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Structured Practical Training (pharmacist)

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Provisional pharmacists (or interns) are recognized on the provisional pharmacist register for training. Structured Practical Training (SPT) is the supervised competency-based training period that allows provisional pharmacists the opportunity to practise their skills in a supervised practical environment. The objective of the SPT program is for the intern to develop competence and confidence in applying the skills required to be a pharmacist, and thus requires the attendance and direct oversight of a supervising pharmacist. Skill development and evaluation is the primary intent of the program, not the accumulation of hours.

The SPT program consists of three levels and a minimum of 1,000 hours, but additional hours can be expected in order to demonstrate entry-to-practice competencies.

  • Recent Canadian pharmacy graduates (within one year of graduation) are only required to complete Level 3 of the online SPT program, which consists of a minimum of 100 hours. If it has been more than one year since graduation, Canadian graduates are required to complete the entire SPT program, starting at Level 1. Before starting SPT, graduates must complete ACP’s Jurisprudence Learning Module and pass the Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam.
enter the spt portal

Getting started

The SPT program’s activities and assessments are facilitated through the online SPT portal. Before starting the SPT program, you will need to complete the following:

  1. Register on the provisional pharmacist register (in myACP). 
  1. Complete ACP’s Jurisprudence Learning Module.
    • You must complete the Jurisprudence Learning Module before you gain access to the online SPT portal.
  1. Complete ACP’s Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam.
    • You must complete the Ethics & Jurisprudence Exam before you start Level 2 or 3 of the SPT program.
  1. Log into the SPT portal and explore tools and resources.
  2. Seek an eligible site and pharmacist to be your preceptor and submit the information in the SPT portal.
    • Eligibility information can be found in the SPT rules.
    • Once you have found an eligible pharmacist willing to be your preceptor, obtain their registration number and their pharmacy licence number and enter this information into your profile page on the SPT portal. A preceptorship request will be sent to the eligible pharmacist.
    • The preceptor must then log into the SPT portal to accept the request and accept responsibility for your training before the SPT program can begin. The preceptor is responsible for assessing your knowledge, skills, abilities, and providing direct supervision during all restricted activities. The preceptor will sign off on a level of training only when you have demonstrated competence and met/exceeded the acceptable performance levels for all the entry-to-practice competencies.

According to the SPT rules, internationally educated pharmacist graduates, unless exempt, are required to complete the Certificate to Canadian Pharmacy Practice (CCPP) program prior to starting Level 3 of the SPT program.

For more information on the SPT program, please refer to the Intern’s Manual, Preceptor’s Manual, and the SPT rules.

  1. Who is responsible for finding the intern’s practice site(s) and preceptor(s) for the SPT program? Does ACP provide a pre-approved preceptor list?

    • Interns are required to find their own practice site and preceptor that meet the criteria outlined in the program rules. ACP does not provide a pre-approved preceptor list.

  1. When can an intern change preceptor and/or sites? When is it required?

    • To meet the program’s objectives, an intern is required to complete each level of SPT under one preceptor and at one site. If an intern changes a preceptor and/or site before completing a level, they must restart the program level with the new preceptor/site; however, previously completed hours may not be carried over.

    • At the start of each level, interns are required to submit the preceptor’s registration number and the site’s licence number. An intern may have a different preceptor and/or work at a different site for each level; however, it is not required for Levels 1 and 2.

    • Upon completing Level 2, an intern is required to find a new preceptor and a new site for Level 3 (i.e., an intern may not complete Levels 2 and 3 under the same preceptor and/or at the same site). This is to allow the intern to demonstrate proficiency to a new preceptor and at a new site prior to completing their final level of SPT.

  1. Is the intern required to work the same shifts as their preceptor for the entire level of SPT?

    • Interns should work with their preceptors for the majority of their SPT hours since the preceptors are responsible for assessing the interns and monitoring their progress. However, interns do not need to work all the same shifts as their preceptor. If there are other pharmacists actively involved in supervising the intern, it is important that the other pharmacists understand the role and expectations of the intern and if necessary, provide feedback to the intern’s preceptor.

  1. Is there a maximum number of interns a preceptor may have under his/her preceptorship at a time?

    • To facilitate a good learning environment, a preceptor may not have more than two interns under their preceptorship at the same time.

  1. I’ve completed the Jurisprudence Learning Module but still cannot access the SPT portal – what should I do?

    • If you have completed the Jurisprudence Learning Module, you should be able to access your Certificate of Completion by clicking the link in the bright orange banner along the top of the slide. If a certificate of completion is not available, it means you have yet to complete the Jurisprudence Learning Module.

    • To identify which slides have not been completed, you should click on the “progress” bar (located on the left-hand side of the module). You will need to complete any slides that are not darkened in colour. You will have to repeat this step for each chapter.

    • If you have just completed the Jurisprudence Learning Module and have received the certificate of completion, you may have to wait up to one hour before you will have access to the SPT portal. Please try logging into the SPT portal at a later time.