Diploma Program

Pharmacy Assistant

Diploma

36 weeks

Qualified Instructors

This program can be offered at the campus(es) below. Please contact the campus of your choosing for program availability and delivery methods.

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Employment Rate

91%

*Jan-Dec 2023, CDI College BC

Median Wage

$25 /hour

*Jobbank.gc.ca; 2025

CDI College

Study On Campus

British Columbia

Programs and Courses

Healthcare

Pharmacy Assistant

Start Your Career as a Pharmacy Assistant Salary

The Pharmacy Assistant diploma program at CDI College provides training in office, clerical, and medical skills to support pharmacists.

The program covers pharmacology, medical terminology, pharmacy industry software, customer service skills, and includes a four-week practicum for hands-on experience.

For more information about our policies, click below:

Student Handbook - Dispute Resolution Policy - Sexual Misconduct Policy - Refund Policy

MEDICAL LANGUAGE
HEALTH CARE COMMUNICATION
MEDICAL EMERGENCY AND FIRST AID PROCEDURES
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
PHARMACOLOGY
COMPOUNDING
PHARMACY SOFTWARE
COMMUNITY PHARMACY
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

Approved & Designated

This program is approved by the Registrar of the Private Training Institutions Regulatory Unit (PTIRU) of British Columbia.

Program Courses

Student Success Strategies [SSS4]

The purpose of this course is to provide students with the knowledge, skills and study techniques to help foster effective learning and a positive educational experience. This course explores two components of learning styles, Multiple Intelligence-based theory and Personality Spectrum – MBTI-based theory, and how learning styles and personality types affect learning. The course will cover the importance of values, their relationship to goals and goal setting. Strategies for setting personal goals, prioritizing tasks, managing time, and the stress that results from study or work situations will be explored and practiced through active participation in learner-centred activities. Effective study habits, techniques for preparing for tests and productive note taking strategies are key topics of this course that will provide the students with the necessary skills and attitudes to be successful in school. Having a sound understanding of financial, money, credit and debt matters and their implication on our lives is critical knowledge to have. Students taking this course will benefit from completing the Financial Management Workshops, which provides comprehensive coverage of financial and money management skills that will allow them to better save, budget, and manage their money and financial situations.

Introduction to Computers [ITC4]

This course introduces the students to the basic elements of using a computer with an emphasis on the functionality of an operating system and tasks related to file management and word processing. Relying very heavily on a hands-on practical training approach, students learn by doing through skills based
simulations, training and assessments. The course provides an overview of Microsoft 365 where you will learn about the common features of the applications and file management fundamentals. The course then focuses on the core features of Microsoft Word where students learn proper document formatting, organization and editing using the tools and features of the ribbon. The course will then continue with more advanced topics such as working with tables, lists, objects, templates footnotes and endnotes and mail merges.

Medical Language I: Foundations [MAA101]

Medicine, like other professions, has its own language. Students will learn to work with the specialized terminology of medicine, including the pronunciation and spelling of terms to describe medical circumstances and situations. Students will learn through descriptions, illustrations and exercises to identify the major anatomical features and systems of the body and the common pathologies, which can adversely affect these systems.

Health Care Communication & Interpersonal Skills [MAA110]

This is a specially designed course for the new health care professional in the medical field. In business, as in other interpersonal contacts, the impression formed is in the first 10- 15 seconds and is crucial to the success of the relationship. The importance of the customer and of customer relations to business success is examined through case studies and roleplaying. Students learn relevant techniques of human behaviour and how they may be applied to improve customer relations in the medical office. Learning basic communication skills especially relating to the medical field will assist the student in dealing with all patients. Understanding cultural differences and encouraging diversity can add a new dimension and safer patient health care delivery to the medical office. Some topics covered in this course include demonstrating respect in the health care field to co-workers/patients/clients, legal issues such as “The Scope of the MOA’s Realm,” defusing angry patients/customers, and customer values and how to deliver those values. Being knowledgeable about these topics keeps customers coming back due to excellent customer service skills

Medical Emergency – First Aid Procedures [MEC4]

This component provides students with the knowledge and skills that are required to recognize and prevent medical emergencies within the Pharmacy. It will prepare students to assist the pharmacist in administering immediate care for the client in the pharmacy. Students also participate in the Lectures, reading assignments will provide a basic understanding of medical emergencies and the role of the pharmacy assistant in assisting with the administration of care used in the Pharmacy. This information permits the student to interpret and relay information and communicates with the pharmacist and emergency workers.

Anatomy and Physiology [PHA100]

This course is designed to provide students with an opportunity to discover and understand the basic Anatomy and Physiology of the body systems and to give them the knowledge of various disease states of these body systems. Students are introduced to the basic anatomy and physiology of the major body systems and their components. They are made aware of how a body and its multiple parts function together by working as one unit. They are introduced to the effects that disease states have on the body whether they are viral, fungal, bacterial, hormonal or other and will begin to understand the role that medications play in treatment.

Introduction to Pharmacy [PHA200]

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 in a career as a Pharmacy Assistant. They will also become familiar with the Canadian Pharmacy Organization, Standards of
Practice, Legislations, and Ethics. In Introduction to Pharmacy, the student will first review pharmacy history to see how pharmacies in general and their role as an assistant 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. Students are then introduced to both Federal and Provincial drug benefit plans along with other private third party insurance companies and their billing procedures. Lastly, Introduction to Pharmacy provides the necessary requirements to make a prescription, patient profile and label valid and the process of filling a prescription.

Pharmacology: Diseases and Drugs [PHA210]

This course explores the basic principles of pharmacology, with an emphasis on drugs used for prevalent diseases in the community setting. Students will learn the pharmacokinetic processes that affect medications and the body. Students will learn to identify drugs by their therapeutic use. Students will learn about conditions that affect the different body systems and how these conditions are treated with prescription and over-the-counter medications. Commonly prescribed Canadian generic and brand name drugs will be discussed along with dosage forms, indications, contraindications, side effects, drug interactions and other special administration considerations and dispensing tips.

Pharmaceutical Calculations [PHA220]

This course is designed to provide students with the mathematical skills a Pharmacy Assistant needs to work in a pharmacy. The course will prepare students for a variety of situations that could be encountered in a pharmacy: calculating medications to be dispensed; calculating ingredients for basic compounding; business math that pertains to pharmacy practice. The students will also become familiar with multiple ways of expressing strengths, systems of weights and measurements, and dispensing language currently used in pharmacy practice.

Community Pharmacy [PHA230]

This course is designed to teach students about the various aspects of community pharmacy from the viewpoint of the pharmacy assistant. The course covers the dispensing process and dispensing techniques, pharmacy business practices, third party billing, and blister packing. Students learn about pharmacy business practices both in the dispensary and front store. Students learn to complete many of the technical tasks associated with the day-to-day operations of a pharmacy. Students read and interpret a prescription, review calculations, enter prescriptions into the manual or computerized system to be filled, and complete the appropriate filling process including packaging. Pharmacy equipment and dispensing techniques will be demonstrated within the course with the opportunity for students to practice as well. The course exposes students to general principles of effective and efficient inventory management. Theory and practice will educate students about control and maintenance of community pharmacy inventory. Students will be learning a minimum of 200 commonly used Canadian drug names and reviewing their use. Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS) objectives will also be covered. An Introduction to Kroll, pharmacy software, and prescription entry is explained, demonstrated and practiced.

Compounding [PHA240]

This module is designed to give the student the skills and knowledge that are required to develop a career as a Pharmacy Assistant. Students will become efficient at preparing pharmaceutical preparations and the necessary documentation to meet and maintain standards. Emphasis is on calculations in this module. The students will become proficient at the use of equipment and supplies used in compounding. A variety of dosage forms will be reviewed with emphasis being placed on the knowledge and skills that are needed to accurately prepare prescribed compounds.

The students will review and practice the various mixing techniques and NAPRA standards of non-sterile compounding and learn the necessity of compounding medications. Students are expected to calculate, measure, weigh and mix. Proper and timely cleaning and maintenance of compounding equipment and area will be stressed.

Pharmacy Software Fundamentals [PHA250]

Pharmacy software applications are necessary in both the retail and institutional setting. The students are required to efficiently use the KROLL pharmacy software in all aspects of the daily processes that take place in a pharmacy. The more knowledgeable the student is with respect to the detail involved in entering and processing prescriptions, the more valuable they will be to the employer.

Many pharmacies are actively using the KROLL pharmacy software. It is a user-friendly program with a variety of options that help deliver optimal care to the patient.

Pharmacy Assistant Integration Practice [PHA260]

In this final integration practice module, students are provided with the opportunity to practice and understand the basic technical duties required to work as a Pharmacy Assistant in a community pharmacy in Canada. Students will participate in duties and tasks as Pharmacy Assistants working in a community pharmacy. Their daily tasks
will include receiving prescriptions, patient and prescription data entry, generating labels, retrieving or compounding medications, filling each prescription, leaving prescriptions to be checked, returning stock to inventory, filing completed prescription hard copies, storing prescriptions for pick-up and delivery.

Career & Employment Strategies [CES4]

In addition to learning career-oriented skills, students learn how to get a job in their chosen profession. Our Employment Services department will assist the graduate in resume writing, as well as preparing for job interviews. Our staff is sensitive to current job market trends and the needs of employers in each local market.
Our graduates receive guidance and training to use career tools that help job seekers build a better resume and cover letter, manage an online portfolio, hone interviewing skills, and develop a personal brand online.
Students will have the use of a computer lab which has unlimited Internet access, as well as job search resources. Facilitators will also be made available to advise on job finding resources, interview skills and techniques and to carry out mock interviews.

This course also looks at the planning, preparation, execution, and follow-up stages of an interview:

How people find jobs
Employer expectations
Presenting an enthusiastic attitude
Focusing on the right job and the hidden job market
Transferrable skills
Thank you letters
Effective telemarketing
Handling objections, self-confidence, and self-esteem
Individual counselling and coaching

Pharmacy Assistant Practicum [PHA299]

This practicum will place students in actual workplaces related
to their field of study where they are expected to act as a
regular employee for the set time periods in order to gain the
valuable “real world” experience, often sought by employers
who are hiring. Students are encouraged to find their own work
experience; however, once placed, continuation in the
placement is a mandatory diploma requirement. This
practicum is an unpaid work experience.

Students and practicum hosts are provided with a practicum
“package” that outlines the expectations of both the student
and the host that need to be met to have a successful
outcome.

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Admission

Benefits of this program

Employment Opportunities

Students must meet all of the prerequisites listed below, meet their financial obligations with the college, and acknowledge their understanding of the college’s policies and procedures provided in the student handbook prior to starting classes.

Proof of high school graduation or equivalent (General Education Development or BC Adult Basic Education)

Mature student status (19 years of age upon starting classes)
Passing the College’s General Math Exam with a passing score of 50%)

AND

Proof of English Language proficiency

Note: Transcripts from an institution outside of Canada must be verified by an international education credential evaluation service, such as WES or ICES.

Practicum, Clinical Placement or Preceptorship Requirements:

Criminal record check (in accordance with the Criminal Records Review Act)

Real-world practicum experience
Industry-recognized skills and technologies
Industry-experienced instructors
Student-focused learning environment
Personalized instruction
Six months of post-graduate career services support
First Aid and CPR certification
Demand for Healthcare professionals

Community/Retail Pharmacies
Health Food/Products Businesses
Internet Pharmacy Companies

Admission

Proof of high school graduation or equivalent (General Education Development or BC Adult Basic Education)

Mature student status (19 years of age upon starting classes)
Passing the College’s General Math Exam with a passing score of 50%)

AND

Proof of English Language proficiency

Note: Transcripts from an institution outside of Canada must be verified by an international education credential evaluation service, such as WES or ICES.

Practicum, Clinical Placement or Preceptorship Requirements:

Criminal record check (in accordance with the Criminal Records Review Act)

Benefits of this program

Real-world practicum experience
Industry-recognized skills and technologies
Industry-experienced instructors
Student-focused learning environment
Personalized instruction
Six months of post-graduate career services support
First Aid and CPR certification
Demand for Healthcare professionals

Employment Opportunities

Community/Retail Pharmacies
Health Food/Products Businesses
Internet Pharmacy Companies

Experience the CDI College Difference

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Language Proficiency

Evidence of English proficiency is required upon admission by meeting one of the following:

1. Completion of 3 years of full-time secondary education (Grades 8-12) or 2 years (grades 10, 11 or 12) in a country where English is one of the principal languages. This may be demonstrated by providing a high school transcript, completion of a BC Adult Graduation program or providing international education credentials recognized through WES, ICES, or IQAS.

2. Completion of 2 years of full-time post-secondary education* at an accredited institution where English is the language principal of instruction. International education credentials must be recognized through WES, ICES, and IQAS).

*Language development courses (i.e., ELL courses) cannot be included in this calculation.

3. Minimum accepted English Language Proficiency assessment test scores (see table on the right):

4. Mature Students Only:

Applicant is 19 years or older at the start of the program and is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and
Applicant completes an Accuplacer English Assessment and achieves the following minimum scores: Reading: 230, Writing: 230, WritePlacer: 4

Important note: this option may only be applied when English is the program’s language of instruction, the applicant is a mature domestic student facing barriers, and the applicant cannot access their educational records or cannot provide sufficient evidence of secondary or post-secondary education as outlined in this policy.

Test	Details
IELTS Band	Minimum 5.5 overall
TOEFL IBT	Minimum 46
CELPIP	Listening 6
	Speaking 6
	Reading 5
	Writing 5
CAEL	Minimum 40
PTE Academic	Minimum 43
Duolingo	Minimum 95
Cambridge English Qualifications	B2 First exam (FCE) Minimum 160 or "C"
Cambridge Linguaskill	Minimum B2 First exam
LANGUAGECERT Academic	Minimum B2 level
Michigan English Test (MET)	Minimum B2 level
iTEP Academic	Minimum overall score of 3.5
EIKEN	Minimum placement of Grade Pre-1

Assessment of prior education where English is the language of instruction
Education completed (in English) in the following countries will be considered as counting toward an assessment of prior education in
English.

American Samoa Dominica Lesotho St. Kitts & Nevis
Anguilla Falkland Islands Liberia St. Lucia
Antigua and Barbuda Fiji Malta St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Australia Gambia Mauritius Tanzania
Bahamas Ghana Montserrat Trinidad & Tobago
Barbados Gibraltar New Zealand Turks & Caicos Islands
Belize Grenada Nigeria Uganda
Bermuda Guam Seychelles United Kingdom
Botswana Guyana Sierra Leone US Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands Ireland Singapore USA
Canada Jamaica South Africa Zambia
Cayman Islands Kenya St. Helena Zimbabwe

Industry Certifications

Gain a distinct advantage by earning industry-recognized certifications that validate your expertise and skills in key areas such as digital marketing, project management, and CRM. Our program prepares you to succeed, whether you're advancing, switching careers, or starting your own business. Invest in yourself and join a community of certified professionals shaping the digital economy.

Industry Leading Employers

Our extensive network and reputation for excellence ensure that graduates are in high demand in today's competitive job market. Prepare to excel in sought-after roles with renowned companies and unlock limitless career opportunities. Elevate your career trajectory and secure your future with our program tailored to meet the demands of industry leaders.

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Hear From Our Graduates

Classrooms have a lot of space and it's just like working in a pharmacy. I feel very welcomed and made some new friends. Teachers and staff are awesome.

Sandra T.

Pharmacy Assistant Program Graduate

The healthcare programs at CDI College are definitely top-tier. The program coordinator and instructors are very passionate about students' growth and development. I am grateful to them for equipping me with the medical knowledge and technical skills to be an excellent student.

Tracy-Ann J.

Healthcare Program Graduate

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