Growing up, Shania Mink knew she wanted to find a career that would allow her to make a difference.
“The pharmacy technician career path wasn’t actually on my radar growing up. I always knew that I wanted to help people, but I didn’t really know exactly how I wanted to do that,” she said. “Then I was brought on as a cashier, then a pharmacy assistant, in the pharmacy I still work at today.”
Once Shania got behind the counter in the pharmacy, she knew she’d found the right fit.
“Pretty much within the first week, I was really set on pharmacy. Seeing how collaborative and supportive the pharmacy team was and how they treated their patients really inspired me,” said Shania.
Once Shania knew what she wanted, she didn’t waste any time in taking the next steps to becoming a pharmacy technician. She enrolled in an online pharmacy technician program that would enable her to work full time and take full-time classes.
“It was hard, but it was worth it,” she said, reflecting on a demanding couple of years of studying, learning, and working.
Shania’s dedication and hard work paid off when she achieved the highest marks across the province on the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada’s Qualifying Exam. That distinction earned her ACP’s 2025 Pharmacy Technician Achievement Award, which includes a prize of $1,000.
“I was quite surprised when I learned I received the award, I wasn’t expecting it at all,” said Shania. “I had heard stories about how nerve wracking and stressful the exams are, and they were really hard. My goal was just to pass.”
Reflecting on her education and her professional experience so far, Shania has taken away a couple of important lessons.
“A big thing that I’ve learned in my journey both in school and working in the pharmacy is how important it is to be an advocate for yourself,” she said. “Listen to your gut instincts and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Stick up for yourself, take care of yourself, and when in doubt, just ask the questions.”
Shania said she is excited to apply the knowledge, training, and life skills she’s gained so far and she plans to continue to find new opportunities to continue to grow in her new role as a pharmacy technician.
“I’m honestly just super excited to be able to work to my full scope as a pharmacy technician to help our patients more. I want to get some more training in compounding and learn from my team members in the pharmacy,” she said. “I feel like the opportunities are endless—I don’t even know where to start because I just want to keep learning!”
