Cannabis Dispensary and Patient Care Specialist
Department Chair: Stephen Fix, 847-635-1684 or sfix@oakton.edu
The cannabis dispensary and patient care specialist provides cannabis patient education and assists with dispensary operations in alignment with state and federal laws that regulate cannabis distribution to clients. The Cannabis Dispensary and Patient Care Specialist Certificate prepares students to work in a licensed cannabis dispensary. Students will acquire skills to interact with and educate cannabis clients in a regulated environment and the foundational knowledge to pursue additional careers in the cannabis industry. Students seeking employment in this field must be 21 years or older and comply with regulations regarding a criminal background check. Dispensary employees will need to meet Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulations (IDFPR) requirements to acquire an Agent Card. This certificate can be completed in one semester.
Cannabis Dispensary and Patient Care Specialist Certificate
12 Semester Credit Hours; Curriculum: 0410
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Courses for a Certificate | ||
| CNB 101 | Introduction to Cannabis | 1 |
| CNB 102 | Cannabis and the Law | 1 |
| CNB 103 | Pharmacology and Medical Cannabis Use | 2 |
| CNB 104 | The Experience of Illness | 2 |
| CNB 105 | Dispensary Operations | 1 |
| BUS 101 | Introduction to Business | 3 |
| PED 101 | First Aid | 2 |
| Total Hours | 12 | |
Cannabis Dispensary and Patient Care Courses
Course will discuss the basic life cycle of the plant/plant properties, and the natural origins and evolution of cannabis. Course will also include topics related to how cannabis influenced commercial, medical, ritual and religious practices in culture.
The course will discuss current policy parameters, legal responsibilities and ethical issues of the medical cannabis industry.
Course provides a foundation of pharmacology topics related to medical cannabis. Content includes product knowledge, basic physiology, drug interactions and methods of administration.
Course explores illness as a social scientific construct, including exploring the intersection of chronic illness and personal identity. The course provides students a practical look at how Cannabis Patient Care Specialists communicate with (and educate) patients.
Course covers logistic concepts including transportation, inventory, packaging, warehousing, materials handling, order processing, safety protocol and facility location.
Course covers content related to cannabis cultivation center operations including cannabis cultivation, processing, transportation, and disposal, facility requirements related to cannabis cultivation, cannabis plant monitoring systems for tracking seed to sale, state regulations and inspections, and biosecurity measures.