Pharmacy Technician (Fast-Track) - 607

Ontario College Diploma
Two years
OSAP Checkmark OSAP Eligible
Obtain a prescription to the world of pharmacy practice with simulated pharmacy lab experiences and placements. This is a fast-track delivery of the Pharmacy Technician program, providing an opportunity to acquire the diploma in less time.

Program 607 meets the same MCU Vocational Learning Outcomes and NAPRA Competencies as Program 407 (regular track) in less time (16 months continuous).

Not interested in the Fast Track option? Visit Pharmacy Technician - 407 and complete your program in 2 years.

 

Program Highlights

  • Hands-on learning, with a professional focus throughout the program.
  • Outcomes of the program meet the Entry to Practice Competencies for Pharmacy Technicians, set out by the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA). The program has been awarded accreditation for a three year period (2023-2026) by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP).
  • Work in various intraprofessional and interprofessional teams to enhance learning and appreciation of our health care system.

What you'll learn

  • Acquire knowledge and skills in the delivery of pharmacy services in both community and hospital practices.
  • Understand legislation and methodology surrounding dispensing prescriptions, preparation and distribution of pharmaceuticals, and drug inventory controls
  • Learn the many uses and classes of available prescription and nonprescription drugs, medical devices, herbals and complementary care medicine products.
  • Apply various compounding techniques in the preparation of sterile and non-sterile pharmaceuticals.

Pharmacy Technician Program Mission & Vision

Mission: To provide our students with opportunities to gain and apply quality knowledge, skills, and work place experience and to graduate them profession ready, fully able to perform within the scope of practice for pharmacy technicians, as set out by the national standards of practice.

Vision: Our graduates embrace and engage with the profession and practice as pharmacy technicians who positively contribute to the health of our communities.


Program Length

2 academic years (periods of 8 months)

The program is four continuous semesters (Fast Track). September Semester 1, January Semester 2, May Semester 3, September Semester 4. Students will be done in December, 16 months from the start of the program.

Admission

Domestic and International student admission requirements

  • OSSD or equivalent (Mohawk Academic Upgrading, GED) including:
    • Grade 12 English, C or U or equivalent
    • Grade 11 Mathematics, minimum C (M or U recommended)
    • Grade 11 or 12 Chemistry
    • Grade 11 or 12 Biology
  • Fluency requirements must be met for applicants where English is their second language.

Options are available for mature applicants.

Language Proficiency Requirements

The Pharmacy Technician program at Mohawk College is accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP). To gain acceptance to the program, it is a requirement that the candidates of the following categories must meet one of the benchmarks listed in the chart below. This will include:

  • International students
  • Students who present with foreign credentials
  • Students whose first language is not English
TEST TOEFL iBT IELTS Can Test
Band Minimum Score SEM Minimum Score SEM Minimum Score SEM
Writing 25 3 6 X* 4.0 X*
Speaking 25 2 6 X* 4.5 X*
Listening 21 2 6 X* 4.5 X*
Reading 22 2 6 X* 4.5 X*
Total Score 91 5 6.5 0.5 X* X*

To be excused from this requirement, applicants must provide proof of:

  • Graduation from a high school in Canada, with at least three years (no less) consecutive full time instruction in English

    OR
     
  • An undergraduate degree from a university in Canada, whose instruction was provided in English

Note: Applicants/students that have completed an ESL Grade 12 English equivalency course/program (ie LINC or EAP) may meet minimum entrance standards for Mohawk College, but still will have to submit proof of three years full time consecutive English education or passing scores in IELTS/TOEFL/Cantest as indicated in the chart above for admission into the Pharmacy Technician program.

Don't have the necessary requirements?

Tuition and Fees

2024 - 2025 Domestic Tuition and Fees

DescriptionSemester 1Semester 2Semester 3
Compulsory Ancillary Fees$881.96$785.16$613.12
Co-op FeesN/AN/AN/A
Compulsory Program Fees$121.00$0.00$0.00
Domestic Tuition$1,354.04$1,354.04$1,354.04
Total Domestic Charges Per Semester$2,357.00$2,139.20$1,967.16
Total 1st Year Fees$6,463.36

Above fees based on full-time September program start date. Contact Student Services to confirm fees for other start dates or semesters.


2024 - 2025 International Tuition and Fees

DescriptionSemester 1Semester 2Semester 3
Total Tuition & Ancillary Fee$9,055.00$9,055.00$9,055.00
Co-op FeesN/AN/AN/A
Program Compulsory Fees$121.00$0.00$0.00
International Tax Recovery$450.00$375.00$375.00
Total International Per Semester$9,626.00$9,430.00$9,430.00
Total 1st Year Fees$28,486.00

If you pay by wire transfer, please note your bank might charge you a fee to transfer money. Make sure your transfer includes the Mohawk payment and the wire transfer fee. This applies to each wire transfer payment you make.

Additional Information

Financial Assistance

When it comes to paying for your education, investing in your future can be more affordable than you think. A Mohawk education is one of the most cost-effective means of acquiring the skills and knowledge you need to have a prosperous and rewarding career. 

As you start on your chosen career path, it's important to have a realistic set of expectations regarding the expenses associated with attending college. In addition to your tuition fees, you will also need to budget for books, supplies, housing, and other related living expenses. You may be able to supplement your income and savings with scholarships, bursaries, or loans. It pays to do some research into what types of financial assistance you may qualify for.

Available Financial Assistance Resources:

Apply for Awards:

By submitting a Scholarships and Bursaries Application every semester, students have access to over $3 million in Mohawk College scholarships, bursaries and Ministry-partnered funding to help meet their financial needs.

Financial Literacy:

Whether saving for school, sticking to a budget, or planning for a major purchase, financial literacy affects us all. That's why Mohawk College is dedicated to helping students improve their financial literacy and become more confident in managing their money.

Course Overview & Descriptions

Click on the course title for a course description.

Experiential Learning

How you'll gain skills

  • Attending clinical placement courses in both a community and hospital pharmacy (four weeks each).
  • Through practical experience in simulated lab courses focusing on both community and hospital pharmacy practice.

Clinical placements

Clinical placement courses are provided for students to refine and apply their skills and knowledge while practicing in a real pharmacy work environment. You will learn from and be assessed by the pharmacy experts and teams you are placed with. You will make valuable connections that will aid in propelling you into your pharmacy technician careers.

Clinical placements may occur at locations that are not accessible by public transit. As such, students shall be expected to either have access to a car or the ability to supply their own transportation when attending clinical placement activity. Mohawk shall not be responsible for providing students with transportation to clinical placements.

Clinical experience is provided in health care agencies throughout Ontario.

For more information regarding the 329 hour Pharmacy Technician clinical placement, please contact sabrina.horvath-rizzi [at] mohawkcollege.ca (Experiential Learning Technologist).

To learn more, please visit the Centre for Experiential Learning. 

Pre-clinical requirements

All accepted applicants are required to complete certain requirements prior to clinical placement and are responsible for the associated costs. Details about pre-placement requirements will be emailed to you once you accept your offer of admission. Completion of requirements is needed when entering the second year of the program.

To be eligible for field/clinical placement, you must not have been convicted of any offence for which you have not been pardoned. If your Police Check is 'not clear', your acceptance and suitability for placement are at the discretion of the agency. Mohawk College cannot guarantee placement changes if refused by the agency.

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes, often referred to as ‘Program Standards', set out the essential learning that a student must achieve before being deemed ready to graduate.

In many cases these program learning outcomes were developed by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU) in consultation with employers and educators who are experts in the program field. To ensure the outcomes remain current and in line with industry needs, we invite our employers, graduates working in the field and current students to re-examine and update them during regular, ongoing program review focus groups.

Career Opportunities

Your future career options

  • Registered Pharmacy Technician

Where you could work includes:

  • Community, Hospital, Long-Term Care and Compounding Pharmacies
  • Pharmacy Benefit Providers
  • Pharmacy Software Vendors
  • Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Distributors

Opportunities for grads

  • As a graduate of the program, you will be eligible to pursue technician registration with the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP).
  • Graduates are eligible to write the “Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada Qualifying Exam” and the “Ontario College of Pharmacists Jurisprudence Exam” to register with the Ontario College of Pharmacist and become licensed to practice. Details on fees, timelines, process, etc. can be accessed at The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada and/or Ontario College of Pharmacists.
    • Note: upon registration with the Ontario College of Pharmacists, pharmacy technician graduates must provide a current police clearance and sign a declaration of good character, including academic integrity offenses from any post secondary education

Educational Pathways

 

Pathways to Mohawk 

If you've successfully taken a course at another post-secondary institution, you may be able to earn course exemptions toward your credential here at Mohawk.


If you have successfully completed one of the following programs at Mohawk, you may be eligible to receive transfer credit in this program. To start a new program at Mohawk, you must apply via ontariocolleges.ca.

Transfer from

You can transfer to the Pharmacy Technician (Fast-Track) - 607 from the following programs:

Receiving Program

Mohawk College makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of each transfer opportunity. Please note that changes may occur in program offerings, admission requirements, and transfer credits granted by the receiving institutions. We advise all students to check with the receiving institution directly for the most up-to-date information.

Don’t see what you’re looking for? Search ONTransfer.ca for more pathways with Ontario public colleges and universities.

Mohawk College makes no warranty or endorsement of material contained within links to external websites, nor does the College assume any responsibility for the linked website or its contents.

Additional Information

Facilities

All the pharmacy courses are taught at the Mohawk-McMaster Institute for Applied Health Sciences. Lectures are delivered in state of the art "Smartrooms" and practical labs are taught in our dedicated pharmacy lab space which consists of three different rooms (computer lab, compounding/dispensing lab, and sterile products lab).

Pharmacy Technician Profession

  • As a graduate of the program, you will be eligible to pursue technician registration with the Ontario College of Pharmacists (OCP).
  • Graduates are eligible to write the “Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada Qualifying Exam” and the “Ontario College of Pharmacists Jurisprudence Exam” to register with the Ontario College of Pharmacist and become licensed to practice. Details on fees, timelines, process, etc. can be accessed at The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada and/or Ontario College of Pharmacists
  • Note: upon registration with the Ontario College of Pharmacists, pharmacy technician graduates must provide a current police clearance and sign a declaration of good character, including academic integrity offenses from any post secondary education
  • The pharmacy technician health profession is physically demanding. It is important that applicants become familiar with the profession before entering the program so that they are able to function at an acceptable standard. Some of the physical functionality required includes: working on your feet for multiple hours, medium load bearing activities, fine motor skills with good visual acuity.

Possible Program/Profession Related Fees

There are costs that come up during your semesters within the Pharmacy Technician Program and after you graduate. These may include:

  • pre-clinical requirements (example immunizations, police clearance, first aid, etc)
  • uniforms and school supplies
  • lockers and lock
  • laptop/PC with Windows 10 to support remote access to pharmacy software
  • professional licensing requirements (example exams, malpractice insurance, etc)

Recommended Technical Skills

  • Recommended to have good computer and Windows-based skills, and 35 WPM keyboarding
  • The pharmacy technician health profession is physically demanding. It is important that applicants become familiar with the profession before entering the program so that they are able to function at an acceptable standard. Some of the physical functionality required includes: working on your feet for multiple hours, medium load bearing activities, and fine motor skills with good visual acuity.

For questions about program delivery, courses, clinical placements and/or the profession, please contact the program coordinator

Program Coordinator

Faculty

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*Not all programs are international eligible. Please see our programs available for international students.

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Are you a student with a confirmed or suspected disability? Visit our Accessible Learning Services website to discover how we can help you.

Program Coordinator

For questions about program delivery, courses, clinical placements and/or the profession, please contact the program coordinator

Canadian Domestic Students

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Discover the Institute for Applied Health Sciences at McMaster

The Institute for Applied Health Sciences (IAHS) is located in West Hamilton on the McMaster campus. The IAHS campus is where the majority (but not all) of our health programs are taught. Learn more about the IAHS:

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Please note: in-person, virtual, and hybrid classes vary according to the program and some programs may be in-person only. Refer to the Program Overview for more information.