Pharmacy Technicians on the Road to Regulation Focus on ...

editor’s message
Della Croteau, R.Ph., B.S.P., M.C.Ed.
Deputy Registrar/Director of Professional Development
Spring is here and the students
are finishing exams,
looking forward to working
for the summer--or not. Students
and faculty members at both our
faculties of pharmacy are worried
about the effects of the current
issues between pharmacies and
the government on the training
and development of future pharmacists.
Right when students
should be settling down for their
final exams, they got news of potential
cuts to their training sites.
Some pharmacies are taking a
wait-and-see attitude. Some pharmacists
would like to take a student
but are unsure of the impact of the
proposed changes and want to see
how it all plays out.
And although this is a difficult
time for pharmacists, many of you
remember the opportunity given
to you by a pharmacist when you
were a student or intern, and are
fulfilling your commitment to train
students and interns. The profession
of pharmacy has a long
tradition of apprenticeship and
training for those coming into the
profession. Some pharmacists consider
it an essential part of their
own continuing education. One
pharmacist told us “ I learn just as
much as the student–I am not sure
who is teaching whom.”
The students are telling us that
it’s difficult to focus on those final
exams when they are unsure as to
The profession of pharmacy has a long tradition of
apprenticeship and training for those coming into the
profession. Some pharmacists consider it an essential
part of their own continuing education.
whether or not they will be able
to get jobs once they complete all
this university training. As one student
put it, “I better get studying
because if I don’t pass medicinal
chemistry, I wont have a future in
pharmacy to worry about!”
But I shared these statistics
with some of them: Close to 13
per cent of the population is over
65. Every seven seconds, a baby
boomer turns 60. Life expectancy
is 79 years. By the time all the baby
boomers retire, 38 per cent of the
population will be over 65. In other
words, we need these new pharmacists
with their advanced skills to
keep us well and healthy.
There are 1,996 trained
preceptors in this province who
have provided opportunities for
students and interns. More than
300 of them currently have students
and interns with them in
practice, and several more will be
attending preceptor workshops in
the next few weeks. We want to
thank those of you who are stepping
up to provide placements for U
of T and Waterloo students as well
as the many students and interns
who come to us from other parts of
Canada, the U.S. and around the
world. In the face of uncertainty,
you are providing them opportunities
to receive valuable training and
for some, to complete internship
and receive their license to practice.
Thank you for your continued
support in the professional development
of pharmacy.
pharmacyconnection • May/June 2010
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