Pharmacy Info
To Become a Licensed Pharmacist in the USA, You will need to complete certain steps which can take sometime. It is better to have all your foreign credentials in order (approved to give the FPGEExam) before coming to the USA. You could/should give the TOEFL and TSE in your home country too (FPGEC code is 9103--the code does not change so valid till you or I die).
Step 1: Get all the required documents from your home pharmacy college/state pharmacy board in the manner the NABP requires.
NABP requires
- The completed application form, receipt postcard and fees.
- 2 photos, 1 glued to the application form with a notarized seal overlapping the photo and form; and the other plain one.
- Notarized copies of your DEGREE from the college or university must be put in an envelope which will be sealed, stamped and signed by the college or university official.
- Each notarized page of copies of your TRANSCRIPT from the college or university must be put in an envelope which will be sealed, stamped and signed by the college or university official.
- Notarized copies of your PHARMACIST REGISTRATION in your country from the state board of pharmacy must be put in an envelope which will be sealed, stamped and signed by the state official.
3, 4, and 5 have to be done as they request or the application will incur a minimum of half a years delay.
Send everything to:
NABP
Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee,
700 Busse Highway,
Park Ridge, Illinios-60068.
Ph: 847/698-6227, Fax: 847/698-0124
Step 2: And then you wait and wait for about 3-7 months, you could give the TOEFL and TSE if u get bored. The TSE registration is slow and can have a 3 month wait before getting a chance to sit for the 20 minute telephone exam.
Get the FPGEE application bulletin from
http://www.nabp.net/ go to examination (on left) click on it and then click FPGEE
By the way, below is the new 5yr requirement for foreign graduates.
Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee Revises Pharmacy Curriculum Requirement
Beginning January 1, 2003, NABP will require foreign-educated pharmacists to have earned their professional degree from a five-year curriculum program in order to apply for Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee™ (FPGEC®) Certification.
This change affects only those candidates who earn a pharmacy degree after the 2003 deadline. The new curriculum requirements do not apply to foreign-educated pharmacists who have earned a four-year degree prior to January 1, 2003. These individuals will remain eligible for FPGEC Certification under the current program requirements of a four-year curriculum.
Step 3: Get a job son…… Once u get your approval to sit for the FPGEE, get ready to answer the exam and come to the US. Get ready to get a job here too; some chains that will snap you up at the exam site itself otherwise go to the big chains here (be sure to be paid right- $15/hr and up please). Be familiar with the next steps too as working and getting things done will be hectic.
http://www.cvs.com/corpInfo/careers/pharmacy_international.html
http://www.walgreens.com/about/careers/pharmacy/default.jhtml
http://www.riteaid.com/careers/
Step 4: U will have to give the NABLEX once you pass the FPGEE, its more about drug-drug interactions and side effects, but should not take long to study (3 full weeks is enough) (use Appleton and Lange review of pharmacy-- http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0071360883/103-1366313-3934259).
This exam can be given anytime, u must contact the local pharmacy boards for procedures (go to the NABP web site for the state specific info—u can do this when u are here, it involves telephone calls), all relatively simple procedures,……. One important note: u will have to wait for the FPGEE result before being allowed to give the NABLEX (so its better to be done with the TOEFL and TSE before the FPGEE).
Also when u apply for the NABLEX make sure u transfer u’re score to at least 1 more state. Easiest state is Florida (that I know of---in terms of least amount of internships hours needed to be put in before step6), worst is New York (an extra tough exam). New Jersey (NJ) has 1000hours. Maryland (MD) has 1600hrs. PA has something like 1500hrs.
Step 5: After U pass the NABLEX, u’re all set to run the last and easiest stretch so congratulations……..Basically, u got to continue working and complete the states required internship hours(ranges from 3-12months @ full time work), by now u will have all the information available in the store u work for.
Step 6: After finishing the internship hours get ready for the last pharmacy law exam (MPJE). And congrats. Make sure u are paid as well as everyone else at this time (which they will do—its all u’re effort after all).