Pharmacy assistants play a vital role in Canadian health care, and their services are in high demand.
With our growing and aging population, the support of pharmacy assistants is more essential than ever before.
Acting as direct support for pharmacists, pharmacy assistants perform many tasks including filling prescriptions, packing and labelling pharmaceutical products, maintaining prescription records and medication inventories, compounding medications, and handling sale transactions.
Providing excellent customer service is also an important part of their role. “They interact with pharmacists, patients, and also doctors,” says Bipin Shah, a pharmacy instructor at Medix College. The school’s Pharmacy Assistant program educates students on customer service, professionalism, and communication skills.
Students also learn the history of pharmacy, legislation and health care systems, federal and provincial legislation, prescription interpretation and the abbreviations, various dosage forms, the various therapeutic classifications of drugs, human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, pharmacy compounding, and more.
Rewarding opportunities in the pharmacy field
Medix College’s Pharmacy Assistant program is a 10-month program that prepares students for a career in pharmacy assisting. During the last five weeks of the program, students do internships, which Shah says often turn into full-time positions for students.
There are many opportunities in the pharmacy field for graduates. “Pharmacy assistants are in high demand and have good chances of getting hired,” says Shah. Career opportunities include positions with retail pharmacies, hospitals, home health care facilities, pharmaceutical manufacturers, community pharmacies, long-term care facilities, and public health service clinics.
Pharmacy Assistant Student Perspectives
Three graduates from the Pharmacy Assistant program at Medix College share their journeys in the industry.
Heghine Awanes Zeretsian
Pharmacy Assistant, I.D.A. Cassandra Pharmacy
What’s a normal day like for you?
I start every day full of energy, ready to gain new experiences and face new challenges. My responsibilities in the pharmacy are greeting people, updating their profiles, entering and filling their prescriptions, checking doctors’ faxes, and answering the phone — all with the help of the experienced and helpful pharmacists.
What’s the best part of your job?
Helping patients and seeing their satisfaction gives me more motivation to excel at my job.
What would you tell someone who’s interested in this career path?
Don’t hesitate to start your journey with Medix College. Going back to school after 20 years was a hard decision, especially as a mother of two. But the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. I try to do my best and be as successful as I can be in my second career. I achieved my goals and I owe this to Medix College, to my remarkable instructors, to the well-organized and prepared classes, and, most importantly, to the materials provided to help me succeed. Using the pharmacy computer system helped me start training myself on prescription entries. The in-class pharmacy had commonly-used medications on the shelves where you were able to train yourself by organizing the medications, counting, filling, labelling, and making prescriptions ready for pick-up as if you were in a real pharmacy. Overall, I highly recommend pursuing a career as a pharmacy assistant.
Anderson Dias
Pharmacy Assistant, Rexall
What’s a normal day like for you?
A typical day for me consists of cashing out customers, filling prescriptions, and processing medications and any new scripts that come in.
What’s the best part of your job?
The best part of my job is the interaction with the patients and being able to help put a smile on people’s faces. This really helps make the job special.
What would you tell someone who’s interested in this career path?
You have to be able to keep calm when things are stressful. There are instances when it feels like there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done, especially during flu season. However, with good communication skills, hard work, and a calm demeanour, everything will work out.
Rene Beronio
Pharmacy Assistant, Baxter International
What’s a normal day like for you?
I usually begin my day by going over the schedule and job allocations. Then, I start performing my duties as a pharmacy assistant and coordinating with the team leaders.
What’s the best part of your job?
The best part of the job is when the team leaders and supervisors acknowledge my contribution to the team.
What would you tell someone who’s interested in this career path?
Commitment and true dedication are key. Keeping a positive attitude and hard work can conquer almost everything. Keep looking forward.
