This is my career-change story: my name is Lindsay Heier, and I live in the beautiful Okanagan region in British Columbia. I am a wife and a proud mother to the sweetest 2-year-old little girl.
In my previous career, I spent over a decade in the wine industry as a laboratory technician and microbiologist. However, with the unpredictability of climate change, I found myself doing some soul-searching. As a new mother, I wanted stability and, more importantly, to show my daughter that anything is possible.
I wanted stability and, more importantly, to show my daughter that anything is possible.
The science of Pharmacy Tech
With my passion for science, the Pharmacy Technician program at Stenberg immediately resonated with me. My background in biology and quality control provided a strong foundation, and I knew these skills could be redirected toward helping people. The program’s online delivery was especially appealing. With a little one at home, its condensed format meant I could quickly transition into a new career.
When Stenberg said “condensed,” they weren’t exaggerating. The accelerated pace was rigorous, but I enjoyed the material and embraced the challenge. The instructors were knowledgeable, dedicated, and engaging — even through a computer screen. (My daughter even sat in on a few Law and Ethics classes, and the instructor jokingly came to anticipate her attendance!)
One of the most unexpected and rewarding aspects of the program was the relationships I built with my colleagues. We were a diverse group from across the country. Although we never met in person before our labs, we formed genuine friendships and supported each other every step of the way.
One of the most unexpected and rewarding aspects of the program was the relationships I built with my colleagues.
Hands-on learning
The in-person lab component was perhaps the most daunting part — leaving my family for eight weeks to be on the West Coast was not easy. But to my surprise, the labs quickly became my favourite experience.
Day 1 of labs was filled with excitement as we rolled into the Stenberg parking lot. I will never forget the feeling of seeing my classmates in person for the first time! We had built our relationships online for six months and worked so hard to reach this point. We hugged, shared travel stories, asked about families — as if we had known each other for years. Then, the doors opened and Kate, our beloved math instructor, welcomed us. Soon after, we met our lab instructors and prepared to put our knowledge into practice.
I will never forget the feeling of seeing my classmates in person for the first time!
We began with the Community Pharmacy Operations and Dispensing Lab, which included theory, order entry (Kroll), and compounding. We learned how to read and transcribe prescriptions (even those chicken-scratch doctor signatures), enter and dispense medications in our little “pharmacy” staged with candy, and compound creams, suspensions, and capsules in a fully equipped lab. (I especially loved filling Escitalopram with little banana rascals!)
Days were spent balancing our Professional Practice course online with evenings in the lab. During lunch breaks, I would sneak away to FaceTime my daughter and read her one of the bedtime stories I had brought along. Outside of class, we made time for team bonding, including a trip to White Rock (for fish and chips and twice-baked croissants, a recommendation by our Professional Practice instructor), a hike at Golden Ears Provincial Park, and a day at Granville Island.
Next came the Hospital Operations and Dispensing Lab, which was new territory for everyone. Like the Community portion, it included three blocks, but this time we learned hospital order entry software (Meditech), sterile compounding, and daily hospital operations. I’ll never forget our first sterile compounding session: aseptic handwashing and garbing. At first, I didn’t even realize the gowns had sleeves, and I had two flopping at my sides (rookie mistake)! We practiced manipulating syringes, needles, glass ampoules, and IV bags — all without a single mishap. This quickly became my favourite lab, as I was able to apply my previous science background to aseptic procedures.
More than classroom learning
Stenberg’s instructors fostered an environment of academic excellence and professional growth, and the quality of education exceeded my expectations. Beyond the learning itself, the labs brought us closer together, transforming us from strangers into a close-knit community.
Participating in the labs was an enriching, rewarding experience that I will always look back on with gratitude.
Now — onto practicum and, most importantly, becoming a role model for my daughter.
