Robertson alum wins 2022 Pharmacy Technician Achievement Award

Robertson College (RC): Congratulations on being awarded the Alberta College of Pharmacy’s 2022 Pharmacy Technician Achievement Award — what an accomplishment! Could you start off by telling me a little bit about yourself?

Olivia Haller (OH): Thank you – that means a lot! 

I was born and raised in the small town of Trochu, Alberta, where I started my first job in high school at Balkwill’s Pharmacy. I got my first taste of pharmacy work there and that job opened the doors for me to be in the place I am now in my career. After graduation, I spent a year abroad both studying and volunteering with Torchbearers Bible schools. I came home to work for the year and my friend recommended me at Peter’s Pharmacy for their full-time pharmacy assistant position, and I got the job! I spent that year deciding what I wanted to study and was accepted into Robertson College for the Pharmacy Technician program. I moved to Calgary in the fall of 2020 and have remained here since graduating the program. I currently work as a Pharmacy Technician at a Shoppers Drug Mart in Calgary. 

RC: What got you interested in pharmacy and wanting to become a Pharmacy Technician? 

OH: My many years of experience in pharmacy as an assistant certainly shaped my desire to continue in the profession. I chose to pursue a career as a pharmacy technician because I wanted to be able to provide my patients a greater level of service — providing them with essential, daily living education to empower them in their health journeys. For me, that means a lot of practical service in providing pharmaceutical care, but also listening to my patients and being able to offer suggestions to change their lifestyle habits and practices in a way that genuinely improves their wellbeing. I find those aspects of pharmaceutical care very rewarding. 

RC: Why did you choose Robertson?

OH: Robertson College’s Pharmacy Technician program really stood out to me mainly because it offered a one year program rather than a two year, semester-based program. This, along with the hybrid delivery of the program and practicum was beneficial financially and aligned with my career aspirations.

RC: What was the most valuable aspect of Robertson’s Pharmacy Technician program for you? How did the program prepare you for your career? 

OH: Robertson’s small class sizes were of huge value to me as they enabled us to have a good amount of one-on-one instruction and gave us the opportunity to work together as classmates. That was really powerful for me. I was also extremely impressed with the instructors and staff at Robertson. Each of them went above and beyond. It made such a positive impact in my education there. 

Learning to work together in a small class size and communicating with one another is probably most valuable for Robertson pharmacy students. Overall, we were given so many resources and encouraged by the examples of our instructors and I think that led to success for each of my classmates. 

Robertson gave me the knowledge and skills I needed to be equipped and confident as a Technician. I walked away from my practicum with confidence and was able to jump in, learn lots and put my knowledge to use.

RC: Can you talk a little bit about the career opportunities and exciting things happening in the pharmacy field? What would you say to prospective students interested in pharmacy? 

OH: For those who might be on the fence about enrolling in Robertson’s pharmacy technician program, I would say that pharmacy practice is no joke. We have to be on top of our game in order to provide excellent health services to our patients. That being said, I find it to be such a rewarding challenge and motivation to get to know and serve my patients each day. Community pharmacies are one of the most widely available institutions for health care access communities across Canada and being able to serve patients in that way is unique and makes a valuable difference to our communities.

There are a diverse number of pharmacy’s out there, and they all specialize in different aspects of care. After you graduate, I would certainly encourage you to find a pharmacy where you feel most inspired to serve your patients. For me, that meant that I recently became certified as a compression stocking fitter so that I could help expand the services to our patients and help them feel equipped and in charge of their own health journeys. The Alberta College of Pharmacy also has many educational opportunities and I would encourage new grad’s to check them out and get involved.

Ready to kickstart a fulfilling career in pharmacy? 

If you’re interested in pursing a meaningful career in pharmacy, enrol in Robertson’s Pharmacy Technician diploma program and start as early as September 26, 2022! 

Program Details

• Format: Hybrid learning with in-person instruction at our Calgary campus
• Duration: 46 weeks + 9 week practicum
• Schedule: 5 Days a Week, Monday to Friday
• Fully accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs