Mentored Work Placements
Paid/subsidized mentored work placements are available to IPGs who have passed the PEBC Evaluating Exam and IPGs who are registered as interns (or equivalent) through their regulator and can work to full scope under pharmacist supervision. The mentored work placements provide essential practical experience and guidance in a community pharmacy setting to help IPGs prepare for national pharmacy exams and licensure assessments.
IPG participants will develop their skills in patient care and medication management while expanding their knowledge of Canadian professional standards, ethical guidelines and regulatory requirements. Guidance and constructive feedback from mentors will foster professional growth and confidence, empowering IPGs to thrive in Canadian pharmacy practice.
Key Activity Details
- Format: In-person
- Time Commitment: 15 to 40 hours per week
- Duration: Placements range from 6-16 weeks for a total of 150-240 hours depending on IPG availability and preferred schedule of the mentor and/or pharmacy host site(s)
- Wages: Wages cannot be lower than the subsidy amounts of $20/hr (including EI, CPP, etc.) for unregulated IPGs and $25/hr (including EI, CPP, etc.) for regulated IPGs
- Orientation: Mentees and mentors participate in separate orientation sessions to ensure a clear understanding of the program and their specific roles and responsibilities
- Mentorship resources: Mentorship resources will be provided to all participants, offering guidelines, expectations, ethical standards, conversation starters and more
- Support from CPhA: Project staff will stay connected throughout the mentorship and participants are encouraged to contact CPhA with any questions or concerns
Eligibility
Each IPG participant must:
- Be a permanent or temporary resident, Canadian citizen or person granted refugee status in Canada, who is legally entitled to work in Canada.
- Hold an internationally obtained undergraduate degree in pharmacy.
- Hold a Canadian Language Benchmark of 7+ preferred or equivalent; and
- One of the following:
- Passed the PEBC Evaluating Exam; or
- Been accepted into the Nova Scotia Streamlined pathway; or
- Applied successfully to the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec; or
- Registered successfully as an intern, student, provisional pharmacist (or equivalent) through their provincial regulatory authority
Other IPG requirements:
- Participate in a mentorship orientation session prior to the placement
- Commit to the entire duration of the work placement of a minimum of 150 hours to a maximum of 240 hours
- Work at least twice per week for a minimum of 15 hours per week up to a maximum of 40 hours per week
Each mentor must:
- Be a registered pharmacist in Canada, licensed to provide patient care
- Have at least 2 years’ experience as a registered pharmacist providing patient care in a Canadian pharmacy setting
- Have experience in mentoring, precepting, teaching or training roles
- Have an interest and willingness to educate, coach and mentor
- Be committed to continuous learning and professional development
- Be affiliated with a pharmacy that provides patient care
Other mentor requirements:
- Cannot have a close personal relationship, for example be related to (spouse, sibling, child or other family member, etc.), or reside in the same residence as the mentee
- Must be willing to adhere to the program's guidelines, including time commitments and ethical standards
- Must be available to attend a 1-hour virtual mentor training orientation session and complete the IPG Integration Training videos prior to hosting a placement
- Must be available to mentor at least 2 shifts per week for a minimum of 15 hours per week over the 240-hour mentorship period
- Must check in with the mentee on a regular basis
- Must provide structured feedback and review the Learning Plan with the mentee at least once every 2 weeks throughout the placement
How to Participate
To participate in this activity, interested mentors and mentees simply need to apply to the project and select this option on the application form. Our project staff will reach out to verify your eligibility and guide you through a brief screening process.
Eligible participants will then move on to an interview to help identify a good mentorship match. Once a potential match has been made, participants will review the details, finalize the pairing and schedule their orientation to get started.
CPS Full Access Subscription
IPG mentees who participate in the work placement will also receive a complementary 12-month subscription to CPS Full Access, identified by PEBC as a resource to help prepare for the Pharmacist Qualifying Exam.
Evaluation
We kindly ask all participants to complete a survey before, during and after the placement. You may also be invited to complete brief follow-up surveys at a later date to help us evaluate the outcomes and impact of the project activity. Your feedback is invaluable and helps us improve our program!
