Since 1987, the MITT Pharmacy Technician Program has prepared students to work collaboratively and competently with pharmacists and other healthcare professionals in a variety of pharmacy practice settings.

The diploma program curriculum – designed by specialized pharmacy experts to reflect the current scope of practice, as well as emerging health care trends and technologies – focuses on the core competencies of everyday pharmacy technician practice. It also aligns with the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) Accreditation Standards for Canadian Pharmacy Technician Programs. Through innovative curriculum and high-impact simulated learning experiences, students are prepared for career success in today’s ever-changing pharmacy environment.

Program learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:

• Identify and implement sector-specific knowledge to day-to-day medication preparation and dispensing;
• Apply knowledge and research-based information while collaborating in the provision of safe, effective, and high-quality patient care;
• Communicate effectively with key stakeholders;
• Act responsibly and professionally, and demonstrate a commitment to ongoing professional development;
• Collaborate with pharmacists and members of intra- and interprofessional health teams in the promotion of a healthier workplace, community, and environment; and
• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed to pursue registration with the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) and listing with the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba (CPhM) as a pharmacy technician.

Skills and characteristics of ideal candidates

• Strong problem-solving skills
• Technologically adaptable
• Able to follow instructions, retain information, and prioritize tasks
• Accountable
• Objective and factual
• Active listening skills, non-judgmental and empathetic
• Detail-oriented and organized
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Strong math skills are an absolute must for pharmacy technicians, which is why this program emphasizes a zero tolerance for math errors. An essential part of the job involves performing calculations to determine dosages and quantities to prepare and dispense medications. The following sample questions reflect the types of calculations associated with these tasks.

Program completion

The Pharmacy Technician Diploma Program requirements must be completed within four years of admission to the program to be eligible for graduation.

Credit Transfer

MITT may consider credit transfer requests for courses completed at other accredited Canadian programs, excluding simulation or practice experience courses (refer to the MITT Credit Transfer Policy).

The MITT experience: Industry driven, Student focused and Sustainable outcomes

MITT’s two-year Pharmacy Technician Diploma program is the only one of its kind in Manitoba. This innovative program emphasizes hands-on simulated learning, including compounding and dispensing activities, and non-sterile and sterile extemporaneous product preparation.

Students engage in laboratory and simulation activities within a state-of-the-art pharmacy simulation space, dedicated to both community and institutional pharmacy practice. As the first early adopter in Canada, it offers unique training in PYXIS MedStation technology. Furthermore, students are certified NAPRA-compliant sterile compounders before their hospital practicum rotation. These distinctive components set this program apart and provide our students with unparalleled practical skills for diverse career pathways.

Mission

Create a high-impact learning environment defined by industry relevant curriculum and differentiated by a quality-centric culture.

Vision

Advance pharmacy technician practice in Manitoba and empower future leaders in the pharmacy technician profession to achieve excellence.

Simulated learning environments

MITT has invested significantly in its simulation spaces (including a new community and institutional dispensary, a community pharmacy, a compounding laboratory, and functioning aseptic product preparation space) to offer students real-world institutional and community pharmacy experiences.

To prepare students to work effectively within an interdisciplinary healthcare team environment, the program includes a number of intraprofessional and interprofessional activities with other MITT health programs, the University of Manitoba and other educational institutions in Winnipeg.

Experienced instructors

Currency of knowledge and pharmacy practice are important values to MITT. The dynamic team of instructors includes licensed pharmacists and listed pharmacy technicians who specialize in community and institutional pharmacy practice.

Meet Our Team:

Jennifer Buffie, Lead Instructor

An accomplished academic, Jennifer graduated with a Bachelor of Science with distinction in 1999 and a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy in 2003 as the silver medalist. After a one-year pharmacy residency at the Ottawa Hospital through University of Toronto, she added a Bachelor of Education with distinction to her portfolio in 2006. Ongoing professional development has broadened this further with specialized certifications.

A practicing pharmacist with extensive institutional and community pharmacy experience, she actively contributes to future practice mandates as a Learning Review Panelist for the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy and on the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba Safety IQ Committee.

After assuming the Program Lead in 2017, Jennifer spearheaded a major program redesign and shepherded the Pharmacy Technician Program through successful program accreditation. Recognized for her academic leadership and contributions to quality programming, Jennifer earned the MITT President's Award of Excellence in 2019.

Emelié Gillingham, Program Instructor

Emelié is a listed Pharmacy Technician and a graduate of the MITT Pharmacy Technician program in addition to a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Winnipeg with studies in the faculty of Education. An active alumnus since graduation, Emelié began with the Pharmacy Technician Program Advisory Committee and transitioned to a role in curriculum development. Her agile creativity and passion for technology has shaped the experiential learning components within the program. As an instructor—Emelié focuses on the institutional side of pharmacy practice with a passion for quality assurance and safety culture, leveraging her breadth of practical experience to prepare her students for success.

Alysha Buck, Program Instructor

Alysha earned a Bachelor of Pharmacy (BSc Pharm) with distinction from the University of Manitoba in 2004. She has distinguished herself in community practice, earning a nomination for Shoppers Drug Mart Western Pharmacist of the Year within a year of graduation and later The North West Company President's Award for Leadership in 2017.

Transitioning from clinical practice into a leadership role, she became the Director of Pharmacy Operations at The Northwest Company in 2018. She is passionate about increasing the visibility of Indigenous health issues, and spearheaded several national corporate cultural awareness campaigns. In 2020, she moved into independent pharmacy consultancy to support a broader network of local pharmacies. A champion of accessible pharmacy services, she co-founded Sabe Wellness, a virtual medical clinic to support remote, rural and underserved communities in 2020.

Pinkell Barawed, Program Instructor

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (with distinction) from the Philippines, Pinkell built a successful career in her home country as a licensed pharmacist. She worked in community pharmacy and served as the assistant chief pharmacist at a tertiary hospital. Additionally, she gained valuable experience as a professional medical representative, where she was recognized as Rookie of the Year. After immigrating to Canada and aiming to work in Canadian pharmacy practice, Pinkell continued her professional development by enrolling in the MITT Pharmacy Technician Program. Since 2016, she has broadened her previous pharmacy experience with roles in community pharmacy, sterile compounding, and adult inpatient pharmacy in Canada. In 2021, she achieved listing status as a Pharmacy Technician.

Accreditation: Canadian council for accreditation of pharmacy programs

The Pharmacy Technician Program at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology has been awarded Accreditation Status by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs from January 1, 2023 to June 30, 2028.

The MITT Pharmacy Technician Program has qualified for accreditation since 2010.

The program curriculum aligns with the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) Professional Competencies for Canadian Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice and the Canadian Pharmacy Technician Educators Association (CPTEA) Educational Outcomes for Pharmacy Technician Programs in Canada.

This program qualifies students to write the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) Qualifying Exam. With a PEBC Pharmacy Technician Certificate of Qualification, graduates of this program may pursue listing with the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba.

The Pharmacy Technician Diploma program includes three work practicums: two in community pharmacy practice and one in a hospital pharmacy environment. In these unpaid, preceptor-led placements, students gain relevant work experience and enhance entry-to-practice competence under the direction of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician.

MITT does not guarantee placement site choice or proximity to a student’s residence. The institution reserves the right to assign out-of-town placements, including to remote locations. Practicum shifts may be scheduled outside the standard program hours.

Practicum Eligibility Criteria:

The Pharmacy Technician Program has the following eligibility criteria for Work Practicum qualification:

• Successful completion of all prerequisite courses
• Demonstrated safe patient standard compliance
• Clear Police Vulnerable Sector Check or RCMP equivalent (dated within six months of the practicum end date)
• Clear Provincial Child Abuse Registry
• Clear Adult Abuse Registry
• Current, approved immunization record (as per the WRHA guidelines for Health Care Workers)
• Emergency First Aid/CPR training
• Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) certificate
• Violence Protection Program (VPP) training
• Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) certificate
• Certified NAPRA-compliant sterile compounders training
• Valid Co-op Work Permit (applies to international students only)

Work practicum is a mandatory component of this program. To participate, students must meet all Work Practicum eligibility criteria; MITT cannot guarantee placements to students who do not meet these requirements.

Work practicum partners

MITT has extensive ties in industry and works with recognized community and institutional partners to provide our students with meaningful practice experiences. These partnerships include organizations such as, but are not limited to:

• Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA)
• Southern Health-Santé Sud
• Interlake Eastern Regional Health Authority
• Prairie Mountain Health Authority
• Northern Regional Health Authority
• Boniface General Hospital
• Sobeys National Pharmacy Group
• Shoppers Drug Mart
• Walmart Pharmacy

Resources

• Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs
• College of Pharmacists of Manitoba
• National Association for Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities
• Canadian Pharmacy Technician Educators Association
• Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada
• Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians

The Pharmacy Technician Program gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the following donors:

Simulated Pharmacy

Pharmacy Technician Compounding Laboratories

Computer Lab and Pharmacy Sterile Room

MITT continuously reviews and improves programs to maintain relevance in the workplace and effective learning experiences for all students. Although the institution strives to have the website reflect the most current version of all programs, MITT reserves the right to change the program curriculum as necessary to meet industry and accreditation requirements. As a result, course information and learning outcomes may be adjusted prior to the scheduled course start date.