Becoming a U.S. citizen is difficult, but it is doubly difficult to become a Pharmacist in the U.S. It’s a highly competitive industry, possibly because the U.S. is one of the dynamic forces that is pushing the global pharmacy profession forward.
And, pharmacists in the U.S. are among the highest-paid pharmacists in the world, earning an average salary of around $120,950, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Also, there are tons of benefits of becoming a pharmacist in the U.S., including:many opportunities for continuing education, the ability to practice in a variety of clinical settings, a strong community of the Pharmacy professionals and a salary that can provide a good standard of living.
If you are making an allowance for becoming a pharmacist in the U.S., here’s some information that will definitely help you achieve your goal. The journey to registration is as follows:
1. Apply to Education Credential Evaluators (ECE) in order to gain recognition of equivalence of your foreign qualifications. The spirit of the application is to demonstrate that your foreign undergraduate training is equal to that of someone educated in the US.The ECE requires two copies of the following documents: official university transcript proof of degree https://www.ece.org/
2. Apply to the National Board of Pharmacy (NABP) to start the Foreign Pharmacy Graduates Equivalency Committee certification process The NABP requires a single copy of your pharmacy registration document. Records sent to the ECE and NABP from the issuing education institution (either directly or via you) must be in a sealed envelope with the issuing body’s stamp over the seal. An application with demographic information also needs to be certified by a US-based notary. Once the NABP receives a satisfactory general evaluation report from the ECE, it will then send you an authorisation to test letter (ATT) allowing you to sit in the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE). https://nabp.pharmacy/
3. Register online for the FPGEE and the test of English as a foreign language internet-based test (TOEFL ibt) The FPGEE is held bi-annually at a Pearson VUE Test Centre. The TOEFL ibt is available frequently at an Educational Testing Service Centre. These examinations can be done in any order, If English is not your first language, you might want to study for the FPGEE first.
4. Register as a pharmacy intern with the state board of pharmacy and start recording working hours This can be done as soon as you are approved to sit in the FPGEE. You will need to find a pharmacist who will be your instructor at your internship facility and register as a pharmacy intern with the State Board of Pharmacy. Once got registered, start “recording” 500 to 1,500 intern hours (depending on the state). https://www.pharmacyexam.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA04XxBRD5ARIsAGFygj_XgIbvP4Vluhz6emU0weXlDCz6nQPTBUrS6O7RIYEAEAfdyMCIexsaAqazEALw_wcB
5. Take the FPGEE and the TOEFL ibt Results for the FPGEE can take around eight weeks to arrive. Results for the TOEFL ibt are available online within 10 days. Once you have set both of these tests, your entire assortment undergoes final evaluation by the FPGEC (which can take up to 10 weeks) before you are issued with a certificate. https://www.ets.org/toefl
6. Submit records of internship hours to the State Board of Parmacy/PCS once completed This has to be done before you apply for the North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and Multistate Jurisprudence Pharmacy Examination (MJPE). Use the proper form and be prepared to submit proof of worked hours.
7. Once approved, apply for and take the NAPLEX and the MJPE and apply for pharmacy licensure Eligibility to take these examinations also varies according to state and your local board needs to issue another ATT first. In Massachusetts there is a combined form for the NAPLEX, MJPE and pharmacy licensure (again there is a demographic component and it needs notarising). An MJPE must be passed in every state a candidate wishes to practise in, since pharmacy law varies from state to state. Other things to consider can be some additional costs, such as: Charges for issuing documentation, notary fees, textbooks/online resources, postage and packaging and any examination repeat fees. Pharmacist’s salaries are higher in the US that can provide Financial support while applying for the job. In hospital pharmacy, working patterns incorporate variable shift-work. https://nabp.pharmacy/programs/naplex/
| FPGEE | TOEFL ibt | NAPLEX | MJPE | |
| When it can be taken | Bi-annually at dates set by NABP (usually April,September) | Any time | Any time | Any time |
| Style of examination | 250 multiple choice questions on anything from undergraduate degree. Some familiarity is needed with US-specific pharmacy (eg,law, drug names, terminology, the healthcare model) | Reading, writing, listening and speaking sections.Computerised test with a series of questions. | 185 MCQs to test ability to measure pharmacotherapy and therapeutic outcomes, prepare and dispense medicines, and implement and evaluate information. Often in a scenario-based format. Similar in content to theUK registration assessment | 90 MCQs. Combines federal- and state-specificquestions to test pharmacy jurisprudence knowledge |
| Test centre | Any Pearson VUE Test site | Any ETS Test site | Any Pearson VUE Test site | Any Pearson VUE Test site |
| Length of examination | 5.5 hours (30 minutes’ break in middle) | Four hours (10 minute break in the middle) | 4.25 hours (optional 10 minute break) | Two hours (nobreak) |
| Cost ($1?£0.65) | $800 for examination and $85 for ECE report. Approximately $400 for copies of reports to be sent to ECE and NABP, notary fees, postage and packaging, registration as intern and registration as pharmacist | $160 | $421 (combined total for NAPLEX, MJPE, licensure application). May vary depending on state. | $421 (combined total for NAPLEX, MJPE, licensure application). May vary depending on state. |
| Pass mark | Scaled score of 75 (range 0–150) | Speaking 26 Writing 24 Listening 18 Reading 21 | Scaled score of 75 | Scaled score of 75 |
How to Become a Pharmacist in the U.S. – For Non-U.S. Citizens
