Canada Pharmacist Exam for Indian Students: Courses & Eligibility

Every year thousands of students appear for Canada pharmacist exams. These individuals carry the aspiration of being successful pharmacists in the future and helping people across age groups and with diverse medical needs. A pharmacist is responsible for the safe and effective delivery of drugs, whether through prescriptions, vaccinations, or other ways. They are on the frontline of healthcare and the country’s health status depends on how well they perform their jobs. Keep reading to know why it is a good idea for Indian applicants to study pharmacy in Canada. This article also discusses the steps to becoming a registered pharmacist in Canada, the course fees, eligibility, and the admission process for Indian and other international students.

Scope of Pharmacy in Canada

A pharmacist is someone who loves working in teams, can take up challenges, values people, and can communicate their thoughts. Canada houses over 42,500 licensed pharmacists presently. These individuals work in over 10,000 pharmacies spread across the country, with over 70% working in community pharmacies, 15% in hospitals, and the rest in other key areas, such as colleges, universities, government buildings, associations, and more. Pharmacy has a vital role to play in Canada. Here is why international students should not shy away from considering it as one of the top options to study pharmaceutical science and other related specialisations –

Quality Education

Over decades, the quality of education has consistently gone up in the country. Today, the country goes head to head with the best countries in studies and academic standards. As for Canada pharmacist courses, they are known for the ground-breaking research capability they inculcate in students.

Growing Market

With healthcare expanding in the country, the pharmacy space is growing rapidly. With Canada devoting around 11% of its GDP to healthcare, licensed pharmacists are growing in stature and popularity.

Increased Pharmacists’ Demand

With the population on the rise and a revamped focus on healthcare, Canada is brimming with the need for new pharmacists. The CPhA (Canadian Pharmacists Association) has also stated that the country needs more people skilled in this profession.

Wide Range of Scholarship Options

International students looking to study at top Canadian universities offering pharmacy can benefit from the plethora of scholarship options available, ranging anywhere between CAD 2000 and CAD 20,000 annually.

Licensed Pharmacist in Canada: Step-by-Step Guide

Here are the eligibility criteria for becoming a licensed pharmacist in Canada –

• A bachelor’s degree or a pharma/doctor degree from top universities
• Fluency in English or French
• Successful completion of a national board examination through the PEBC (Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada) exam portal
• Having working knowledge/internship in a pharmacy
• Appear in Pharmacist Evaluating Examination or Pharmacist Qualifying Exam Part I and Part II

If you want to gain licensure for entry-level pharmacy technicians, the PEBC certification process is the way to go. PEBC grants pharmacy students who have completed the Pharmacy Technician Qualifying Examination a certificate of experience. It is proof that the applicants adhere to the national evaluation standard of entry-level knowledge as defined in NAPRA, 2014. Canada regulates pharmacy practice at provincial and territorial levels. The subject falls under the purview of NAPRA (National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities) and Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada. They are directly responsible for assessing the competencies of pharmacists in the country and also issuing new pharmacist licenses. IPGs (International Pharmacy Graduates) will have to enrol in NAPRA’s Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada to begin their licensure process in the country except for Québec. The portal offers a plethora of tools, including a website designed to help IPGs understand and navigate the entire licensing process. The website is proactively updated to provide current information on the licensure requirements throughout the country. It houses confidential documents only accessible to the PEBC, the pharmacy regulatory authority, and the candidates. In addition, several bridging programs enable IPGs to successfully complete the certification for the profession of pharmacy and practice as a pharmacist in Canada, such as the International Pharmacy Graduate Program, the International Pharmacy Bridging Program, and the Canadian Pharmacy Practice Programme.

Canada Pharmacist Exam Courses: Admission Process

Students in Canada can grab a diploma or bachelor’s degree to kickstart their career in pharmacy. For those who want to study further to hone their skills, an MS degree is a wise option. Listed below are the eligibility criteria and documentation needed for studying bachelors in Canada.

Eligibility

• Successful completion of Class 12 from an affiliated board with requisite marks (70% or higher, for most universities)
• The applicant must have Mathematics as one of their core subjects. In addition, two of Physics, Chemistry, or Biology must be their core subjects during their Class 12.
• Fair knowledge of calculus (required by some top colleges)
• IELTS/TOEFL completion with minimum marks (6.5/80, in most cases)

Documents Required

• A completed application form
• Transcripts of previous education results duly translated into English
• IELTS/TOEFL marks sheet
• Up to three LORs (Letters of Recommendation)
• Updated CV/resume
• A Statement of Purpose (SOP)
• Healthcare insurance
• Student visa to study in Canada for the requisite number of years
• Proof of funds for covering at least a year of education

Approximate Cost of Studying Pharmacy in Canada

Depending on the type of courses you want to pursue, completing a Canada pharmacist exam for Indian students can cost anything between INR 8 lakh and INR 50 lakh per annum. While most diploma courses cost around INR 10 lakh, bachelor’s and master’s courses in the country are costlier and require you to spend around 25 lakh at least at a top university.

Scholarship Options

Not every student can afford the cost of studying in a foreign country. So, many top Canadian colleges provide scholarship options for financial aid, enabling bright applicants to complete their studies with ease. Here are some of the top scholarship options for studying in Canada –

• KC Mahindra Scholarships for Post-graduate Studies Abroad
• Hani Zeini Scholarship
• Harvey Fellowship
• Ontario Graduate Scholarships – Other Master Programs
• Abdul Majid Bader Graduate Scholarship

Top Canadian Pharmacist Exam Courses

University	Course Name	Tuition Fees for the First Year	Minimum IELTS/TOEFL Score
University of Toronto	MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences	INR 43 lakh	7/100
University of Alberta	MSc in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences	INR 22.1 lakh	6.5/88
University of Waterloo	MSc in Pharmacy	INR 27 lakh	7/90
McGill University	Master of Science, Pharmacology	INR 25 lakh	6.5/86
The University of British Columbia	Bachelor in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Vancouver)	INR 36.5 lakh	6.5/90
University of Ottawa	BSc (Hons) in Biopharmaceutical Science	INR 21.5 lakh	6.5/NA
Dalhousie University	BSc in Pharmacy	INR 22 lakh	6.5/NA
Seneca College	Pharmaceutical Regulatory Affairs & Quality Operations Graduate Certificate (RAQC)	INR 6 lakh	6.5/88

Career & Job Prospects

By 2028, Canada expects to have 12,500 new job openings for pharmacy students. Pharma is an evergreen sector and is a highly demanding field as it always has something new for its practising professionals. As per Indeed, the average salary of a pharmacist in Canada is CAD 47.27, which translates roughly to INR 3600 per hour. An average pharmacist in the country makes CAD 91,956 or INR 70 lakh annually. Here are the job prospects for different professions related to pharmacy –

• Pharmacy Manage (CAD 99,688)
• Pharmacist (CAD 92,625)
• Staff Pharmacist (CAD 90,821)
• Clinical Pharmacist (CAD 89,700)
• Pharmacy Technician (CAD 48,781)
• Technician (CAD 46,791)

Conclusion

Pharmacists in Canada can take up full-time or part-time jobs in a drugstore chain, hospital, or independent pharmacy. Canadian pharmacist exams are designed to foster the medical expert in you and would help you find jobs as managers, business administration, and more. In addition, the country offers an excellent environment to enable you to achieve growth and prosperity. But for that, you will have to study pharmacy courses in Canada. The country offers several top universities for studying pharmaceutical courses. But given the complexities involved, it can be an uphill task to find the right courses to study in Canada. At LeapScholar, we have experts who specialise in providing the proper counselling to help you find suitable options to apply to. Click here to grab a free counselling session with LeapScholar today.

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