If you are a Part A pharmacist who will continue to work in the pharmacy profession but not provide patient care (as defined on the Two Part Register for Pharmacists page), and you wish to be able to use the protected title of “pharmacist”, you have the option to move to Part B of the Register. As a Part B pharmacist, you are required to complete the annual renewal but your renewal fee is lower and you do not need to have personal liability insurance. If you decide to return to providing patient care at a later date (no time limit), you will have to undergo the process to move from Part B to Part A. This option should be considered for a pharmacist who is changing to a non-patient care role.
Since pharmacy technicians do not currently have a two-part register, they do not have the option to move to Part B.
If you are a pharmacist or pharmacy technician in good standing who will not be working in the profession in the near future but intend to return to practice within three years, you have the option to resign from the Register and then reinstate. While you are resigned from the Register, you will not be required to pay the annual renewal fee or maintain personal professional liability insurance. Please note that once resigned, you will not be able to use the protected title of “pharmacist” or “pharmacy technician” or provide patient care. This option is appropriate to consider for a practitioner who is taking a leave from practising as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician for less than three years (e.g., parental or personal leave, sabbatical, temporary relocation outside of Ontario, working outside the profession of pharmacy).
You are eligible to apply for reinstatement within three years of the date of your resignation. When seeking reinstatement, former pharmacists will be reinstated into Part B of the Register. A pharmacist may be reinstated to Part A of the Register if certain conditions are met. Pharmacy technicians, when seeking reinstatement, are reinstated back into the Register.
After three years from the date of your resignation from the Register, you will not be eligible for reinstatement. If you wish to return to the profession, you will be required to re-apply as a new applicant. Please review the information about reinstatement after three years from the date of resignation on the Resigning & Reinstating web page. This option is appropriate for a practitioner who is relocating outside of Ontario for three years or longer, changing careers or retiring.
Annual renewal is March 10th every year. To determine if you have met the requirement of 600 practice hours, add up the hours you have worked in patient care in Ontario, another Canadian jurisdiction or in the United States from the previous three calendar years OR from the previous three years starting at March 10 for each year.
The 600 hours of providing patient care can be accumulated any time in the previous three years. If you were away from work for a long period (e.g., sick leave or parental leave), the 600 hours may be accumulated before or after your leave within the three-year window.
To understand how the College defines patient care, please see Part A & Part B Register for Pharmacists.
Each year pharmacy technicians are required to complete the annual renewal process.
While pharmacy technicians are currently not required to maintain a minimum of 600 practice hours in patient care every three years, the College recommends this as a best practice.
All pharmacy technicians are encouraged to engage in quality assurance activities, including undergoing the practice assessment at their place of practice when selected to do so by the College.
Pharmacy technicians do not have a two part register and cannot opt into Part A or Part B of the register.