College Certificate in Community Pharmacy Assistant
London, Canada
DURATION
30 Weeks
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Request application deadline
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2025
TUITION FEES
CAD 16,375 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for international costs | Canadian costs: CAD 3,893.84
Introduction
A career as a community pharmacy assistant takes attention to detail, a knack for problem-solving, wide-ranging technical knowledge, and solid interpersonal skills. You’ll work under the direction of a registered pharmacist or pharmacy technician to contribute to the success of a pharmacy. If you’re interested in a satisfying career that makes a difference, the Community Pharmacy Assistant program will get you on your way to career success.
Your Learning Experience
You’ll learn technical concepts, develop creative problem-solving strategies, and foster excellent interpersonal skills to support the expanding scope of both pharmacy technicians and pharmacists. You will become proficient in prescription processing, third-party adjudication (dispensary reimbursements), managing inventory, compounding non-sterile products, working with various forms of pharmacy automation, and assisting customers with products sold in a community pharmacy.
In addition to classroom instruction, you’ll practice in Fanshawe’s brand new, state-of-the-art community pharmacy lab and complete a 4-month placement where you’ll get valuable, real-world experience working as a vital member of both community and long-term care pharmacy environments.
Your learning experience will include a unique opportunity to achieve PCCA’s Introductory Compounding Bootcamp certificate: this two-day workshop will facilitate access to specialized compounding equipment to create alternative dosage forms and discuss safety, product quality, personal protective equipment (PPE) and other standards of practice affiliated with professional pharmacy compounding.
You’ll also have an opportunity to take your education in pharmacy studies to the next level; completion of this program will allow you to obtain advanced standing in Fanshawe’s Pharmacy Technician program.
The Community Pharmacy Assistant program prepares graduates to collaborate with a pharmacist and/or pharmacy technician registered by the Ontario College of Pharmacists to:
- Utilize various forms of pharmacy automation to prepare/dispense patient medication;
- Dispense, sell and compound medications;
- Manage inventory;
- Interact with patients and other health care providers and;
- Assist in the provision of medication therapy management and pharmacy services.
CIP Code: 51.0805
Admissions
Curriculum
Level 1
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
- Personal and Working Relationship
- Community Pharmacy Practice 1
- Pharmacy Fundamentals
- Pharmaceutical Mathematics
- Computers in Pharmacy
- Reason and Writing 1 for Health Sciences
Level 2
Take all of the following Mandatory Courses:
- Compounding in Community Practice
- Non-Prescription Products and Devices
- Pharmacology
- Applied Community Practice
- Community Placement
Program Outcome
- Comply with all legislation governing pharmacy practice while adhering to established ethical standards and practices.
- Assist the pharmacist and/or pharmacy technician in dispensing, packaging, and labelling prescription products ensuring precision and accuracy.
- Discuss commonly encountered medical conditions and the basic pharmacologic drug classes which pertain to these conditions using appropriate medical language, pharmacological naming, terminology, and non-proprietary/proprietary drug names.
- Compound non-sterile pharmaceutical products according to current standards, policies, and guidelines.
- Perform database entry, third-party plan adjudication, inventory control, marketing plan implementation, and cash handling processes.
- Effectively communicate and collaborate with patients, pharmacy team members, care providers, and other health professionals in the provision of excellent customer service.
- Recognize and refer instances requiring pharmacist intervention and pharmacy technician verification.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Graduates of Fanshawe’s Community Pharmacy Assistant program are in high demand with career opportunities in community pharmacies and some long-term care settings working collaboratively with pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to safely and efficiently prepare prescriptions including compounded pharmaceutical products for the public.
Here is an example of an opportunity Career Services has received for graduates of Fanshawe’s Community Pharmacy Assistant program:
Community Pharmacy Assistant
Responsible for data entry, pharmacy inventory, and preparing prescriptions under the direction of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician.