Structured
Practical Training Program
The structured practical training experience and assessment should
ideally be incorporated into the undergraduate academic program.
However, it is acknowledged that the Canadian Council for Accreditation
of Pharmacy Programs' current minimum criterion of 16 weeks practical
training experience may not provide sufficient time to assess all
the required competencies. In such cases, an internship program administered
and supervised by the Provincial Regulatory Authority would be required.
The total practical training experience and assessment could be carried
out through a partnership arrangement between the Provincial Regulatory
Authority and the Faculty, determined on a province-by-province basis.
Programs should be focused on measuring or assessing the actual attainment
of competencies, which is not directly related to time spent. Therefore,
the Group's further suggestion that the total time required for completion
of a structured practical training program prior to licensure be
not less than 24 weeks (840 hours) is offered as an example. Using
this example, the following schedule of clerkship and internship
training is offered as a possible option to consider for candidates
enrolled in accredited in-province and domestic pharmacy programs.
The candidate might complete 280 hours of practical experience over
eight or more weeks during the first three years of enrolment, as
follows:
| Year
1 |
70
hours over at least 2 weeks |
| Year 2 |
70 hours
over at least 2 weeks |
| Year 3 |
140 hours
over at least 4 weeks |
Practical experience obtained over an extended period of time allows
for integration with the didactic program and can result in an
optimal learning opportunity. In Year 4 the period of structured
practical training might be 560 hours over sixteen weeks, scheduled
in blocks of at least 140 hours/four weeks duration and involve
sites that offer different types of experiences. An example of
a practical training program in Year 4 could be 140 hours over
4 weeks at site A followed by another 140 hours over 4 weeks
at site B.
This would then require the candidate to complete 280 hours (over
8 weeks) of an internship program, under the auspices of the provincial
regulatory authority prior to licensure.
Foreign candidates will be required to complete a pre-evaluation
to determine that the standard of knowledge of pharmacy is adequate.
Foreign candidates must also complete a structured practical training
program, such as may be designed by the Provincial and Territorial
Regulatory Authorities through NAPRA and administered provincially.
The time required will be governed by each candidate's ability to
demonstrate achievement of the stated competencies. A minimum of
140 hours over at least four weeks is a basic requirement, with a
suggested guideline of up to 24 weeks for candidates who may require
additional time to demonstrate proficiency.
Assessment Procedures
Assessment procedures for structured practical training are based
on the premise that each student or candidate is supervised and assessed
by a recognized preceptor.
