Education

6 WINNIPEG FREE PRESS - SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 2019 A new, two-year pharmacy technician diploma program is about to launch at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology. When it replaces MITT's long-running Pharmacy Technician certificate program in fall 2020, it will become the first of its kind in Manitoba. Lead instructor Jennifer Buffie outlines some of the benefits of the change. "In that expansion, we increase our simulation component and our hands-on activities by about 40 per cent in terms of time, so there's a lot more for our graduates," she said. "We'll be one of the first in Canada to be accredited under the new standards of our accrediting body and the only program in Manitoba accredited under the new standards." Applications are currently being accepted for the new program, and the entrance requirements are listed on mitt.ca. "We typically accept 20 students per year. There's a little bit more responsibility and a greater scope to their practice than a pharmacy assistant. Because it's a health- care profession, there's a great deal of demand," Buffie said. "We're looking for the right students because it's a very intense program. These would be people who are very ambitious, dedicated, detail-oriented and organized. It bodes well for you within the program and when you're out working in the profession. These are crucial characteristics." Students can look forward to a well- rounded education that prepares them for the workplace. "They spend the bulk of their time here on campus in class, so there are a lot of lectures, simulations, practice and many, many labs. We're working on renovating a space to create a simulated pharmacy dispensary," Buffie said. "There are also three work practicums where they will actually go out into institutional and community settings to practise the skills they learned in school, before they graduate." The revamped pharmacy technician program aligns with MITT's focus on developing work skills for employability. "We have a lot of really strong partnerships with industry. For all stages of the process so far, we've had great support from the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba, the University of Manitoba and other partners in the field," Buffie said. "Many pharmacy professionals around Manitoba are actually developing some of our courses and providing feedback on an ongoing basis, so it's really ensuring we're current and relevant. It's leading edge and up-to-date content. Medicine touches everyone, so we want to make sure our students are best prepared for that role. This is not a low-stakes profession." As a pharmacist herself, Buffie enjoys the profession because no two days are ever the same. "You have interactions with the public, so that means you never know what's going to happen at the other end of the phone or when the person walks up to the counter," she said. "Even in hospital pharmacy or institutional pharmacy where you don't necessarily have direct contact with patients, there's that understanding that every single thing you do impacts a patient in some way. It's very exciting and it's always changing. There are always new medications and new treatment protocols coming out." For people who enjoy teamwork, this profession could also prove to be a good fit. "There are a lot of opportunities for working with other people and there's a lot of versatility — not only as a pharmacist but even (also) for the technicians," Buffie said. "There are many different types of work settings, so that's very fetching for a lot of people. It's very interesting and there's always a lot going on." For more information, visit mitt.ca. ❚ MANITOBA INSTITUTE OF TRADES & TECHNOLOGY MITT SET TO LAUNCH NEW PHARMACY TECH PROGRAM By Jennifer McFee for the Free Press "We're looking for the right students because it's a very intense program. These would be people who are very ambitious, dedicated, detail-oriented and organized. It bodes well for you within the program and when you're out working in the profession. These are crucial characteristics." The new, two-year pharmacy technician diploma program at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology will be the first of its kind in the province. Photo by Jason Halstead

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