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Alberta Supports Contact Centre

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pharmacy technician in lab
Health and Social Services

Pharmacy Technician

Pharmacy technicians work under the direction of pharmacists to promote safe and effective drug distribution. They may gather and store prescription and patient information, repackage products, compound and dispense drugs, manage inventory, or teach the practice of pharmacy technicians.

Contact

Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP)
Suite 1100
8215 - 112th Street NW
Edmonton, Alberta  T6G 2C8
Canada

Call: 780-990-0321
Toll-free: 1-877-227-3838
Fax: 780-990-0328

Email: acpinfo@abpharmacy.ca
Website: abpharmacy.ca

Legislation

Under Alberta’s Health Professions Act [pdf], Health Professions Restricted Activity Regulation [pdf], and Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians Profession Regulation [pdf], registration with the Alberta College of Pharmacy (ACP) is mandatory. Only regulated members may provide the restricted activities specified in the Regulations. This includes those who:

  • Meet identified competency requirements and provide professional services directly to the public
  • Teach the practice of the profession to members or students of the profession
  • Use the words “registered” and “regulated” and the titles: pharmacy technician, pharmacy technologist, dispensary technician, or dispensary technologist
  • Use the initials: Pharm.Tech., Ph.T., or R.Ph.T.

What You Need

To register as a pharmacy technician (Pharm.Tech.) in Alberta, you must successfully complete:

  • An accredited pharmacy technician diploma program or an approved equivalent
  • The ACP Jurisprudence Learning Module and Ethics and Jurisprudence Exam
  • The ACP Structured Practical Training (SPT) program
  • The PEBC Qualifying Examination, Part I and Part II

Applicants who have been out of practice for a period also must demonstrate that they are currently competent to practise.

There are other registration categories for pharmacy technicians.

A provisional pharmacy technician:

  • Has met the academic requirement for a Pharm.Tech. but not the training and exam requirements
  • Can register for the SPT program
  • Must work under the direct supervision of a pharmacy technician or pharmacist
  • Can use the title provisional pharmacy technician

For details about all registration requirements, contact ACP or visit the ACP website.

 

Working in Alberta

Pharmacy technicians who are registered and in good standing with a regulatory body elsewhere in Canada may be eligible for registration in Alberta.

For more information, see What if I am already certified in another province or territory in Canada? and the ACP website.

Internationally educated pharmacy technicians need to complete a bridging program along with other requirements before they can apply as a provisional pharmacy technician. For more information, visit the ACP website.

The certification information in this profile may change at any time and without notice. Before making any career decisions, we advise you to contact the regulatory organization or visit their website for the most updated information.

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