Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technicians play an important role in the health of patients. They provide valuable information about the correct way to take medication and about possible side effects.
Vancouver Career College's Pharmacy Technician training teaches students the skills and theoretical knowledge necessary to enter the pharmacy environment as a Pharmacy Technician. The 43-week program teaches students to compound pharmaceuticals, dispense medication, prepare products in an aseptic environment, and keep accurate records. Purchasing and merchandising is also covered.
Students gain hands-on experience through practicum placements in both a community and institutional pharmacy setting.
“I chose the college because it was highly recommended for being hired for any job." - Karen V., Vancouver Career College Graduate
Program Courses
The program outline below is for British Columbia.
| COURSE CODE | COURSE NAME | CREDITS |
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- 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 stressmanagement 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 andlearn how to write effective cover letters.
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- The first component of this course is designed to introduce students to basic computer literacy through familiarization with the components that make up a computer. Students will also look at the Windows operating system to learn how to manage a computer on a regular basis. The second component of this course will teach the basic to intermediate skills required to work with a variety of business documents including the following Microsoft Office products: Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft PowerPoint. The third and final component is designed to introduce students to considerations for living online. Students will look at what the Internet is and how e-mail has made a huge impact on communicating with others, as well as look at how to find information on the Internet and avoid risk to personal security while online.
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- This comprehensive course includes everything covered in Emergency First Aid and CPR as well as a wide range of other first aid topics that will provide participants with advanced knowledge and skills required to prevent further injury. Skills acquired in this course include CPR Level C; emergency scene management; multiple casualty management; and wound care.
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- 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. Students will also learn anatomical terminology, an overview of the body systems, as well as basic structures, functions and disease states of cells, tissues and skin; gastro-intentinal and genitourinary systems; the musculo-skeletal system; nervous and endocrine systems; eye and ear; and cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
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- Students are introduced to the use of pharmacy software in dispensing medications and will become familiar with the various software screen shots. Students will be able to enter the required information for patient profiles and look up particular patient profiles. Students will also be able to create or update new drug files and doctor information, as well as the third party billing information. Adjudicating a prescription online will also be covered.
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- Introduction to Pharmacy is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the pharmacy profession. This subject will introduce the student to the important role that they will play as a Pharmacy Technician. The student will review pharmacy history to see how pharmacies in general, and their role as a technician, have changed throughout the centuries. The profession of pharmacy as it is today will be examined from the context of the role of the pharmacy personnel, the structure of the various types of pharmacies that are in our society, and the laws, regulations and record keeping requirements governing the practice of pharmacy in the province.
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- In this course, students learn various mechanisms of drug action and will gain an understanding of pharmacokinetic processes that affect drug/body interaction, the procedure for administration of pharmacologic agents, and will be able to identify major drugs by drug class. Students will learn about drug indications, therapeutic uses, side effects, administration routes, and common dosages. Students will be exposed to the work and language of the Pharmacy Technician and the context in which the technician’s work is performed. Current pharmaceutical care delivery systems and drug distribution systems are introduced.
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- This course is designed to provide students with the mathematical skills needed in the preparation of parenteral products, community, and hospital compounding. This course will allow the students to become familiar with the multiple ways of expressing strengths, systems of weights, and measurements currently used in pharmacy practice. Number systems, decimals and fractions; the relationship between ratios, percents and proportions; and different types of solutions will also be covered in this course.
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- Students are introduced to dispensing techniques and procedures with a great deal of emphasis on the role of the pharmacy technician in relation to the role and responsibilities of the pharmacist in a retail pharmacy. Students become familiar with the fact that they must complete many of the technical duties so that the pharmacist is available primarily for patient care. The student is introduced to the prescription and all of its components, as well as the computerized and manual system of preparation and maintenance of patient profiles, and completion of third party billings. The student will become skilled at how to completely fill a prescription in a laboratory setting. Pharmacy equipment and dispensing techniques will be demonstrated, explained, and practiced in the lab. This course is designed to expose the student to general principles of efficient inventory management in the community pharmacy.
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- The student will review and practice the various mixing techniques and standards of commercial compounding and learn the necessity of, and limitations to, commercial compounding. Compounding will be taught through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, and practical exercises. The student will become proficient at the use of torsion and electronic balances to accurately weigh ingredients to compound.
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- This course is designed to provide students with the basic principles of microbiology and the reasons why reducing microbial contamination in a pharmacy is necessary. Students will learn how to control microbial contamination by using both chemical and/or physical means. Students will study basic principles of infection control. Emphasis will be placed on aseptic techniques in the preparation of pharmaceutical products.
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- Students will learn the various types of drug distribution systems in hospitals and institutional settings and the procedure for managing drug inventory. Students will become familiar with the process of receiving drugs and record keeping, as well as the drug delivery systems that may be used in long-term care facilities. Students will be introduced to provincial formularies and central supply lists. Students will also be exposed to current literature analysis and presentation of modern concepts in drug distribution; drug information systems; application of data processing to decentralized pharmacy services; and administrative principles peculiar to an institutional pharmacy.
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- Students will write a final exam in the last week of the Pharmacy Technician program. The examination will include a practical component and a comprehensive theory exam. The practical exam includes all skills taught throughout the program. The theory exam is composed of approximately 400 comprehensive multiple-choice items.
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- Practicum (on-the-job) experience in the community setting is an essential component of the Pharmacy Technician training service. It provides the physical and human resources by which the trainee may build on their knowledge and skills in the pharmaceutical setting. Practical experience helps develop the student’s understanding of employer expectations, permits involvement in the educational process for both pharmacists and pharmacy employees, and fosters a cooperative effort between college and professional pharmacists.
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- Practicum (on-the-job) experience in the community setting is an essential component of the Pharmacy Technician training service. It provides the physical and human resources by which the trainee may build on their knowledge and skills in the pharmaceutical setting. Practical experience helps develop the student’s understanding of employer expectations, permits involvement in the educational process for both pharmacists and pharmacy employees, and fosters a cooperative effort between college and professional pharmacists.
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- This course is designed to equip students with interpersonal skills identified by employers as essential for success in the professional world. Using a variety of instructional methods including case studies, group exercises, and discussion, students learn and practice key communication skills.
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- Students will have the use of our Job Search lab which has unlimited Internet access, a job search resource library and a fax machine and phone for contacting prospective employers. Facilitators will also be made available to advise on job finding resources, interview skills and techniques, and to carry out mock interviews. Students review core program concepts and learning in order to market their skills effectively.