Accredited Pharmacy Technician Program and Career Courses

In-class Diploma Program

• 51 weeks total time to complete including a 9 week full time practical placement
• Classes scheduled Monday to Friday, 4 hours per day
• Offered mornings, afternoons and evenings

Would you like to combine your attention to detail with your desire to help people maintain and improve their health? Then the Pharmacy Technician program could be the right option for you! Pharmacy Technicians perform many tasks including filling and final release of prescriptions, compounding medications and managing day-to-day pharmacy operations.

Approved as a vocational program under the Ontario Career Colleges Act, 2005.

Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program   

The Pharmacy Technician (PHT) Diploma Program is designed to prepare students for a dynamic and rewarding career in community, hospital, long-term care, and corporate or industrial pharmacy settings.

Through a combination of classroom instruction, laboratory training, and work term placements, students will develop the essential knowledge, technical abilities, and professional competencies needed to practice safely and effectively as pharmacy technicians.

The program curriculum is aligned with the standards of the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP), the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) Entry-to-Practice Competencies, and the Canadian Pharmacy Technician Educators Association (CPTEA) Educational Outcomes.

Pharmacy Technician Program Objectives   

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

1. Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the history of pharmacy, health care systems, legislation, and the professional roles of pharmacy personnel.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of therapeutic classifications, mechanisms of action, and potential side effects of pharmaceutical agents.
3. Apply professional, legal, and ethical standards in all aspects of pharmacy practice, consistent with provincial and national regulations.
4. Interpret prescriptions accurately by translating medical and pharmaceutical terminology, abbreviations, and therapeutic classifications.
5. Prepare and release both non-sterile and sterile pharmaceutical products in accordance with established compounding and aseptic techniques.
6. Utilize pharmacy software systems for entering prescriptions, printing labels, maintaining patient profiles, processing third-party billing, and managing inventory effectively.
7. Demonstrate effective communication and customer service skills when interacting with patients, pharmacy professionals, and other members of the health care team.
8. Collaborate within inter- and intra-professional environments to promote safe, accurate, and patient-centered care.

Graduates meet the educational requirement of Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP) and will gain the confidence and skills required to pursue registration with OCP as a Pharmacy Technician and make meaningful contributions to the pharmacy profession.

Pharmacy Technician Accreditation  

The Pharmacy Technician programs of Algonquin Careers Academy Ottawa, have been awarded the status of Full Accreditation by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) for the terms as follows:  

• Algonquin Careers Academy - Ottawa: July 2022 to June 2027

Is a Rewarding Career as a Pharmacy Technician Right for You?

Take the "Algonquin Academy Pharmacy Technician Career Training Readiness Quiz"

 The fun, online quiz takes 3-minutes to complete and you’ll get a personalized report. Identify your strengths and social style plus the training and positions you’re best suited for. Get your Pharmacy Technician Career Training Readiness score now!

Pharmacy Technician Practical Placements  

Algonquin Careers Academy has an excellent working relationship with various members of the medical industry. We will supplement your in-class training with a practical placement arranged by Algonquin Careers Academy. The placement provides an opportunity to apply what has been learned in the classroom, gain confidence, and open doors to future employment. The rotations enable us to provide front line experience for our students, under the direct supervision of a preceptor, who may be a pharmacist or registered pharmacy technician. The placement is broken into two parts: five weeks of retail/community and four weeks of hospital.  

Successful completion of the supervised practical placement is mandatory for graduation.

Pharmacy Technician Program Faculty  

OTTAWA CAMPUS 

Program Coordinator

Asfiya Rahman, RPhT

Chair of Pharmacy Programs

Shahriar Siddiq, RPhT

Instructor 

Uche Iseuwe, RPh, MPH, B.Pharm, MBA

Khushboobahen Jani, RPhT

Mohamad Elayouti, RPhT

Pharmacy Technician Courses  

• Student Success Strategies (20 hours)
• CPR and First Aid Certification (16 hours)
• Computing Essentials for Pharmacy Practice (40 hours)
• Pharmacy Fundamentals (60 hours)
• Pharmacy Calculations (100 hours)
• Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology (40 hours)
• Pharmacology (84 hours)
• Pharmacy Compounding (60 hours)
• Sterile Products and Aseptic Technique (80 hours)
• Pharmacy Software (60 hours)
• Professionalism and Communication Skills (60 hours)
• Community Pharmacy Practice (60 hours)
• Community Pharmacy Dispensing (60 hours)
• Pharmacy Legislation (40 hours)
• Hospital Pharmacy Practice (40 hours)
• Career and Employment Strategies (20 hours)
• Hospital Placement (160 hours)
• Community Placement (200 hours)

Becoming a Registered Pharmacy Technician in the Province of Ontario 

To be eligible to become a Registered Pharmacy Technician, you must graduate from a program that has been accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). There are additional registration requirements after graduation to pursue registration as a pharmacy technician with the Ontario College of Pharmacists including comprehensive National examinations. These requirements are fully described on the OCP website at http://www.ocpinfo.com/registration/register-technician/ccapp-technician/.

You should become familiar with your future professional body by visiting the OCP web site at www.ocpinfo.com.

Pharmacy Technician Program Career Opportunities  

The demand for Pharmacy Technicians is expected to rise in order to meet the health care needs of Canada’s growing and aging population. It is expected the roles and responsibilities of a Pharmacy Technician will continue to evolve in the years to come. Career opportunities exist in community/retail, hospital, long-term care, pharmaceutical companies and government agencies. 

Pharmacy Technician Wage Information 

$/hr rate:

Source: harmacy Technician (NOC 32124) Ontario www.jobbank.gc.ca, February 2025

Pharmacy Technician Program Admission Requirements

Academic Requirement: Ontario Secondary School (OSSD) Diploma or equivalent. An applicant 18 years of age or over without an OSSD may apply as a mature student and write a Ministry of Colleges and Universities approved mature student entrance exam.

In addition to a successful OSSD/equivalent or mature student entrance exam, an applicant must have the following courses at an OSSD level or equivalent:

• senior level mathematics
• senior level English
• biology
• chemistry

For Academic requirements, Canadian citizens or permanent residents with International credentials are required to provide WES or ICAS evaluation.

English Language Proficiency: Language proficiency is an essential skill required for all Pharmacy Technicians. A Pharmacy Technician's ability to communicate is critical in the delivery of safe and effective patient care. Applicants whose first language is not English must meet one of the specific English Language Proficiency requirements as set out below:

a. Language proficiency test results that meet the NAPRA Language Proficiency Requirements for Licensure as a Pharmacy Technician in Canada; or

b. Graduation from a high school in Canada with three consecutive, first language English courses/credits; or

c. Graduation from a Collège d'enseignement général et professionnel (CEGEP) in Quebec with three consecutive, first language English courses/credits; or

d. An undergraduate degree from a university in Canada, where instruction was provided in English.

Reference Resources:

Language Proficiency Requirements for Licensure as a Pharmacy Technician in Canada | NAPRA 

Additional Requirements:

Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident or Immigration approval. 

Assessment Interview to determine suitability for the Pharmacy Technician program.

A medical report including current immunizations is required for placement.

Criminal background check is required for placement.

Pharmacy Technician Program Fee Information 

Tuition: $14,500    Textbooks and other fees: $942    International Student Fee: $2,000