Any individual who wishes to practice as a pharmacy intern or complete the practical training program for pharmacists in Newfoundland and Labrador must register with the College of Pharmacy of Newfoundland and Labrador. Registration as a pharmacy intern allows the intern to perform tasks within the scope of practice of a pharmacist but only under the supervision of a pharmacist. Once registered with the College, a pharmacy intern is eligible to apply to begin practical training.
Eligibility
Must have completed all requirements for graduation from a Faculty of Pharmacy accredited by the Canadian Council for the Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP), or another accreditation body approved by the College.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION
The following documentation is required to be submitted with the Pharmacy Intern Registration Application. Visit Registration Requirements for more information.
Photo identification
Certificate of conduct
Proof of professional liability insurance
Proof of education in the form of:
an official transcript indicating graduation sent directly to the College from the university where the pharmacy program was completed; or
a notarized copy of the diploma mailed or hand-delivered to the College office; or
formal documentation sent directly to the College from the university where the pharmacy program was completed, stating that the applicant has completed all requirements of their degree and that graduation is pending; or
documentation provided by the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC), indicating successful completion of the Evaluating Examination (for international pharmacy graduates only).
Proof of English language proficiency may be required.
Application
If you have determined you are eligible to register as a pharmacy intern and have obtained all the required documentation, you may apply through the College’s online application portal by following the steps below.
Click Application Portal in the Portal Login menu at the top right of the webpage.
Log into or create an account by clicking the “Register for an Account” link and following the instructions.
Click the Start New Application button
Click to expand the Pharmacy Student/Intern Applications category
Click Select this Application button under the appropriate Pharmacy Intern Registration Application.
Follow the instructions to submit the application and pay the application fee.
Completed applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted and may take 5-7 business days to process once all required documentation and fees are received. Applicants will be notified by email once a decision has been made. If approved, the pharmacy intern will be added to the Public Register and registration will be effective for one year.
Practical Training
Eligibility
Must be registered with the College as a Pharmacy Intern.
Pharmacy Interns who have not graduated from a Faculty of Pharmacy program accredited by the Canadian Council for the Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) must complete the NAPRA Diagnostic Tool and Learning Modules (DTLM).
Practical Training Requirements
Graduates of Canadian Entry-to-Practice PharmD programs are required to complete a minimum of 140 hours of practical training, in addition to any experiential education completed as part of the PharmD program.
Graduate of Canadian Entry-to-Practice PharmD Program
Graduate of an International Pharmacy Program
Minimum Required Practical Training Hours
140 hours
560 hours
Number of Practical Training Blocks Required
1
2 (280 hours each)
Number of Different Preceptors Required
1
2 (1 per each block)
Practical Training Location Requirements
1
2 (at least 1 block in a community pharmacy)
Hours should be completed in a normal work week of not less than 20 hours and not more than 40 hours per week.
Practical training is normally served in a pharmacy with the opportunity for direct patient care and may only be served in a non-patient care setting with the prior approval of the College.
Applicants are responsible for finding their own sites and preceptors.
After each practical training period is completed, the applicant is responsible for ensuring all required documentation is returned to the College. For applicants required to complete 2 blocks of practical training, all required documentation for the first block must be received prior to approval to start the second block being granted.
If, for any reason, the applicant is unable to complete the practical training period, or if a change of preceptor is required, the College should be contacted as soon as possible to discuss options.
REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION for Application
The following documentation is required to be submitted with the Application for Practical Training.
Preceptor Acceptance Form
Documentation provided by the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) indicating the successful completion of the NAPRA DTLM (for international pharmacy graduates only).
Application
Click Application Portal in the Portal Login menu at the top right of the webpage.
Log into your account.
Click the Start New Application button.
Click to expand the Pharmacy Student/Intern Applications category.
Click Select this Application button under the Application for Practical Training – Pharmacy Intern.
Follow the instructions to submit the application and pay the application fee.
Completed applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted and may take 5-7 days to process once all required documentation and fees are received. Applicants will be notified by email once a decision has been made and are not permitted to begin the practical training period until approval is received. Credit will not be given for time served before the application is approved.
A new application must be submitted for each practical training block.
Proof of Completion
Upon completing a practical training block, the pharmacy intern must submit a Completion Report that includes the actual start date, end date, total hours, and any additional comments or feedback regarding the practical training experience.
Click Registrant Portal in the Portal Login menu at the top right of the webpage.
Log into your account. Note: Login credentials for the Registrant Portal are the same as the Application Portal.
Click the Practical Training link on the side menu.
Click the View button next to the appropriate pharmacy intern registration.
Click the View button next to the appropriate practical training block.
Click the +Add New Report link under the Record of Completion Reports table.
Complete the form and click the Submit button.
Click the Submit for Approval button.
Preceptors must upload a completed Preceptor Evaluation form when approving the Completion Report. Pharmacy Interns will be notified by email when the Preceptor approves the report and when the College approves the completion of the practical training block.
FAQ
What can I do as an intern; what is my scope?
As per the Pharmacy Act, 2024, a pharmacy intern may perform tasks within the scope of practice of a pharmacist, as long as they are under the supervision of a pharmacist. The requirement for “supervision” in this case is more open-ended than the requirement for “direct supervision” of pharmacy students. Supervision is not a one-size-fits-all approach and calls for the active engagement of all participants to ensure a quality learning environment while maintaining the best possible patient care.
When determining the appropriate level of supervision required, the supervising pharmacist must assess the intern individually by considering the intern’s level of education and experience and evaluating the intern’s competence in relevant areas of practice. Once the supervising pharmacist is comfortable with allowing some independence, they and the pharmacy intern should come to a shared understanding of the types of activities that can be performed independently and the extent to which these activities can be performed without the direct observation of the supervising pharmacist. When providing indirect supervision, the supervising pharmacist must be readily available for consultation and, if necessary, for providing hands-on assistance to the intern.
The scope of activities a pharmacy intern is comfortable with and the level of independence required when carrying out pharmacist duties may vary from intern to intern. It will depend on previous practice experiences and the amount of time practicing with the supervising pharmacist and their team.
Can an intern be independently accountable for the clinical verification or final product check of a prescription?
As per the Pharmacy Act, 2024, a pharmacy intern may perform tasks within the scope of practice of a pharmacist, as long as they are under the supervision of a pharmacist. Regardless of the level of independence deemed appropriate by the supervising pharmacist and the intern, the supervising pharmacist still holds a level of accountability for the role the intern plays in the dispensing of each prescription and will have to determine whether or not they feel they have met their professional responsibilities if they delegate certain duties to an intern and will need to be prepared to take accountability for that decision. On the other hand, it is an intern’s responsibility to self-govern and only agree to perform duties that are within their competence. This decision will be at the discretion of both parties and will likely depend on the intern’s experience and professional relationship with the pharmacist.
The Standards of Pharmacy Operation also require documentation identifying the pharmacy team members involved in each stage of the dispensing process. The pharmacist-in-charge and the supervising pharmacist (if different) will need to consider how interns will be integrated into dispensing processes and how to document the intern and supervising pharmacist’s involvement in each prescription. This could potentially involve changes to pharmacy workflow, the development of new documentation processes, and/or practice management system software changes. Other factors that should be considered when assessing how to integrate an intern into the dispensing process include:
the need for a pharmacist to be associated with the medication dispense in the electronic health record;
the acceptability of a pharmacy intern “sign off” to third party payers;
the requirements of the provincial Prescription Monitoring Program; and
any limitations to the intern’s liability insurance coverage, in terms of practicing independently.
Pharmacists-in-charge, supervising pharmacists, and interns will need to do an assessment of the above and determine what they are collectively comfortable with.
Additional Resources
Registration as a Pharmacy Intern Interpretation Guide
Practical Training Requirements for Registration as a Pharmacist
Graduates of Canadian Entry-to-Practice PharmD Programs
