Pharmacy Technician Diploma

The Pharmacy Technician Diploma at Red Deer Polytechnic is a two-year, full-time, on-campus program that must be completed within four academic years. Coursework covers pharmacy calculations, pharmacology and pharmacotherapeutics, prescription preparation, checking and release processes, sterile and non-sterile compounding techniques, pharmacy computer systems, jurisprudence, and professional communication skills, supported by simulation labs that replicate real pharmacy environments. The program includes a 160-hour community pharmacy practicum and a 200-hour hospital pharmacy placement, both scheduled between May and July. It suits students with good manual dexterity and eyesight who are able to stand and sit for long periods, given the hands-on compounding and dispensing work involved. Admission requires Alberta Grade 12 courses in Biology 30, Chemistry 30, ELA 30-1 or 30-2, and Math 30-1 or 30-2, each at a minimum of 60 percent. Graduates are prepared for roles as hospital, community, long-term care, or compounding pharmacy technicians, and the diploma supports registration as a pharmacy technician in Alberta, with eligibility to pursue Registered Pharmacy Technician credentials following the required regulatory assessments.