Pharmacy Technician Diploma

Prescription for Success. After just 12 months of full-time study at Bow Valley College’s downtown Calgary campus, students complete 2 months of practicum in hospital† and community pharmacies.

The program has held Provisional Accreditation Status with the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) since 2009, preparing graduates for the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada’s national certification exam.

Pharmacy Technicians are regulated under the Health Professions Act and register with the Alberta College of Pharmacists. Registered Pharmacy Technicians dispense prescriptions, prepare sterile products, compound mixtures, manage inventory, receive verbal orders from prescribers and perform the final check on prescriptions. Demand is increasing and Pharmacy Technicians can earn up to $32/hour.

With over 350 lab hours in a state-of-the-art facility, this program integrates cutting-edge technology and emphasizes hands-on training to produce competitive dispensary-ready graduates. Students learn to prepare sterile products in authentic certified sterile production hoods, and operate a new PACMEDŽ high-speed automated drug dispenser.

Please refer to the Program Tuition Fee Chart for an estimate of the cost of completing a Pharmacy Technician Diploma. When creating a budget, students should consider tuition, additional fees, lab kits, textbooks, and police information check fees. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for advice on financing a Bow Valley College education.

†Every effort is made to accommodate students in hospital placements within the time frame of the program. In some cases, students may be required to complete their hospital placements by travelling to alternative locations outside of Calgary. In rare instances, the College may need to delay the date of completion until a hospital placement can be arranged.

Courses in Program

Semester 1

Semester 2

Semester 3

Semester 4

Admission requirements

Academic Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Minimum 65% in English 30-1 or 30-2
• Minimum 60% in:
  • Pure or Applied Math 30
  • Biology 30
  • Chemistry 30

Additional Requirements

• 70% on math skills assessment (administered after application submitted)

• 30 words per minute on keyboarding assessment (administered after application submitted)

• Current Police Information Check (PIC) must be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to program start date in order to maintain a seat in the program.  Updated PICs may be required one month prior to practicum. The existence of a criminal record may postpone or prevent practicum placement or professional registration.

• Immunization requirements must be met one month prior to first practicum placement.  Detailed instructions will be provided to successful applicants in acceptance package.

• Proficient manual dexterity is essential. An aptitude for working with spreadsheet and database applications is an asset. Candidates should be detail-oriented with the ability to problem-solve and multi-task.

English Language Proficiency Requirements

• See English Language Proficiency Requirements for details

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Transferability