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pharmacy technician Q&A
Susan James
Project Director, Pharmacy Technician Regulation
QI am concerned that I do not have access to the
Bridging Program in my community, and that
I may not be able to meet the deadlines set for
completion of the Program. How much longer will I
have to wait?
The Bridging Program is still in development and early
stages of implementation, and the proposed date of completion
is not until January 1, 2015, which means that you
have plenty of time to complete the four courses. By the end
of this year, the Program will be ready for full implementation,
and will be widely available throughout the province.
This will be accomplished through three different types of
program delivery: in the classroom, on-line, and by prior
learning assessment.
Classroom Delivery
Each of the four courses will be available throughout the
province in a classroom setting. Three courses (Professional
Practice, Pharmacology, and Drug Distribution) have been
introduced in this format, and the fourth course (Product
Preparation) will be available for the fall 2009 semester.
Each of the CCAPP-accredited community colleges may
administer the program within their own organization, or
in partnership with other community colleges or organizations
throughout the province. Many such partnerships already
exist and are listed on the Bridging Education Program
registration page on the College website (www.ocpinfo.com).
In some cases these partnerships have been established
through the efforts of pharmacy technicians and
pharmacists in the local community. Check the website to
see which communities already offer, or are in process of
offering, the program. If your community is not on the list,
you may contact any one of the CCAPP-accredited community
colleges (also listed on the website) to explore how
to organize something in your area.
On-line Delivery
Each of the four courses will be offered in an on-line format.
The first of these courses will be available for the fall
2009 semester (Professional Practice and Pharmacology).
Registration for this format will also be managed by the accredited
community colleges. OCP will send an e-mail notification
and post the registration information on the website
when it is available. These courses, similar to classroom
delivery, will run over a number of weeks, and will have a
limited number of students in each class. Instruction, however,
will be delivered on-line, so you will not have to travel
to a classroom. The other two courses (Drug Distribution
and Product Preparation) will be available on-line for the
winter 2010 semester.
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
Individuals who believe they already have the knowledge
and skills addressed in the Bridging Program may choose to
complete a course through a prior learning assessment. This
format will be available for three of the four courses (Professional
Practice is not eligible for PLA). Registration will
likewise be managed by the CCAPP-accredited community
colleges, which will offer an opportunity to complete a challenge
exam, by which individuals can demonstrate that they
have the knowledge and skill needed to meet the course objectives.
PLA for Pharmacology and Drug Distribution will
be available for the fall 2009 semester. For Product Preparation,
it will be available for the winter 2010 semester.
Want more details on the Bridging Education Program? Visit
the Pharmacy Technician section of the College website to
learn all about the Program’s requirements and the process
of becoming registered with the College.
pharmacyconnection • July/August 2009
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