Canadian studying Pharmacy in UK

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Hello,

I'm new here and i had a few questions about Pharmacy schools in UK. I apologize in advance if the stuff has been covered already.

I'm currently doing College in Canada (Biotech/Microbiology program) and just finished my 2nd year. The UK program that i'm interested in is a 4 year MPharm program, which would basically translate to a Bachelor's Degree in Canada. Bsc in Pharmacy is pretty much what's required to practice Pharmacy in Canada, unlike USA where PharmaD is required (someone correct me if i'm wrong)

My question is basically, is my college experience going to count as "pre-pharmacy" and would i be able to write the FPGEC? Im thinking of going to UK to do the MPharm starting Sept 2011, and by then i'll have 3 years of college done.

Any help would be appreciated.

No one?

Hey there. I'm actually in the same position as you but I'm already in the UK !

I did 2 years at Seneca College and now I'm in my 1st year of the MPharm program at the University of Manchester. So if you decide to come to Manchester, I can show you around.

I've been looking for what you are asking as well. I hope that my 2 years at Seneca count as count as "pre-pharmacy" coursework.

Any other Canadians out there graduated from the UK and applied to take the FPGEC ?

Originally Posted by nitral

Hey there. I'm actually in the same position as you but I'm already in the UK !

I did 2 years at Seneca College and now I'm in my 1st year of the MPharm program at the University of Manchester. So if you decide to come to Manchester, I can show you around.

I've been looking for what you are asking as well. I hope that my 2 years at Seneca count as count as "pre-pharmacy" coursework.

Any other Canadians out there graduated from the UK and applied to take the FPGEC ?

Hey that's great! Did they ask for a certain GPA when you applied to Manchester? My centennial college GPA is very crappy (3.3).

Are you planning to come back to Canada after? I've heard that they're gonna start implementing the PharmD system soon. We better get our MPharm from UK before that happens lol. I'm applying for september 2011, and i'll be applying to Manchester/Liverpool/Sunderland (cuz its sooo cheap) and Portsmouth probably. How you liking it there?

For Manchester, this is posted on their website.

Canadian qualifications
Students applying from high school require Ontario Year 12U or 12M in Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, English and two other subjects at 80% or higher. Students are more usually accepted after two or more years of a Chemistry or biological science degree. A GPA of 3.3 or above is normally required.

I had an over 80% in high school and actually went to the University of Western Ontario for 2 years. However, I was doing poorly and was put on probation so I switched to Seneca. I had a 3.5 GPA when I applied from Seneca. They don't ask you for GPA but just to list all the courses you took.

I'm sure you will get accepted because I did even with my horrible past. I also applied to Nottingham, UEA, Keele, and Liverpool and they all accepted me.

I am really loving Manchester. The people are very friendly here and all the people I've been meeting are really great. The night life in Manchester is apparently the best and it is ! The buses run very frequently (unlike the TTC) and everything is walkable distance. I'm not sure what I want to do when I graduate. I may stay in the UK or come back to Canada.

Feel free to ask me anything else

I think with a 4 year degree it is possible to work in Canada after graduating. I'd definitely call up the PEBC people and ASK them before going over there.


http://www.pebc.ca/EnglishPages/General/HomePage.html

also remember you'll have to do an internship in Canada and pass a barrage of exams which will all cost a bundle.

then there's the issue of employment in provinces that are adopting the policy of not funding dispensing fees of pharmacies (Ontario and in BC).

You are realistically looking at 4 years doing school and another 2 years of testing/interning in Canada being paid squat and then having to look for employment in the middle of nowhere later on after being fully accredited. That's if everything goes perfectly.

Originally Posted by quartel

I think with a 4 year degree it is possible to work in Canada after graduating. I'd definitely call up the PEBC people and ASK them before going over there.


http://www.pebc.ca/EnglishPages/General/HomePage.html

also remember you'll have to do an internship in Canada and pass a barrage of exams which will all cost a bundle.

then there's the issue of employment in provinces that are adopting the policy of not funding dispensing fees of pharmacies (Ontario and in BC).

You are realistically looking at 4 years doing school and another 2 years of testing/interning in Canada being paid squat and then having to look for employment in the middle of nowhere later on after being fully accredited. That's if everything goes perfectly.

Thanks for the information. I know it is possible to practice in Canada after graduating with the MPharm since I know people who have done it recently.

However, the OP is asking about the FPGEC which is the test to practice in the United States.

^ ah my bad

http://www.pharmacyexam.com/fpgee_exam.cfm

According to this...

FPGEE will require foreign-educated pharmacists to have earned their professional degree from a five-year curriculum program in order to apply for FPGEE or Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination CommitteeT (FPGEC®) Certification. This change affects only those candidates who earn a pharmacy degree after the 2003 deadline. The new curriculum FPGEE requirements do not apply to foreign-educated pharmacists who have earned a four-year degree prior to January 1, 2003.

Originally Posted by quartel

^ ah my bad

http://www.pharmacyexam.com/fpgee_exam.cfm

According to this...

Hey, yeah that "five year" rule is also something i'm researching on. From what i know, the usual UK citizens who are doing Pharmacy in UK, are eligible to do the FPGEE. Why? Because even though the "Mpharm" is a 4 year program, UK students have to do 2 years of A-level studying (post-secondary), in order to be accepted into pharmacy. NABP allows UK students to FPGEE because of the A-levels.

Now what me and nitral are trying to find out is, will our college education from Canada be looked at as A-level, by NABP. I'll definitely call up NABP and find out for sure, but i was just trying to see if anyone has any info on this.

About the barrage of exams, isn't the PEBC "equivalency exam" the only extra exam that we gotta do? Because the qualifying exam 1 and 2 are done by everyone. Unless if i'm missing something? Fill me in.

For the intern hours, if we do the hours from provinces where no one lives, like New Brunswick or something, it's only 300 hours, as opposed to 1500 in Ontario.

I read somewhere that the IPG program will be required for international graduates wanting to practice in Ontario. I am not 100% sure as of this moment, but I read it will be required BY LAW through a new legislation soon.

In addition, many Canadian schools will require at least 2 years of university level studies prior to pharmacy (2+4=6) as we make the transition to entry-level PharmD akin to the US. Many organizations, including ones who originally opposed ELPD like the CSHP, are now in favor of it.

I think there's a IPG program for BC too. I used to think it was mandatory for all provinces. It's a good 1 year of schooling and 10000 bucks. You still have to take the exams the PEBC throws at you and pay for those as well.

I didn't know it was so much easier outside Ontario though. Only 300 hrs of interning and no IPG program? That sounds like a half decent deal to me. Thanks for sharing. It's cool to see there are people talking about this to build my knowledge base. I don't plan on returning to Canada but I know most Canadians always want to go back.

Originally Posted by quartel

I think there's a IPG program for BC too. I used to think it was mandatory for all provinces. It's a good 1 year of schooling and 10000 bucks. You still have to take the exams the PEBC throws at you and pay for those as well.

I didn't know it was so much easier outside Ontario though. Only 300 hrs of interning and no IPG program? That sounds like a half decent deal to me. Thanks for sharing. It's cool to see there are people talking about this to build my knowledge base. I don't plan on returning to Canada but I know most Canadians always want to go back.

Hey, from what i know, the IPG isn't mandatory it's just an option. But wow i didn't know it's 10,000 bucks !! That is a lot. PEBC will pretty much only throw the equivalency exam at me. From what i heard from some of my international friends, the equivalency exam is easy. It's the Qualification exam part 2 that people mess up on, because it's hands-on and has real life situations.

Don't quote me on the 300 hours thing ! I literally get all my information from lurking through forums , and that's what i gathered until now. I'll definitely find out what the official amount is by contacting the boards and post it here. But from what i researched, it's far easier to do the intern hours outside Ontario. Even then, it's a long process i agree with you on that. May be i'm just hearing the positive stuff, and not the negatives. I'm sure the process won't be as "gravy" as it sounds, there will be bumps on the road.

Are you working in UK right now?

Originally Posted by fungikid

I read somewhere that the IPG program will be required for international graduates wanting to practice in Ontario. I am not 100% sure as of this moment, but I read it will be required BY LAW through a new legislation soon.

In addition, many Canadian schools will require at least 2 years of university level studies prior to pharmacy (2+4=6) as we make the transition to entry-level PharmD akin to the US. Many organizations, including ones who originally opposed ELPD like the CSHP, are now in favor of it.

Do you have any information on when Canada might be making the transition to PharmD officially? I know they're working on it, and have it implemented in couple of uni's, but it hasn't be mandated yet.

What will happen to the recent Bsc pharmacy graduates?

Originally Posted by torontopharm

Hey, from what i know, the IPG isn't mandatory it's just an option. But wow i didn't know it's 10,000 bucks !! That is a lot. PEBC will pretty much only throw the equivalency exam at me. From what i heard from some of my international friends, the equivalency exam is easy. It's the Qualification exam part 2 that people mess up on, because it's hands-on and has real life situations.

Don't quote me on the 300 hours thing ! I literally get all my information from lurking through forums , and that's what i gathered until now. I'll definitely find out what the official amount is by contacting the boards and post it here. But from what i researched, it's far easier to do the intern hours outside Ontario. Even then, it's a long process i agree with you on that. May be i'm just hearing the positive stuff, and not the negatives. I'm sure the process won't be as "gravy" as it sounds, there will be bumps on the road.

Are you working in UK right now?

check pm

Hello Nitral,

I was actually planning to apply for pharmacy at Manchester as well and I am from Canada. I wanted to know how much your tuition fees came up? I heard Manchester is more expensive than Liverpool and some of the universities so I am not sure. Can you also let me know when you submitted your application? I am planning to submit it by December 22 hopefully.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by nitral

For Manchester, this is posted on their website.

Canadian qualifications
Students applying from high school require Ontario Year 12U or 12M in Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology, English and two other subjects at 80% or higher. Students are more usually accepted after two or more years of a Chemistry or biological science degree. A GPA of 3.3 or above is normally required.

I had an over 80% in high school and actually went to the University of Western Ontario for 2 years. However, I was doing poorly and was put on probation so I switched to Seneca. I had a 3.5 GPA when I applied from Seneca. They don't ask you for GPA but just to list all the courses you took.

I'm sure you will get accepted because I did even with my horrible past. I also applied to Nottingham, UEA, Keele, and Liverpool and they all accepted me.

I am really loving Manchester. The people are very friendly here and all the people I've been meeting are really great. The night life in Manchester is apparently the best and it is ! The buses run very frequently (unlike the TTC) and everything is walkable distance. I'm not sure what I want to do when I graduate. I may stay in the UK or come back to Canada.

Feel free to ask me anything else

Originally Posted by nitral

Hey there. I'm actually in the same position as you but I'm already in the UK !

I did 2 years at Seneca College and now I'm in my 1st year of the MPharm program at the University of Manchester. So if you decide to come to Manchester, I can show you around.

I've been looking for what you are asking as well. I hope that my 2 years at Seneca count as count as "pre-pharmacy" coursework.

Any other Canadians out there graduated from the UK and applied to take the FPGEC ?

Hi I am currently doing a MPharm degree in the UK as well, and I am planning to go back to Canada after completing my course. Do you know if I can sit for the Canadian license exams with the MPharm degree alone? Do I need to complete a one year pre-reg training and obtain a license in the UK to become eligible to sit for the canadian license exam? Thanks so much!

Originally Posted by torontopharm

Hello,

I'm new here and i had a few questions about Pharmacy schools in UK. I apologize in advance if the stuff has been covered already.

I'm currently doing College in Canada (Biotech/Microbiology program) and just finished my 2nd year. The UK program that i'm interested in is a 4 year MPharm program, which would basically translate to a Bachelor's Degree in Canada. Bsc in Pharmacy is pretty much what's required to practice Pharmacy in Canada, unlike USA where PharmaD is required (someone correct me if i'm wrong)

My question is basically, is my college experience going to count as "pre-pharmacy" and would i be able to write the FPGEC? Im thinking of going to UK to do the MPharm starting Sept 2011, and by then i'll have 3 years of college done.

Any help would be appreciated.

Hey, I am pretty much in the same boat as you were back in 2010. I have been researching on pharmacy schools in uk and found your posts. I applied to liverpool, aston, sunderland, wolverhampton and brighton. Got accepted in Sunderland so far. Did you finally decide to go to uk for pharmacy? Do you like it there? Can Canadian students work in uk after finishing their MPharm degree? Looking forward to your reply. Thanks!