From pushing a career to the back burner to giving up precious 鈥渕e-time鈥�, being a mom demands extraordinary multi-tasking. Ericka Brown, a mom-of-two and Registered Pharmacy Technician, has mastered this constant juggling act.

This former veterinary technician had happily quit her job to care for her daughters. As the years progressed, Ericka felt something was missing. She wanted to jump back into the professional world but going back to her old job was no longer appealing. 鈥淚 wanted to get into human medicine. I reconnected with an old friend who worked as a Pharmacy Technician at BC Cancer and her job sounded very similar to what I did as a vet tech.鈥�

A light bulb went off in Ericka鈥檚 head and she started researching into how she could become a Pharmacy Technician

Back to college

Ericka鈥檚 friend had recommended Stenberg College鈥檚 program. Stenberg鈥檚 program allows students to learn theory online and complete practicum placements in their home community. This fit in Ericka鈥檚 busy lifestyle. 鈥淎ttending a regular program wasn鈥檛 feasible as I had two little kids. They are in many extracurricular activities, and we don鈥檛 want to pull them out of those. Stenberg鈥檚 10-month, gave me a lot more flexibility,鈥� Ericka shared.

Juggling her studies and being a mom, pushed Ericka to come up with innovative study tactics. 鈥淚 was studying whenever and wherever I could. I had flashcards in my car, so I could review while waiting to pick up my daughters. I had medication names recorded on my phone. I鈥檇 listen to them on speaker while driving and sometimes, my kids would start repeating the names,鈥� Ericka laughed.

Ericka excelled as a student. She enjoyed the theory, but it wasn鈥檛 until she started the in-person labs that Ericka had her 鈥淚 love this!鈥� moment. 鈥淚t was during our compounding labs that I realized I was on the right track.鈥�

Finding Passion

Ericka graduated from the program with a 98 per cent grade point average and is now working as a Registered Pharmacy Technician in the chemotherapy ward at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Her success as a Pharmacy Technician is driven by her passion for making a difference in people鈥檚 lives. 鈥淭his is very personal to me. I have lost two aunts to cancer and watched a third battle it twice.鈥�

鈥淚 know that I鈥檓 not the type of person who can work bedside as a nurse.鈥� By , Ericka would still be able to help 鈥渨ithout being in the same room as the patient.鈥�

Feeling inspired? Visit to learn more about their Pharmacy Technician Distance Diploma program.