How to Start a Career with a Pharmacy Assistant Diploma: No Experience Needed

Even with no pharmacy experience, career-focused training makes it possible to enter a pharmacy assistant role in under a year. Sundance College’s Pharmacy Assistant diploma program will help you develop the practical skills and experience you need to move into in-demand jobs in diverse settings, including retail and hospital pharmacies.

Here’s how you can start a career as a pharmacy assistant:

Listen to: How to Start a Career with a Pharmacy Assistant Diploma: No Experience Needed

Why Choose a Pharmacy Assistant Diploma?

Earning a Pharmacy Assistant diploma is one of the fastest ways to start a career in healthcare. 

Whether you’re switching career paths or looking to upskill, a career-focused diploma program, like Sundance College’s, includes a comprehensive curriculum with hands-on projects and a practicum in a real-world pharmacy setting, giving you the practical skills, industry knowledge, and experience you need to not only enter the field, but excel in your new role. 

With online learning and flexible classes, you can build these job-ready skills on a schedule that works for you.

What You’ll Learn: Hands-On Training for Pharmacy Assistant Jobs

In order to perform everyday pharmacy assistant tasks like preparing prescriptions and carrying out pharmacy calculations, you’ll need the right training. 

In Sundance College’s Pharmacy Assistant diploma program, our practical, hands-on courses allow you to develop the skills, along with the theoretical knowledge, you need to succeed in any pharmacy setting: 

Pharmacology, Anatomy, & Physiology 

Learn how medications impact the body by studying the digestive, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular systems, enabling you to identify potential drug interactions, consult the pharmacist knowledgeably, and understand prescriptions before processing them. 

Compounding and Calculations 

Next, you’ll focus on accurate medication preparation. That includes: 

• Calculating dosages and converting measurements 

• Counting tablets and measuring liquids 

• Preparing prescriptions safely and precisely 

Industry-Standard Software 

Kroll is pharmaceutical software used across Canada. You’ll use this to: 

• Enter new prescriptions and process refills 

• Update patient records 

• Track and manage pharmacy inventory 

Community and Institutional Pharmacy Procedures    

When working in a pharmacy, you might be in a community setting, interacting with customers, processing refills, printing labels, prepping prescriptions, and supporting the pharmacist, or in an institutional setting like a long-term care facility, focusing on medication prep, infection control, and teamwork. An understanding of the practices involved in both settings will help you adapt to different workflows and broaden your career options. 

Health and Ethics    

Handling patient information is a serious responsibility. Sundance College’s pharmacy assistant training covers ethics, privacy laws like FOIP, and professional standards. This helps you understand how to manage sensitive information and respond appropriately when someone shares personal details or hands you a sensitive prescription.    

Communication and Interpersonal Skills 

As a pharmacy assistant, you’ll help people every day by answering questions, filling prescriptions, and supporting patients who might be feeling worried or unwell. The training you’ll get in communication and people skills will help you connect with patients, explain things clearly, and make their experience positive. 

Through your Pharmacy Assistant diploma program, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in your new role, while getting the crucial industry experience employers are looking for.

Practicum: Get Pharmacy Experience Before You Graduate

You don’t need experience to start a career as a pharmacy assistant – that’s exactly what your practicum is for. 

Over seven weeks in a real-world pharmacy setting, you’ll put your training into practice and gain hands-on experience that employers value. When you graduate, you’ll have industry experience to list on your resume and put you ahead of the job search competition.

Flexible, Student-Friendly Learning

Starting a career without prior experience calls for a diploma program with a practical, flexible approach to learning. At Sundance College, our modular-based curriculum allows you to focus on one course at a time, improving knowledge retention and making learning more manageable. 

When paired with a flexible learning option like studying online, education becomes far more manageable for those juggling work, family, or other commitments like Sundance College graduate, Amira K.: 

“Because it’s an online pharmacy assistant program, you get to do everything on your own time.” 

This flexibility allows you to progress through the material at a pace that works for you while still meeting course deadlines, making it possible to balance your education with your daily routine and pursue your career goals. 

If you prefer in-person learning, smaller class sizes will help create an engaging learning environment. You’ll be able to actively engage with the course material and get undivided attention from industry-experienced instructors for direct insight and support.  

Whether you choose to study online or on-campus, Sundance College provides the support and resources to succeed.

Career Outcomes: Where Can This Diploma Take You?

 Sundance College’s Pharmacy Assistant graduates have a range of options when they graduate. The skills and experience you develop during your studies can lead to roles in retail pharmacies, hospitals, and more. As Sundance College’s Pharmacy Assistant instructor, Noor S., explains: 

“The breadth of training our Pharmacy Assistant students receive in pharmacology, compounding, pharmacy software, and even communication, means they graduate ready for more than just one role. Whether it’s in a local drugstore, a hospital, or a dispensary, they’ll have everything they need to excel.” 

This combination of technical and organizational skills also opens doors in pharmaceutical business development and pharmacy administration, so you can choose whether you want to work directly with customers or patients, assist operations, or support the business side of the healthcare industry.

Admissions: How to Get Started

From the first time you contact us through enrollment, Sundance College provides personalized support for your pharmacy assistant program admission.  

• Step #1: Request information about the diploma, practicum, careers, and funding. 
• Step #2: Talk with your admissions advisor about your career goals, then work with a financial administrator to fund your education. 
• Step #3: Complete enrollment, confirm your start date, and prepare to start studying on campus or online.  

With the dedicated support of the entire Sundance College team, you’ll be well-prepared for the journey toward a rewarding career as a pharmacy assistant.

Student Support and Career Services

Supporting student success at Sundance College means working with you from the very start of your education through to employment. 

From day one, you’ll learn from industry-experienced instructors who know your name and your goals, thanks to smaller class sizes. Whether you study on campus or online, flexible learning options make it possible to balance school with work and family life. You’ll also gain hands-on experience during a 7-week practicum in an actual pharmacy setting, putting your skills into action before graduation. 

And even after the coursework is done, you’ll still have support. Career Services will work with you to create tailored resumes and cover letters, prepare for interviews, and find job opportunities in retail, hospital, and clinic settings. By the time you graduate, you’ll be equipped to handle any pharmacy assistant role, and to find one.

As a trusted college for career-focused education, Sundance College helps you get the skills to start your pharmacy career, no matter your health care experience. Through flexible learning, hands-on training, and career support, you will build the knowledge and experience needed to succeed as a pharmacy assistant.

Apply to Sundance College’s Pharmacy Assistant Diploma program or speak with an academic advisor to find out how you can start your career with the right training and support.

Pharmacy Assistant FAQ

• Do I need pharmacy experience to enroll in the pharmacy assistant diploma program?

  You don’t need pharmacy experience to get started. Sundance College’s Pharmacy Assistant diploma program welcomes students of all experience levels.

• Is there a pharmacy practicum included in the program?

  Sundance College’s Pharmacy Assistant program includes a 7-week practicum to help you apply skills on the job and build relevant experience. Career Services will coordinate with you to organize your pharmacy practicum in a retail, institutional, long-term care pharmacy, or other pharmacy setting.

• What career paths are available for Pharmacy Assistant graduates in Canada?

  You can apply for pharmacy assistant jobs like Retail Pharmacy Assistant, Hospital Pharmacy Assistant, Central Fill Dispensary Assistant, and Pharmacy Administrative Professional. Additionally, pharmacy career opportunities include roles in pharmaceutical business development and pharmacy administration.

• Can I study the pharmacy assistant program online?

  Yes. Sundance College offers flexible learning through the online pharmacy assistant program, allowing you to study from anywhere while balancing family and work commitments.

• What skills do employers in Canada look for when hiring Pharmacy Assistants?

  Besides a pharmacy assistant diploma, the essential skills of a pharmacy assistant that employers actively seek out include:

  • Pharmacy knowledge
  • Proficiency with Kroll pharmacy software
  • Organization
  • Attention to detail
  • Problem-solving
  • Effective Communication
  • Collaboration and Leadership

• What career services are available for pharmacy assistant graduates?

  Pharmacy assistant graduates have access to Career Services for resume and cover letter help, interview coaching, job search support, and ongoing career guidance after graduation.