Note: The Pilot Program to Prepare for Practical Training (P4T) concluded in December 2022. NAPRA thanks all P4T mentors and mentees for making the project a success. While the mentorship component is now completed, the Diagnostic Tool and Learning Modules (DTLM) introduced as part of P4T continue to be available online to pharmacy professionals and other interested participants, with no prerequisites or requirements. To learn more: NAPRA Diagnostic Tool and Learning Modules.
The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) is currently recruiting experienced pharmacists to become mentors for the Pilot Program to Prepare for Practical Training (P4T).
P4T is a national pilot project that aims to provide international pharmacy graduates access to tools, resources, and a mentorship program as they pursue licensure in Canada. The mentorship component matches international pharmacy graduates (IPGs) with experienced pharmacists, providing them a unique opportunity to gain practical experience in Canadian pharmacies as well as relevant cultural knowledge and communication skills before they begin their formal training and assessments. Today we highlight Yehia, a P4T mentee.
Originally from Egypt, Yehia was drawn to work in Canada because of what he believes to be its high standards of care. He began his mentorship program when he was working as a part-time pharmacy assistant in Canada and enrolled in the IPG program offered at the University of Toronto. In addition to the Canadian experience he was building, he saw the mentorship program as an opportunity to prepare for the Pharmacy Examination Board of Canada exam and to learn the standards that will help him excel in his role as a pharmacist in Canada.
During his mentorship, Yehia entered prescriptions, filled prescriptions, and completed a house call with his mentor to administer a flu shot to a patient. He recalls how his mentor often told him that “practice makes perfect, and that as a pharmacy student, you should always practice, practice, and practice.” He appreciated having had the opportunity to learn how to counsel patients, as this was an aspect of his training that was missing in his home country. Yehia feels that one of the most valuable things the mentorship taught him was “how ethics are applied in a Canadian context, such as justice, treating everybody equally, and making sure all the patients receive the optimal care they deserve in order to put them on track for better healthcare.”
Learn more about the P4T program and about how to become a mentor.