What Pharmacists Need to Know about Licensure
All pharmacists must have a license. To obtain one, they need to fulfill the conditions of the board of pharmacy for the state they hope to practice in.
Some of these conditions, such as an applicant's age, may differ from state to state. The main principles, however, are the same.
Education
Before applying for a license, a pharmacist must be a graduate of one of the pharmacist schools accredited by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE), or a school approved by the state board of pharmacy.
No pharmacist schools outside U.S. territory have ACPE accreditation apart from two: the Lebanese American University in Byblos, Lebanon, and the University of Puerto Rico's School of Pharmacy.
To meet the eligibility requirements for a license, graduates of foreign pharmacist schools must generally
- graduate from a U.S. pharmacist school; and
- obtain Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) certification.
Some states may offer foreign graduates additional routes to obtain a license.
Internship
As well as having a suitable degree (a Pharm.D.), pharmacists applying for a license must complete 1,500 hours of internship.
Most states accept internship gained during study at pharmacist schools. Some, however, expect pharmacists to work the hours after graduation and before licensing.
Exams
The Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE)
45 U.S. states require pharmacists to pass the MPJE as a condition of licensure.
The MPJE is a two-hour, multiple-choice exam that tests pharmacists' knowledge of drug law. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) agrees on the exam content, which differs according to local laws.
Laboratory examination
A laboratory exam tests the skill of license applicants to dispense drugs. Not every state asks pharmacists to sit this examination.
For further details of state requirements to sit the MPJE and laboratory exams, contact the appropriate state board of pharmacy.
The North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX)
Every state, except California, does expect license applicants to take NAPLEX.
This four hour fifteen minute exam has 185 multiple-choice questions. The purpose of this is to test a license applicant's knowledge of pharmacy in practical scenarios.
Pharmacists wishing to practice in California take an exam that's exclusive to the state.
NAPLEX transfer
Because NAPLEX applies to almost every state, it's possible to transfer the results obtained in one state to another.
Pharmacists, however, must pass the relevant additional exams in the state to which they are transferring their NAPLEX score. They may also have to complete all the exams demanded by the original state. Once pharmacists have satisfied these conditions, they receive a “license by examination” under the terms of the NAPLEX Score Transfer Program.
Please note that California and Florida do not use the NAPLEX Score Transfer Program.
Electronic Licensure Transfer Program
An already licensed pharmacist who wants to transfer to another state can use the NABP's Electronic Licensure Transfer Program (ELTP). This allows a licensed pharmacist to transfer states without an examination. A pharmacist therefore acquires a license in the new state by “licensure transfer”.
A pharmacist who has such a license cannot transfer it again without taking an examination.
Relicensing
Pharmacists must renew their licenses every two years. In order to do so, most pharmacists need to have continuing education units (CEU).
These units generally amount to 15 hours of annual education. The American Council of Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) or the state board of pharmacy must approve the education provider.
Further information
State boards of pharmacy have the relevant application forms for pharmacist licenses. Applicants must pay a fee for each examination they sit, and can usually take the exams at Prometric Testing Centers throughout the year.
Published on 2009-11-09
