For years, Selkirk College has been known in British Columbia for its picturesque campuses and intimate classroom settings.

However, the historic West Kootenay institution recently captured the national spotlight after being selected to deliver a prestigious, Canada-wide online pharmacy technician bridging program. The agreement between Selkirk College and the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) will allow current pharmacy technicians to upgrade their skills within a fully online format without ever having to enter a classroom.

“Being selected to offer this required national curriculum is both an incredible opportunity and an honour for Selkirk,” said Rhys Andrews, Dean of Health and Human Services. “We’re excited to rise to the challenge and provide quality, exclusively online educational experiences to learners in every region of the country.”

Given Selkirk’s size, it may be surprising that the college was selected to deliver such a high-profile program. Initially, Selkirk won a previous NAPRA contract to convert face to face bridging courses into an online format. That undertaking, coupled with Selkirk’s successful delivery of the Pharmacy Technician Certificate program within a distance setting, made Selkirk a natural choice to also offer the complementary national bridging program.

“Distance education has opened doors for learners who may have previously been limited by location or work hours. This has been made evident by the fact that we have 400 pharmacy technicians enrolled in the bridging program,” said Andrews. “Clearly, online learning is a desirable platform in this country and Selkirk is looking forward to helping even more people achieve their academic and professional goals.”

Selkirk recently launched the first session of the National Pharmacy Technician Education Bridging Program. Courses include Pharmacology, Product Preparation, Management of Drug Distribution Systems and Professional Practice.

Photo Credit: Selkirk College