Structured Practical Training Program

You must complete the following requirements before you can begin your SPT: 

1. Submit the appropriate application form and receive approval from the College 
2. Find a qualified SPT supervisor and practice site 
3. Submit a Pharmacy Technician Structured Practical Training Notification and receive approval from the College. 

For more information on these steps, please see the Structured Practical Training Program Manual. 

The SPT program is completed by the pharmacy technician-in-training over a minimum number of hours of work in a patient-care setting; however, it can be extended to a maximum of six months. 

Graduates of a CCAPP-accredited Canadian pharmacy technician program or CPhM approved bridging program who list less than three years post-graduation, must complete a minimum of 240 hours (six weeks) of structured practical training. 

Graduates of a CCAPP-accredited Canadian pharmacy technician program or CPhM approved bridging program who list three or more years post-graduation, must complete a minimum of 360 hours (nine weeks) of structured practical training. 

International pharmacy technician graduates must complete a minimum of 480 hours (twelve weeks) of structured practical training. 

The practice site must be a licensed community pharmacy or hospital pharmacy where staff are engaged in patient care and where all requirements of the SPT program can be effectively completed. Activities and services conducted at the practice site must include dispensing, compounding, and product preparation. Your primary supervisor or pharmacist delegate must be present at the SPT site during all of your SPT Program activities. 

An SPT supervisor can be either a listed pharmacy technician or a licensed pharmacist with the College who meets appropriate qualifications. 

Pharmacy technician supervisors must meet ONE of the following qualifications: 

• Pharmacy technicians who graduated from a Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) accredited course and has been listed with the College for at least two years; OR 
• Pharmacy technicians who completed an approved Pharmacy Technician Bridging Program and Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC) certification and has been with the College for at least one year; OR 
• Be approved by the College Registrar. 

Supervisors must meet ALL of the following qualifications: 

• Possession of a licence (pharmacist) or listing (pharmacy technician) free from practice conditions; 
• Capability to review the pharmacy technician-in-training’s assignments for accuracy and completeness; AND 
• Be free from conflict of interest with regard to the pharmacy technician-in-training; AND 
• Complete one of the mandatory preceptor training programs. 

A conflict of interest is any real or perceived relationship that jeopardizes fairness or objectivity. Relationships with family members, close friends, or business partners can be cause for a conflict of interest. Your SPT supervisor and practice site must be free from these relationships, or such a relationship needs to be declared to the College Registrar and considered for approval. Conflict of interest considerations extend to ALL staff at an SPT practice site. 

After submitting your initial application and receiving approval from the College, you can register for the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba Jurisprudence Examination (JP Exam) after you have submitted proof of having completed the Jurisprudence Modules.  The modules are hosted by the University of Manitoba (U of M) Continuing Professional Development (CPD) website, and you can complete the modules at any time. You must successfully complete the JP Exam prior to becoming listed.  It is strongly recommended that the pharmacy technician-in-training attempt the exam early in their training to prevent delays in listing. 

If you are a Canadian Mobility Agreement applicant, you must submit your application and submit proof of having completed the Jurisprudence Modules before you can register for the (JP Exam). 

No. A pharmacy technician-in-training cannot work more than 40 hours per week or 8 hours per day at their supervising pharmacy. 

Demonstration of Product Release Proficiency (DPRP) is a pharmacy technician-in-training demonstration of 200 consecutive technical checks of product preparation or prescription fills with one hundred per cent accuracy. The items that you check must be done using an independent double check. An independent double check means that a second qualified individual verifies the product preparation or prescription fill. 

You can start your DPRP at any time during your SPT, but your supervisor must be confident in your ability to perform the checks. You can complete a maximum of 50 checks per day. If you make an error, you must begin the process again regardless of how many checks you performed before making the error. For example, if you make a mistake on your 199th check, you must begin again.