National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0

A

Statistics Canada's Trust Centre: Learn how Statistics Canada keeps your data safe and protects your privacy.

National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 Version 1.0
Introduction
Hierarchical structure

3 - Health occupations

This broad category comprises specialized middle management occupations in health care, as well as occupations concerned with providing health care services directly to patients (professional and technical occupations in health) and occupations that provide support to health services.

31 - Professional occupations in health

This major group comprises professional occupations in health, including health treating and consultation services professionals; therapy and assessment professionals; and nursing and allied health professionals. These occupations come with Training, Education, Experience and Responsibility (TEER) identified as TEER 1. Occupations classified in TEER 1, as those in this group with a 1 as the second digit of their code, typically require a university degree (bachelor's, master's or doctorate) or the accumulation several years of experience and expertise in the subject matter knowledge in a related occupation found in TEER 2, when applicable (which includes occupations with a 2 as a second digit in their code).

311 - Health treating and consultation services professionals

This sub-major group comprises health treating and consultation services professionals, including physicians and veterinarians; dentists, optometrists and audiologists; and pharmacists and dietitians.

3112 - Pharmacists and dietitians

This minor group comprises pharmacists, dietitians and nutritionists. They are employed by retail and hospital pharmacies, home health-care agencies, extended care facilities, and community health centres; pharmaceutical companies; educational institutions, sports organizations, and government departments and agencies; in the pharmaceutical, and food and beverage industries; or they may be self-employed.

31120 - Pharmacists

Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists compound and dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals and provide consultative services to both clients and health care providers. They are employed in retail pharmacies and health center pharmacies, or they may be self-employed. Industrial pharmacists participate in the research, development, promotion and manufacture of pharmaceutical products. They are employed in pharmaceutical companies and government departments and agencies.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • clinical pharmacist
    • community pharmacist
    • hospital pharmacist
    • industrial pharmacist
    • pharmacist
    • retail pharmacist

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • Chemists (See 21101 Chemists)
    • Chief of pharmacy (See 30010 Managers in health care)
    • Drugstore manager (See 60020 Retail and wholesale trade managers)
    • Pharmaceutical sales representative (See 62100 Technical sales specialists - wholesale trade)
    • Pharmacologist (See 21110 Biologists and related scientists)
    • Pharmacy director (See 30010 Managers in health care)
    • Pharmacy manager - retail (See 60020 Retail and wholesale trade managers)
    • Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants (See 33103 Pharmacy technical assistants and pharmacy assistants)
    • Pharmacy technicians (See 32124 Pharmacy technicians)

  • Main duties

    This group performs some or all of the following duties:

    Community pharmacists and hospital pharmacists

    • Check prescriptions for proper dosage
    • Compound prescribed pharmaceutical products by calculating, measuring and mixing the quantities of drugs and other ingredients required and filling appropriate containers with correct quantity
    • Dispense prescribed pharmaceuticals to customers or to other health care professionals and advise them on indications, contra-indications, adverse effects, drug interactions and dosage
    • Maintain medication profiles of customers including registry of poisons and narcotic and controlled drugs
    • Ensure proper preparation, packaging, distribution and storage of vaccines, serums, biologicals and other drugs and pharmaceuticals
    • Order and maintain stock of pharmaceutical supplies
    • Advise customers on selection and use of non-prescription medication
    • Renew existing prescriptions in limited circumstances
    • May adapt the formulation, regimen, duration or route of administration of medication
    • May supervise and coordinate the activities of other pharmacists, pharmacy assistants, pharmacy technicians and other staff.

    Industrial pharmacists

    • Participate in research for the development of new drugs
    • Formulate new drug products developed by medical researchers
    • Test new drug products for stability and to determine absorption and elimination patterns
    • Coordinate clinical investigations of new drugs
    • Control the quality of drug products during production to ensure that they meet standards of potency, purity, uniformity, stability and safety
    • Develop information materials concerning the uses, properties and risks of particular drugs
    • Evaluate labelling, packaging and advertising of drug products
    • Promote pharmaceutical products to health professionals.

  • Employment requirements

    • A university degree in pharmacy and a period of supervised practical training are required.
    • Licensure is required in all provinces and territories for community and hospital pharmacists.
31121 - Dietitians and nutritionists

Dietitians and nutritionists assess nutrition related issues of individuals and groups and develop, implement and evaluate nutrition care plans to prevent, treat and manage disease. They manage food and nutrition service systems, and plan health promotion programs. They are employed in a variety of settings including hospitals, home health-care agencies and extended care facilities, community health centres, the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries, educational institutions, and government and sports organizations, or they may work as private consultants.

  • Illustrative example(s)

    • administrative dietitian
    • clinical dietitian
    • community nutritionist
    • consultant dietitian
    • dietitian
    • dietitian-nutritionist
    • nutrition specialist
    • nutritionist
    • public health dietitian
    • public health nutritionist
    • registered dietitian (RD)
    • research dietitian

    All examples

  • Exclusion(s)

    • Dietary technician (See 32129 Other medical technologists and technicians)
    • Director of dietetics (See 30010 Managers in health care)
    • Food service supervisors (See 62020 Food service supervisors)
    • Holistic nutritionist (See 32209 Other practitioners of natural healing)
    • Home economist (See 41403 Social policy researchers, consultants and program officers)

  • Main duties

    This group performs some or all of the following duties:

    • Develop, implement and evaluate nutrition programs and services for individuals, communities and populations
    • Manage food service systems in hospitals, long-term care facilities, schools, privately owned-food service outlets or similar settings
    • Provide nutrition guidance, label interpretation and consultation services to health professionals, individuals, dietetic interns, community groups, government and the media
    • Evaluate nutritional status of individuals and aid in the prevention and/or treatment of inadequate nutrition
    • Plan, evaluate and conduct nutrition education programs and develop educational materials for various audiences
    • Practice on an individual basis or as a member of an interdisciplinary team to determine nutritional needs of patients and to plan, implement and evaluate normal and therapeutic diets to maintain and enhance general health
    • Analyze current scientific nutritional studies, conduct research and evaluate program effectiveness to improve the nutritional value, taste, appearance and preparation of food
    • Work within industry in the development, testing and evaluation, and marketing of food and nutrition products or as a company representative supplying product related information to health professionals
    • Confer with other health professionals, community groups, government and the media to provide consultation and advice in areas of nutrition interpretation, intervention and policy
    • Supervise training of dietetic interns.

    Dietitians and nutritionists may specialize in areas such as administrative dietetics, clinical dietetics, community dietetics, public health nutrition or research dietetics.

  • Employment requirements

    • Dietitians require a bachelor's degree in dietetics, nutrition or a related field such as food and nutritional science from a program accredited by the Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice (PDEP), and a period of supervised practical training.
    • Successful completion of the Canadian Dietetic Registration Exam (CDRE) is required in all provinces except Quebec.
    • Registration with a regulatory body is required in all provinces for dietitians.
    • Membership in the national association, Dietitians of Canada, is voluntary.
    • Registration with a regulatory body is required for nutritionists in Nova Scotia, Quebec and Alberta. In the remaining provinces, nutritionists may require the same education and practical training as dietitians.
    • Membership with the national association, Dietitians of Canada, and/or a provincial regulatory body is available for nutritionists who have the same education and practical training as dietitians.

  • Additional information

    • Dietitians and nutritionists are protected titles and used interchangeably in Nova Scotia, Quebec and Alberta. In these provinces nutritionists require the same level of education and training as dietitians.
    • In some provinces dietitians who work as Public Health Nutritionists and dietetic education program coordinators may require a Master's degree.
    • Dietitians and nutritionists may progress to management positions through additional experience.
Date modified: