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Pharmacist Assistant

Pharmacist Assistant CV example and template (South Africa)

Updated November 2026 · Written for South African employers

Pharmacist's assistants work in retail pharmacies such as Clicks, Dis-Chem and independent pharmacies, in private hospital pharmacies run by groups such as Netcare, Mediclinic and Life Healthcare, in public hospitals and clinics, and at pharmaceutical wholesalers and manufacturers. By law they must be registered with the South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC) and work under a pharmacist's supervision. The two main categories are Pharmacist's Assistant (Basic), who mainly handles stock, repackaging and housekeeping, and Pharmacist's Assistant (Post-Basic), who may also sell Schedule 1 and 2 medicines and prepare and label prescriptions after the pharmacist has interpreted and evaluated them. While you train you are registered as a learner in that category. A responsible pharmacist reading your CV checks your SAPC category first, then how well you know the medicine schedules, dispensing and stock control.

The newer Pharmacy Technician category sits above Post-Basic. Technicians hold an NQF level 6 qualification, can dispense Schedule 1 to 6 medicines once a pharmacist has evaluated the prescription, and can supervise pharmacist's assistants. The example below is for a Post-Basic pharmacist's assistant in Cape Town who started on a Clicks learnership, now works in a Dis-Chem dispensary and is studying towards the Occupational Certificate for Pharmacy Technicians. If you are new, apply for a pharmacist's assistant learnership with a pharmacy group, hospital group or provincial health department, and put your matric marks for Mathematics, Physical Sciences or Life Sciences and English near the top, with any retail or till experience.

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Pharmacist Assistant CV example

Tasneem Davids

SAPC-registered Pharmacist's Assistant (Post-Basic) with 7 years in retail pharmacy

084 555 0172 · tasneem.davids@example.co.za · Cape Town, Western Cape

Profile

SAPC-registered Pharmacist's Assistant (Post-Basic) with seven years in retail pharmacy in Cape Town, starting on a Clicks learnership and now in a busy Dis-Chem dispensary. Prepares and labels up to 150 prescriptions a day for pharmacist checking, processes medical aid claims, packs repeat chronic medicine and keeps fridge temperature logs and stock records up to date. Studying towards the Occupational Certificate for Pharmacy Technicians (NQF 6). Looking for a senior post-basic or learner pharmacy technician post.

Work experience

Pharmacist's Assistant (Post-Basic)

Dis-Chem Pharmacies, Canal Walk, Cape Town | Mar 2023 – Present

Prepare, label and pack up to 150 prescriptions a day after the pharmacist has evaluated each one
Sell Schedule 1 and 2 medicines under the pharmacist's direct supervision
Submit medical aid claims and sort out rejected claims with medical schemes
Explain dose, timing and storage to patients, including inhalers and insulin pens
Record fridge temperatures twice a day and move stock to the backup fridge during load-shedding
Train learner pharmacist's assistants on stock procedures

Pharmacist's Assistant (Basic) and Learner Post-Basic

Clicks Pharmacy, Bellville, Cape Town | Mar 2020 – Feb 2023

Ordered stock on the pharmacist's instruction and checked deliveries against invoices
Did monthly expiry checks and quarterly stock counts with a stock variance under 0.5%
Packed repeat chronic medicine for about 400 patients a month
Repackaged bulk tablets into patient packs to standard operating procedures

Learner Pharmacist's Assistant (Basic)

Clicks Pharmacy, Parow, Cape Town | Feb 2019 – Feb 2020

Unpacked and shelved dispensary stock using first expiry, first out
Kept the dispensary clean and tidy to Good Pharmacy Practice standards

Education

Occupational Certificate: Pharmacy Technician (in progress)

SAPC-approved skills development provider, NQF level 6

Further Education and Training Certificate: Pharmacist Assistance

SAPC-accredited training provider (Clicks learnership), 2022, NQF level 4

National Certificate: Pharmacist Assistance

SAPC-accredited training provider (Clicks learnership), 2020, NQF level 3

National Senior Certificate (Matric)

Belhar Secondary School, 2018, NQF level 4

Subjects: English Home Language, Afrikaans First Additional Language, Mathematics (64%), Physical Sciences, Life Sciences (71%), Accounting, Life Orientation

Skills

Prescription preparation and labelling
Medicine schedules
Medical aid claims
Stock ordering and stock counts
Cold chain and fridge logs
Repackaging and simple compounding
Patient advice on medicine use

Certificates

SAPC registration, Pharmacist's Assistant (Post-Basic), South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC), 2023
SAPC registration, Pharmacist's Assistant (Basic), South African Pharmacy Council (SAPC), 2020
Dispensing system and medical aid claims training (in-house), Dis-Chem Pharmacies, 2023
First Aid Level 1, St John South Africa, 2025

Achievements

Helped the dispensary pass its 2025 SAPC inspection with no findings on stock or cold chain records
Dis-Chem Canal Walk dispensary employee of the month, July 2024

Personal details

Driver’s licence:: Code B (Code 8)
Nationality:: South African
Languages:: English (Home language), Afrikaans (Fluent), isiXhosa (Basic)
Notice period:: One month
Availability:: Retail shifts, including weekends and public holidays

References

Ms Nicolette Fourie

Responsible Pharmacist, Dis-Chem Pharmacies, Canal Walk

021 555 0157

Mr Imraan Hendricks

Pharmacy Manager, Clicks Pharmacy, Bellville

021 555 0138

Pharmacist Assistant CV summary you can copy

Change the details so they are true for you.

SAPC-registered Pharmacist's Assistant (Post-Basic) with seven years in retail pharmacy in Cape Town, starting on a Clicks learnership and now in a busy Dis-Chem dispensary. Prepares and labels up to 150 prescriptions a day for pharmacist checking, processes medical aid claims, packs repeat chronic medicine and keeps fridge temperature logs and stock records up to date. Studying towards the Occupational Certificate for Pharmacy Technicians (NQF 6). Looking for a senior post-basic or learner pharmacy technician post.

Skills to list on your Pharmacist Assistant CV

Medicine schedules, from Schedule 0 (sold in any shop) to Schedule 6 (strict prescription and register rules)
Reading prescriptions and preparing, labelling and packing medicine after the pharmacist has evaluated them
Selling Schedule 1 and 2 medicines under a pharmacist's direct supervision (Post-Basic)
Explaining to patients how and when to take their medicine (Post-Basic)
Submitting medical aid claims in the dispensing system and fixing rejected claims
Ordering stock up to Schedule 6 on the pharmacist's instruction and checking deliveries against invoices
Stock counts, expiry checks and stock rotation (first expiry, first out)
Cold chain management, keeping vaccines and insulin between 2 °C and 8 °C and logging fridge temperatures
Repackaging bulk medicine and compounding simple non-sterile mixtures and creams to standard operating procedures
Packing repeat chronic medicine for collection
Good Pharmacy Practice (GPP) rules, hygiene and dispensary housekeeping
Patient confidentiality under POPIA
Friendly, clear customer service in more than one language

Duties written as strong bullet points

Prepared, labelled and packed up to 150 prescriptions a day after the pharmacist had interpreted and evaluated each one, with every item checked by the pharmacist before handover
Sold Schedule 1 and 2 medicines under the pharmacist's direct supervision and referred customers with serious symptoms to the pharmacist or clinic sister
Submitted medical aid claims in the dispensing system and sorted out rejected claims with medical schemes, usually the same day
Explained dose, timing and storage to patients, including how to use asthma inhalers and insulin pens
Ordered stock on the pharmacist's instruction, checked deliveries against invoices and handed Schedule 6 items to the pharmacist for the register
Recorded vaccine and insulin fridge temperatures twice a day and moved stock to the backup fridge during load-shedding
Did monthly expiry checks and quarterly stock counts, keeping the dispensary's stock variance under 0.5%
Packed repeat chronic medicine for about 400 patients a month, ready for collection
Repackaged bulk tablets into patient packs and compounded simple mixtures and creams to standard operating procedures
Trained two learner pharmacist's assistants on stock procedures and the dispensary filing system

Tips for a stronger Pharmacist Assistant CV

Write your exact SAPC category

Use the category as it appears on your SAPC certificate, such as "Pharmacist's Assistant (Post-Basic)", with the year you registered. If you are still training, write "Pharmacist's Assistant (Learner Post-Basic)" and the month you expect to finish. A pharmacist needs to know at a glance which tasks the law allows you to do.

Only list duties within your scope

A Basic assistant may not sell Schedule 2 medicine or prepare prescriptions, and no assistant may evaluate a prescription. Writing "prepared and labelled prescriptions after the pharmacist had evaluated them" shows you understand the rules, while "dispensed prescriptions on my own" will worry an employer.

Put numbers on your dispensary work

Prescriptions prepared a day, chronic patients packed a month, stock count results and audits passed all show how busy and reliable you are. A Dis-Chem or hospital pharmacy manager compares assistants on exactly these things.

Show stock and cold chain experience

Ordering, receiving, expiry checks, stock counts and fridge temperature logs are a big part of the job, and the only part a Basic assistant does every day. Mention load-shedding plans or a backup fridge if you have handled them, because vaccines and insulin are spoiled if they get too warm.

Mention your plans to become a pharmacy technician

If you are studying towards the Pharmacy Technician qualification, add it to your education with "in progress". Employers who support your training get a more skilled staff member, and many larger pharmacy groups look for assistants ready to move up.

Questions people ask

What is the difference between a Basic and a Post-Basic pharmacist's assistant?

A Pharmacist's Assistant (Basic) mainly helps with stock control of Schedule 1 to 5 medicines, repackaging, simple compounding, health information and housekeeping, under the direct personal supervision of a pharmacist. A Post-Basic assistant can also sell Schedule 1 and 2 medicines, handle stock up to Schedule 6, prepare and label prescriptions after the pharmacist has evaluated them and explain how to use the medicine.

What is a pharmacy technician?

A pharmacy technician is a newer SAPC category above Post-Basic, with an NQF level 6 qualification. Technicians can dispense Schedule 1 to 6 medicines once the pharmacist has evaluated the prescription, supervise pharmacist's assistants and, under indirect supervision, manage a dispensary at a primary health care clinic. Post-Basic assistants can study further to register as pharmacy technicians.

How do I become a pharmacist's assistant?

Most people start on a learnership at a pharmacy, combined with study through an SAPC-approved training provider, and register with SAPC as a learner. The new Occupational Certificates for Pharmacist's Assistant (Basic) at NQF level 4 and Post-Basic at NQF level 5 take at least 12 months of training each and end with a national exam called the EISA. The older National Certificate and FETC in Pharmacist Assistance closed to new learners in June 2024.

Can I work in a pharmacy without SAPC registration?

You can work in the front shop as a sales assistant or cashier, but you may not do pharmacist's assistant work in the dispensary unless you are registered with SAPC in the right category, as a learner or a qualified assistant. Pay your SAPC annual fee on time, because employers check that your registration is current.

What are medicine schedules and why should they be on my CV?

Medicines are grouped into schedules from 0 to 8 under the Medicines and Related Substances Act. Schedule 0 can be sold in any shop, Schedules 1 and 2 only in a pharmacy, Schedule 3 and up need a prescription, and Schedule 5 and 6 medicines have extra record-keeping rules. Mentioning the schedules you handle shows an employer you know what you may and may not do.