Quality Assurance

Common Questions About PACE for Pharmacy Technician Applicants Answered

People holding questions mark signs
Share this:

The College has fully transitioned from the Structured Practical Training (SPT) program to the Practice Assessment of Competence at Entry (PACE) model for pharmacy technician applicants.

Pharmacy technician applicants who are not already licensed in another Canadian province/territory are required to successfully complete PACE alongside other College entry-to-practice requirements, including the Jurisprudence, Ethics and Professionalism exam.

Pharmacy technicians already registered with the College are not required to complete PACE.

To help support understanding of PACE for pharmacy technician applicants, we’re sharing responses to commonly asked questions:

 Is PACE a training program (like SPT)?

No, PACE is not a training program. PACE is a practical assessment by a College-appointed assessor. The assessment occurs in a pharmacy site and determines if a candidate is ready to safely and independently practice the authorized acts of the profession. PACE assessors do not provide training. Rather, assessors supervise and observe a candidate to determine if they can practice in a safe, effective and independent manner.

 Can candidates complete PACE at their workplace?

No, candidates may not complete PACE at their workplace, or any pharmacy site where they have previously worked or have any relationship with the assessor or pharmacy staff. Completing PACE at a site where the candidate is not known decreases the likelihood of bias and conflict of interest that may affect the assessment. Candidates may complete PACE at a site under the same organization as their workplace (i.e., another hospital within the same network, or community pharmacy within the same banner/chain) provided they have not previously worked at this site and do not know the assessor/staff.

 Must PACE candidates be employed by their PACE site/organization?

No, candidates are generally not employed by their PACE site, except for candidates who complete PACE at another site within the same organization as their current workplace (see question above). PACE candidates can be thought of similarly to students who are placed at a site for a rotation within their education program; they are not employees of the site, are typically unpaid, and would not be taking on work/job responsibilities. Candidates are solely at the PACE site to be assessed as part of their registration pathway.

Since most PACE candidates are not employees of the organization, they are advised to purchase student accident insurance (AD&D insurance) as they would not be covered under WSIB. All PACE candidates are registered with the College as intern technicians, hold personal professional liability insurance, and have completed a police background check.

PACE Resources

Share this: