School for Pharmacy Technician
 

what is the best school to go to for a full time pharmacy technician program. I need one that includes practicum or co-op.

tia

VCC?

VCC - confirmed. Our hospital does not hire any techs from any other college (except the UBC Pharmacy students). Apply fast though, I think the wait list is a year or two long

damn missed the march one, maybe i'll try for the september one.

what about vancouver career college or cdi

those any good?

I think you can get a job with maybe a shoppers drug mart or something, but you will not be able to get a hospital job unless you graduated from VCC. Its because all the other programs do not offer the hospital rotation.

Sprott-Shaw also has a pharm tech program, I don't remember if they offer co-op or practicum though. My gf finished the program there and now works at VGH.

VCC is probably your best bet. VCC offers a few different Pharmacy Technician programs. A community pharmacy program, a hospital pharmacy program, and one that encompasses both elements. The community pharmacy program is intended to allow you to work at a retail-based pharmacy. (ie. Safeway, London Drugs, Shoppers etc.) The hospital pharmacy program is intended for people who has had previous experience in a retail-pharmacy setting that would like to transition into the hospital setting, I believe. The comprehensive program is for people who do not have previous experience, but will allow you to work in both community and hospital settings. All Pharmacy Technician programs at VCC have practicum components. For the comprehensive program, community and hospital practicums are required.

So, depending on where you want to work, just take the corresponding program. If you have previously worked in a Pharmacy (2years+) you can apply directly to the Hospital Pharmacy program where you will learn things like I.V. prep etc. to get you working within the Hospital setting. The hospitals generally pay a lot better in relationship to retail-based pharmacy. I believe the pharmacy technicians at hospitals start somewhere in the range of $22 dollars an hour, vs $10 dollars an hour at a local drug store.

You may consider working in a retail setting while you are on the waitlist for the program as many drugstores will hire pharmacy techs without previous experience or related education. That way, you gain valuable experience while you wait, and by the time you graduate with your credential, you will already have the experience Hospitals require to get you hired.

If you attend a private institution like CDi etc, your chances of being hired at a Hospital are hampered. The reason being, as others have noted that these institutions do not have a Hospital practicum component. This is essential, because the work that Pharmacy Techs do at Hospitals are fundamentally different than those who work within retail settings.

This is not to say that you won`t be hired at a hospital if you choose other schools, but rather it is probably not the best option.

Indeed, many people from schools like Cdi, sprott-shaw get hired at the hospital, but these people are usually those that have had atleast 2-3 years experience working in retail-settings. VCC grads on the other hand are frequently hired by hospitals soon after graduation. This is because hospitals know that they posess the skills required, and are ready to work.

In addition to what Jude has said, pharmacy technicians that come through the hospital with VCC are actually fully trained like the regular staff WHILE they are students. And once they have finished the VCC program, if the hospital pharm managers like what they see, they will likely 90% hire you provided you are normal and not some sociopath/junkie. That is the advantage that VCC students have because they are already fully trained in all hospital aspects of the specific hospital they trained at.. where as the CDI/Career college grads have nothing comparable to offer

pharmacy tech a high demand right now in hospitals?

where can i find a job p/t job that doesnt require experience? most of the ones that i looked at requires a completion of pharm tech school

London Drugs does not require their technicians to possess any formal training or education.