Pharmacy Technician Diploma

Prescription for Success. At Bow Valley College’s downtown Calgary campus, students study full-time and complete practicums in hospital†and community pharmacies to obtain a Pharmacy Technician Diploma. The program has Full Accreditation Status†† with the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP), 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 Pharmacy. Registered Pharmacy Technicians have an expanded scope of practice that includes responsibilities such as performing final checks on prescriptions and receiving verbal orders from prescribers. Other tasks include compounding mixtures, dispensing medications, or preparing sterile products such as eye drop compounds or intravenous mixtures. Demand is increasing and pharmacy technicians can earn up to $37/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 PACMED® high-speed automated medication packager. †Students will be required to travel to various locations in order to complete their practicum placements. Every effort is made to accommodate students in placements within the timeframe of the program, however in rare instances there may be a delay in program completion until a placement can be arranged. ††The Pharmacy Technician Program of Bow Valley College has been awarded Accreditation Status by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs from January 1st, 2023 - June 30th, 2028. Program faculty and staff Diane Valiquette, B.Sc.Pharm, Registered Pharmacist (Associate Dean, Allied Health) Crystal Lane, B.Sc.Pharm, Registered Pharmacist (Program Chair, Allied Health) Cheryl Callicutt, Registered Pharmacy Technician (Educational Assistant) Loren Voice, Registered Pharmacy Technician (Instructor) Hadeel Abed, B.Sc.Pharm, Registered Pharmacist, Master of Science (Instructor) Karen Pozniak (Administrative Assistant)

Bow Valley College is an innovative, world-class college with more than 600 faculty and staff who speak more than 50 languages. It is ideally located in the heart of downtown Calgary, a young, vibrant metropolitan centre.  Bow Valley College closely follows national and international trends in business, health care and human services to create certificate and diploma programs that are relevant and useful all over the world. Practicum work terms provide graduates with the competitive skill sets they need to be successful in today’s workplace. Courses are also transferable for further post-secondary study through agreements with other higher education institutions.

Bow Valley wants students to have the best experience on campus, so they offer volunteer opportunities, student events, student services, workshops and engagement activities year-round to make the most of student's time at Bow Valley College. Activities and programming are designed to allow international and Canadian learners to connect, develop intercultural skills and build strength through volunteer opportunities.

Vision
We open doors and open minds by creating opportunities for learners, employees, employers, and communities, and by shaping the future of college education.
Mission

• To include all learners.
• To challenge our thinking.
• To remove barriers.
• To provide opportunity.
• To make all learning count.

Values
Respect, Inclusion, Creativity, Teamwork, Resilience