Watch for it: First-of-its-kind equivalency program for internationally trained pharmacists and pharm techs

A first-of-its-kind initiative is underway in Nova Scotia, where the provincial regulator for pharmacy professionals is working to identify international jurisdictions where a pharmacist or pharmacy technician liscence can be deemed equivalent to a Canadian liscence. “We’re working with educators and talking directly with regulators, as well, in the various jurisdictions,” Beverley Zwicker, registrar of the Nova Scotia College of Pharmacists, told Pharmacy Practice + Business. “We’re gathering information on the learning outcomes and the education of individuals in these jurisdictions to determine how they compare and translate to the educational outcomes that we’ve set in our entry-to-practice competencies.” This novel approach to licensing internationally trained pharmacy professionals will boost Nova Scotia’s ability to recruit pharmacists and pharmacy technicians “while still maintaining necessary safeguards,” the college wrote in a notice to its members. Read: SCPP looks to add more international pharmacy techs Like other Canadian provinces and territories, Nova Scotia struggles with a shortfall of pharmacy professionals. Zwicker pointed to three factors driving this trend: fewer people coming into the profession, more pharmacists and pharmacy technicians either leaving the province or switching careers, and a growing demand for pharmacy services. “As a regulator, we're concerned about the negative impact on access to care for the public, which is why we've become involved,” she said. In addition to assessing the education of internationally trained pharmacists and pharmacy technicians against Canadian training, the college will look at these professionals’ scope of practice and how much experience they’ve gained within this scope. The college will also analyze how licensing requirements and processes in other countries compare against those in Canada. Read: How rural Canada can attract and retain international healthcare providers: Address discrimination, provide support “What has been the process for individuals in those jurisdictions to demonstrate that they have attained the competencies necessary to practise safely and ethically?” asked Zwicker. “And what has the regulatory oversight been for individual jurisdictions? Is there an annual liscence requirement? Is there a requirement for ongoing education?” What the college hopes to do, she added, is to take all these pieces of information and use them to assess the competence of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians trained and licensed in other countries. “We’re hoping to identify the first jurisdiction by end of summer, early fall of this year and we expect that there will be a dynamic list and there will be ongoing assessment,” said Zwicker. “We’re actively working, with a sense of urgency, to get this launched as quickly as possible. But we’ll start with a shortlist and work from there.” Read: Ian Stewart on the need for mentoring and its many benefits

Watch for it: First-of-its-kind equivalency program for internationally trained pharmacists and pharm techs

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