various dosage forms and therapeutic classifications of drugs.

Pharmacy Assistant Diploma at ABM College

The Pharmacy Assistant Diploma Program at ABM College is an all-encompassing program that is designed to equip students with all of the knowledge and abilities they will need to become professional Pharmacy Assistants. Students are uniquely and effectively prepared to succeed in this exciting and rewarding career opportunity by receiving hands-on training in realistic simulation labs and by completing a full 6-week practicum in retail and facility setting placements. This combination of training enables students to take full advantage of the opportunity.

Pharmacy Assistant at ICS Canada

The Retail Pharmacy Assistant program offered by ICS Canada will teach you how to, among other things: make purchases of stocks or inventory, prepare and arrange merchandise and perfect sales strategies. 

Pharmacy Assistant Diploma at Evergreen College

At Evergreen College, You will be prepared for entry-level employment in either retail pharmacies or pharmaceutical businesses after completing the Pharmacy Assistant Diploma Program. The educational components that are necessary for employment will be covered in the course curriculum. These components include prescription processing, pharmacy software, compounding processes, inventory management, record-keeping, billing, regulatory requirements, and communications.

Pharmacy Assistant Program

At George Brown College You will learn the knowledge and skills necessary to operate in a range of pharmacy environments through participation in our Pharmacy Assistant Program, which is designed to help you develop these abilities (hospital, community, retail). Discover the principles of pharmacy, the regulations that apply, abilities in communication and prescription writing, numeracy, as well as skills in managing a business and developing employment strategy. This pharmacy curriculum utilizes an interprofessional, collaborative, client- and customer-focused approach and reflects the current trends and practices in pharmacy helping in Canada. The most recent research and industry standards serve as the basis for educational endeavours.

Pharmacy Assistant Diploma Program at Robertson College

At Robertson College, You will be able to obtain the information and abilities necessary to operate in a variety of pharmacy environments by participating in our Pharmacy Assistant Program (hospital, community, retail). Understand the principles of pharmacy, the applicable legislation, effective communication, prescription writing, mathematics, effective business management, and employment tactics. This pharmacy curriculum takes a strategy that is a client- and customer-focused, interdisciplinary, and collaborative. It also reflects the most recent trends and practices in pharmacy assistance in Canada. The basis for education is found in both recent research and established standards of practice.

Pharmacy Assistant Diploma Program


To learn more about pharmacy assistant jobs, check out our other blogs! If you are preparing for a pharmacy assistant interview, make sure to view the pharmacy assistant interview questions and answers article to help you prepare. If you're looking for healthcare jobs, create your free Caring Support account at www.caringsupport.com.

About The Author
Arielle Rosales
Content Writer

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