Pharmacy finds itself in a bit of a conundrum when it comes to workforce needs over the next 5 years. Many pharmacists from my generation of 15-20 years ago remember the recruiting environment whereby students in all years of study were engaged with all sectors of the industry. They really had more control when it came to planning their entry to a career. Oftentimes, opportunities were available in many regions of the country so settling in a preferred location was commonplace.

In the time since then, changes to the economics of pharmacy have prompted many changes to the services being provided, and the scope of practice for most health professionals has been evolving quicker than we had seen in the decades before. Pharmacists are being sought out for their cognitive abilities to help lessen the burden on family physicians, who in turn help lessen the burden on specialists, etc. In doing so, the technical aspects of the jobs are increasingly being back-filled by a set of new professionals: the registered technicians.

Between university programs exploring entry-level PharmD graduate designations, and community college intensifying their technology curriculum, we should have seen this coming 5-7 years ago. The appetite to change pharmacy practice is growing at an accelerated rate, further away from drug distribution and more into clinical services. The constructive non-conformists among us enabling this change need to have the support behind them.

For the longest time, there was excitement for pharmacy assistants to update their skills through bridging programs offered by accredited bodies. The expense was prohibitive for many, and those committed to becoming licensed were taking a risk that the workforce would not be ready to take advantage. Maintaining that license when opportunities were scarce could be deflating, and as a result a large number of individuals took the wait-and-see approach. As time went on, motivation began to wane.

In reviewing the NS Regulations, the deadline for bridging is here:

 (2)    An applicant who has all of the following qualifications on or before December 31, 2017, is eligible for registration and licensing as a pharmacy technician:

              (a)    successful completion of a program approved by the Council to educate and train persons to be pharmacy technicians;

              (b)    at least 2000 hours of work experience in a direct patient care pharmacy practice in Canada in the 3-year period immediately preceding entering the program referred to in clause (a);

              (c)    all the qualifications set out in clauses (1)(b), (c), (e), (f) and (g).

As for the letters at the bottom, most applicable are:

               (e)    successful completion of the examination to assess required professional competencies;    

                (f)    successful completion of an assessment of the applicant’s basic competencies in a direct patient care practice setting approved by the Council;

For other jurisdictions with similar limits, the PEBC qualifying exams are only held twice yearly, and the successful completion of an assessment may vary. Regardless, if a commitment wasn’t made to complete the requirements at this point, it would be virtually impossible to meet them by the end of this calendar year for those hoping to practice in Nova Scotia. In Ontario for instance, bridging programs needed to be completed prior to Jan 1, 2015.

This is adding up to a situation where current long-term employees in community and hospital would need to return to classes to upgrade their skills to gain eligibility for licensure. Confounding this point, new graduates entering the workforce potentially have very little practical experience. We certainly trust that our regulatory bodies have established vetting procedures and oversight that matches those of pharmacists, but as a new profession, there is still a degree of uncertainty. It will take time for widespread acceptance, but happily, that integration is well underway.

The success of these individuals will directly drive the clinical opportunities and roles for pharmacists in the future. Pharmacy programs are being retooled to become even more clinically-focused and patient-centred. We need to support those that are completing their training, and do what we can to integrate their skills into our dispensaries. Technicians will benefit. Pharmacists will benefit. Teams will benefit and all together pharmacy will reach new heights.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any agency, employer or affiliation.