Summary

• National Pharmacy Technicians Day is celebrated in Canada on every third Tuesday of October to recognize their critical role in the healthcare sector.
• The Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians believes it is an important day to appreciate the hard work of pharmacy technicians.
• This year National Pharmacy Technicians Day will fall on 21st October.
• If you are interested in entering the healthcare sector of Canada, you can check out the details of Edison College’s Pharmacy Assistant Diploma Program.
• Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in prescribing and issuing medications and other supplies.
• They are trained professionals who know different pharmaceutical processes. However, they cannot work as a pharmacist because for that they need a separate license.

Why is National Pharmacy Technicians Day Observed?

National Pharmacy Technicians Day is observed every year in Canada on the third Tuesday of October to recognize the critical role of pharmacy technicians in the healthcare sector.

This day was first endorsed by the Pharmacy Technicians Educators Association and other such organizations in 2015. Later, the Canadian Association of Pharmacy Technicians (CAPT) also proclaimed the third Tuesday of October as the National Pharmacy Technician Day.

This year National Pharmacy Technicians Day will fall on 21st October.

Today, CAPT is among the leading organizations that promote this day. The aim is to underscore the critical role of pharmacy technicians in the Canadian healthcare sector.

The industry experts believe that pharmacy technicians played a key role during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, their role needs to be recognized at the highest levels.

It was a time when the whole healthcare sector in Canada was under severe stress and many healthcare workers were leaving their jobs. Pharmacy technicians played their role during those challenging times.

What Do Pharmacy Technicians Do?

Pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists in prescribing and issuing medications and other supplies.

They are trained professionals who know different pharmaceutical processes. However, they cannot work as a pharmacist because for that they need a separate license.

They maintain and help run pharmacies, dispense medication, monitor inventories, process payments, do record keeping, attend to customers, etc.

They work in hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies and help pharmacists in daily operations. They mostly stand and do their job because of the need to deliver medication to customers.

Sometimes, they also need to communicate with insurance companies, medication dealers, vendors, suppliers, etc.

How are Pharmacy Technicians Different from Pharmacy Assistants?

The fundamental difference between a pharmacy technician and a pharmacy assistant is that pharmacy technicians are regulated, while pharmacy assistants are not regulated.

This means that you need a license to operate as a regulated pharmacy technician in Canada. However, there is no such requirement for pharmacy assistants to acquire a license.

This also means that it is easier to become a pharmacy assistant. In most cases, you just need a diploma from a career college to do a job in Canada.

The median salary of a pharmacy technician is $22.30 per hour, according to the Government of Canada Job Bank.

The Yukon Territory and Alberta pay some of the highest median salaries to pharmacy technicians, i.e., $29.33 per hour and $26.75 per hour, respectively.

The median salaries of pharmacy technicians are generally higher than those of pharmacy assistants. This trend is consistent all over Canada.

Pharmacy assistants get a median salary of $20.00 per hour, according to the Job Bank.  

Conclusion

Every year, National Pharmacy Technicians Day provides us an opportunity to understand the significance of pharmacy technicians who support the core operations of pharmacies in Canada.

It is also because of their technical expertise that pharmacists are not overwhelmed in their daily work and can safely serve the patients with accuracy and personal care.

Societies that recognize the role of their essential workers tend to do better in social and economic indicators. One such example is the COVID-19 pandemic, when governments all over the world went the extra mile to support their healthcare workers because of their crucial role and sacrifices during those testing times.

Join the Pharmacy Assistant Diploma Program at Edison College

Edison College offers a 1-year Pharmacy Assistant Diploma Program, which is designed to prepare students with all the skills and knowledge they will require to become a professional pharmacy assistant.

This pharmacy assistant program trains students with hands-on training to prepare them for exciting career opportunities.

This pharmacy assistant program is available online, so those who cannot attend in-person classes can avail themselves of this opportunity.

Upon completing this pharmacy assistant training, students will be eligible to work under the following job titles: Pharmacy Assistant, Hospital Pharmacy Assistant, Clinic Pharmacy Assistant, Compounding Pharmacy Assistant, Pharmacy Distribution Clerk, and many more. 

Contact us today for more information on this program.

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