As part of ACP’s responsibility to govern pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and licensed pharmacies in Alberta to serve, support, and protect the public’s health and well-being, there is a legislated responsibility for ACP to establish a Structured Practical Training (SPT) program for regulated members.
ACP’s SPT program is the supervised competency-based training period that allows regulated members the opportunity to practise their skills in a supervised practical environment. The objective of the SPT programs for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians is to develop competence and confidence in applying the knowledge and skills required to practise safely and effectively, and be assessed for practice readiness.
In December 2024, ACP Council approved rules for a new SPT program for pharmacists. This new program was developed in accordance with ACP’s 2021-25 Strategic Plan goal that all applicants are ready to practise pharmacy in Alberta’s health system. More specifically, one of the initiatives was to redesign the SPT programs to enable standardized assessment and to develop preceptor training. This new program for pharmacists is the first phase of this project; an updated program for pharmacy technicians will be implemented in 2026.
This new SPT program for pharmacists offers enhanced confidence that only provisional pharmacists who are prepared for entering practice as independent professionals successfully complete the SPT program. The new program also aligns with the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities’ (NAPRA) updated Professional Competencies for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice in Canada and ACP’s new standards. The new program reflects needs assessment, comprehensive analysis, review of past evaluation data and feedback, and advisory group input.
The new program will be available as of May 15, 2025.
What’s new?
Some of the key changes that will impact pharmacist candidates and preceptors are summarized below.
Platform
SPT will now be available through ACP’s new online learning management system: Academy.
New structure
Before candidates can start the new SPT program, they are required to complete the Jurisprudence Learning Module, pass the ACP Ethics and Jurisprudence exam, and complete an SPT overview.
The new SPT program no longer consists of levels. The new program is comprised of online learning activities and two practical experiences, both of which are a minimum of 320 hours. The practical experiences will include activities and assessments based on the updated Professional Competencies for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians at Entry to Practice in Canada and ACP’s new standards. To complete a practical experience, the candidate must complete the required activities, the preceptor(s) must document a satisfactory assessment, and ACP must approve the documentation provided by the candidate and preceptor(s).
Preceptor requirements and training
Previously, preceptors needed to have been on the clinical pharmacist register for at least two years to be eligible for the preceptor role. Now, pharmacists who have been registered on ACP’s clinical pharmacist register for at least one year may be eligible to be a preceptor once they have completed the required training.
Every pharmacist who is interested in becoming a preceptor is required to complete new mandatory preceptor training in Academy. The new training will help preceptors prepare for their essential role of teaching, coaching, facilitating learning, and assessing a candidate’s overall readiness to practise.
Supervision
The requirements for supervision have been more clearly defined in the new SPT program. To support the preceptor with their role of observing, coaching, and assessing the candidate, the preceptor is expected to supervise the candidate for the majority of the candidate’s time: four days per week or 75 per cent of scheduled hours.
Previously, candidates in SPT always required direct supervision. In the new program, as per the Standards of Practice for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians, at the preceptor’s discretion, the preceptor may decrease the level of supervision of the candidate based on the restricted activity, the candidate’s performance, and the preceptor’s confidence that the candidate can perform the restricted activity safely and effectively. The preceptor or a supervising pharmacist must always be present, onsite, and available to monitor and support the actions of the candidate. It’s important to remember that the preceptor or supervisor remains responsible and accountable for the actions of the candidate, so make sure the amount of supervision you provide reflects your confidence in the candidate’s ability to competently perform the restricted activity.
Co-preceptors
Now, as per the SPT rules, a candidate may have two pharmacists co-precepting a practical experience. Both pharmacists must be approved as preceptors at the start of a practical experience. This increases supervision flexibility for preceptors and enhances learning opportunities for candidates.
CCAPP graduate exemption
Previously, CCAPP graduates were required to complete Level 3 of the former SPT program. Now, graduates from a Canadian pharmacy program, accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Program (CCAPP), are not required to complete the new SPT program if the graduate meets all other entry-to-practice requirements and applies to the clinical pharmacist register within one year of graduation. This change recognizes the currency of experiential education, the amount of practice experiences completed, and the number of assessments recently completed by CCAPP graduates.
If they do not meet the entry-to-practice requirements and apply to the clinical pharmacist register within a year of graduation, they must complete the new SPT program.
What do I need to do?
If you are a pharmacist student or a candidate currently enrolled in the SPT program, you have received an email with detailed information about how the changes in the new SPT program may impact you. For more information, visit the SPT webpage.
