Preceptor Criteria - Registered Pharmacy Student/Intern
Print Version Printer version


Regulation 280/96

30. (1) 2 The applicant must have been accepted by a preceptor acceptable to the Registration Committee
Note: This policy also applies to section 31.3 (Interns)

POLICY

The College will verify the eligibility of pharmacists to serve as preceptors.

1. Practice
a) A preceptor is a pharmacist who has been licensed to practise pharmacy in a Canadian jurisdiction and who has been providing direct patient care as a licensed pharmacist for at least 18 hours a week and for at least one year immediately preceding assumption of a preceptorship.

b) A preceptor shall undertake the in-service training of a registered pharmacy student or intern who is enrolled in or has successfully completed an undergraduate pharmacy program at an accredited Canadian or U.S. Faculty of Pharmacy, or enrolled in or has successfully completed the International Pharmacy Graduate Program, University of Toronto unless otherwise authorized by policy or the Registration Committee.

c) A preceptor shall undertake the in-service training of ONLY one registered student or intern, or one student going through the Structured Practical Experience Program (SPEP) at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, at any one time unless otherwise authorized by policy or the Registration Committee.

d) The preceptor takes primary responsibility for supervising and assessing the student or intern for a minimum of 18 hours a week. He/she may delegate responsibility to other pharmacists who are in good standing (see below) or health care professionals as appropriate, and must delegate responsibility when not available.

e) The preceptor practises pharmacy in Ontario in accordance with OCP Guidelines and Standards of Practice.

2. Good Standing
a) The preceptor must not:

  1. have terms, conditions or limitations on his/her member’s certificate of registration; or
  2. have been found to have committed an act of professional misconduct or to be incompetent by the Discipline Committee within the last six years; or
  3. have been found to be incapacitated by the Fitness to Practice Committee within the last six years; or
  4. have had allegations of professional misconduct that have been referred to, but not yet decided upon by, the Discipline Committee; or
  5. have had allegations of incapacity that have been referred to, but not yet decided upon by, the Fitness to Practice Committee1.
b) The preceptor must practise in a pharmacy that meets the SPT Practice Site Criteria2.

3. Assessment
The preceptor completes all required assessments of performance and submits the final assessment to the College within seven days of completion of training. Upon termination of training for any cause by either party, an assessment must be completed and returned to the College within seven days.

4. Conflict of Interest
a) Preceptors and students/interns MUST declare actual and perceived relationships of any nature3 beyond student-teacher relationships, that exist between themselves and/or other individuals or interests associated with the training experience or practice site. Those relationships that exist beyond the boundaries of a student-teacher relationship may compromise an objective, candid and fair assessment of a student/intern’s competence.

b) Failure to declare a conflict of interest situation may result in referral of the student/intern by the Registrar to a hearing of the Registration Committee. After a hearing, the Registration Committee may invalidate some or all of the training experience.
    5. Training

    a) Preceptors must complete the training requirements of the College to be eligible. These requirements include attending an OCP Preceptor Orientation workshop before commencing as a preceptor. Along with having served as a preceptor, they must satisfy further educational requirements for preceptors every 3 years as approved by Registration Programs.

    b) An SPEP-trained preceptor may be exempted from our training requirements if they have been actively precepting and have been participating in ongoing training with SPEP.

      Revisions Approved: December Council/97, March Council/98, September Council/99, September Council/2000, June 2002, June 2006


    1,2Pharmacists who do not meet these criteria may seek permission from the Registrar to act as a preceptor for a student/intern.
    3Examples may include: family relationships (direct and indirect), financial and business connections. (Note: Declaration does not necessarily preclude the preceptorship)