Session recording

Becoming a Pharmacist in Canada: Stories and Strategies from IPGs (September 10, 2024)

This session provides unlicensed International Pharmacy Graduates (IPGs) with a broad understanding of the Canadian licensure process, while offering valuable insights and practical strategies through the experiences of IPGs who have successfully completed this process.

Speaker bios 

Shams Qaend
An IPG consultant at the Canadian Pharmacists Association, a pharmacist at Shoppers Drug Mart, Shams graduated from the International Pharmacy Graduate (IPG) Bridging Program from the University of Toronto, and a PharmD graduate from the University of Jordan, Shams is an ACRP-CP and CCRP certified clinical researcher, entrepreneur, and web and phone applications developer. Due to her passion for technology, she was able to create RxCourse Institute Inc. platform in pharmacy education; she got her success story published by the city of Mississauga. Shams has an ultimate goal to ease the path for international pharmacists to get a foothold in the Canadian healthcare system, to replace the journey of licensure from broken hearts and shattered dreams to success, happiness and joy of achievements.

She arrived in Canada in 2018 and noticed that immigration is like hitting the factory reset button on your phone, except you’re re-setting yourself as a human being. She was shocked at how difficult it seemed, and so many just gave up! She was especially bothered by all the ladies she met in their 30s and 40s who had owned pharmacies in their home countries. And then they come to Canada, and they put their dreams on the back burner. It’s a waste! And she knew that everything would change for them and their families once they started doing their exams and earning salaries.

Shams became an advocate for international pharmacists going back to being a practicing pharmacist in Canada and a pharmacy career educator in newcomers’ organizations like Ach?v and TRIEC. Equipped with more than 10,000 followers on social media, she was able to help over 500 international pharmacists on her online platform during the pandemic.

Mehul Patel 
Mehul Patel is the Pharmacy Owner and Manager at Pharmasave in Clive, Alberta. He completed his Bachelor of Pharmacy in Gujarat, India, later moved to Canada and obtained his license to practice as a pharmacist in early 2013. He has over 11 years of experience as a full-time pharmacist and manager. Mehul has worked in both independent pharmacies and large corporate chains, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his current role as a pharmacy owner manager.

As a community pharmacist, Mehul interacts with a diverse range of patients. He is a certified Diabetes Educator and has keen interest in compounding extemporaneous mixtures to address medical needs that commercially available medicines do not meet. He also likes to exercise full scope of pharmacy practice in Alberta to look after his patients. He advocates for a team-based care approach for all his patients with their respective physician and other health care professionals.

Mehul has been nominated for the Preceptor of the Year award on multiple occasions by his first year and fourth year pharmacy students from the University of Alberta. He is a long-standing member of the Alberta Pharmacists Association (RxA)’s Leadership cohort that involves liaison work with elected MLAs to advocate for pharmacy profession and currently serves as a hearing tribunal member for the Alberta College of Pharmacy.

Chintan Prajapati
We're thrilled to introduce you to Chintan, the dedicated owner of Brookline Pharmasave & Community Pharmacy Primary Care Clinic.

Chintan's pharmacy journey began in Mumbai, India, where he grew up. He obtained his Bachelor of Pharmacy in 2010 and then pursued an MBA. Chintan then chose the path of entrepreneurship by founding a pharmaceutical marketing and export company in India. After this, he and his wife, Manali, moved to Canada in 2017, embracing the challenge of starting a new life in Canada.

It took a year and a half for Chintan to get licensed as a pharmacist in Canada, a process he described as possible, but very difficult. As a result of his experience, he takes the opportunity now, when and where he can, to help other immigrants to navigate the system to get settled in their new country. Once licensed as a pharmacist in Canada in 2018, Chintan worked at a few community Pharmacies in Halifax.

Soon after, Chintan's entrepreneurial spirit led him to open Brookline Pharmasave amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Chintan was driven by a deep commitment to serve their community. Just two days after opening, Chintan along with his pharmacy team began administering COVID-19 vaccinations, and since then the pharmacy has logged over 60,000 vaccines, becoming a cornerstone in the community's health efforts with his unwavering commitment to health and community.

Chintan's dedication also extends beyond pharmacy, as he and Manali are raising their two sons, Rivaan and Hayaan, while cherishing their roots in Mumbai.