Pharmacy Degree in the Philippines?

[Markster106]

I was speaking to my dentist about my career path and told her that I was interested in pharmacy. She then told me about one of her patients that had completed an undergraduate degree in the United States and then studied in the Philippines for a year to earn a degree in pharmacy. Would this be a feasible option instead of going to school another four years in the US after my undergrad? The degree in the Philippines is a bachelors degree. Would I be at a disadvantage coming back to the US when compared with all the PharmDs?

Here is a link to the school:

http://www.uic.edu.ph/myuic/default.cfm?pID=122

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[All4MyDaughter]

I was speaking to my dentist about my career path and told her that I was interested in pharmacy. She then told me about one of her patients that had completed an undergraduate degree in the United States and then studied in the Philippines for a year to earn a degree in pharmacy. Would this be a feasible option instead of going to school another four years in the US after my undergrad? The degree in the Philippines is a bachelors degree. Would I be at a disadvantage coming back to the US when compared with all the PharmDs?

Here is a link to the school:

http://www.uic.edu.ph/myuic/default.cfm?pID=122

Pretty sure you can't practice in the US with that degree.

 

[474671]

I was speaking to my dentist about my career path and told her that I was interested in pharmacy. She then told me about one of her patients that had completed an undergraduate degree in the United States and then studied in the Philippines for a year to earn a degree in pharmacy. Would this be a feasible option instead of going to school another four years in the US after my undergrad? The degree in the Philippines is a bachelors degree. Would I be at a disadvantage coming back to the US when compared with all the PharmDs?

Here is a link to the school:

http://www.uic.edu.ph/myuic/default.cfm?pID=122

The entry level degree for the US is a Pharm.D and a Bachelors of Pharmacy is not accepted unless you were grandfathered into the profession. This is regardless of what country it was earned from.

 

[jet1]

I was approached about this from my family right before applying to pharmacy school because we are filipino. I told them the exact same thing rxelle said. You can't practice Pharmacy in the US unless it is equivalent to a PharmD. There are a couple countries that have programs set up that is equivalent, but the philippines is surely not one of them. I know a pharmacist that works for Rite Aid that got her Pharmacy Degree in Trinidad and Tobago and able to practice here, but I dont remember what she had to do to actually practice here.

 

[The Recoverer]

No

 

[Momus]

I know AT LEAST 8 pharmacist from Philippines who works under H1B visas. Got the the degree and everyone of them has 0 debt. Talking about paying 1/10th of tuition and practice in US... Wish I had done the same and didn't pay $150k for mine lol... Problem is now, no one is hiring them because H1B hiring freeze, too many pharmacy graduates looking for jobs...

 

[confettiflyer]

At that point you might as well go to medical school in the philippines, you'll have a better chance at practicing medicine in the US than going to pharmacy school there and trying to practice pharmacy.

 

[confettiflyer]

I know AT LEAST 8 pharmacist from Philippines who works under H1B visas. Got the the degree and everyone of them has 0 debt. Talking about paying 1/10th of tuition and practice in US... Wish I had done the same and didn't pay $150k for mine lol... Problem is now, no one is hiring them because H1B hiring freeze, too many pharmacy graduates looking for jobs...

well the difference here being that you'd be a US Citizen and are eligible to work

 

[Markster106]

I know AT LEAST 8 pharmacist from Philippines who works under H1B visas. Got the the degree and everyone of them has 0 debt. Talking about paying 1/10th of tuition and practice in US... Wish I had done the same and didn't pay $150k for mine lol... Problem is now, no one is hiring them because H1B hiring freeze, too many pharmacy graduates looking for jobs...

So what would that mean for me, a U.S. citizen? The main reasons I'd like to study there is because it's cheaper, faster, and I want to back to the "motherland" for a little hahaha. But if I'd simply be unable to find a job then I guess it's out of the question.

 

[smercer]

So what would that mean for me, a U.S. citizen? The main reasons I'd like to study there is because it's cheaper, faster, and I want to back to the "motherland" for a little hahaha. But if I'd simply be unable to find a job then I guess it's out of the question.

Eh..you could always do it and if it falls through, then you are just out 1 year and the cost. If it works you saved 3 years and diff of cost. Just hope you are able to learn enough to pass the NAPLEX...or enough to keep from getting fired for not knowing stuff you are expected to know.

 

[cdpiano27]

There actually is one school in the Philippines that does after the PharmD. It is Central Escolar University in manila (the makati district which is basically the central business district over there (makati and quezon city are) and it IS actually a 6-year degree, which I think would mean you would be eligible for the FPGEE and NAPLEX.



From their website:

Centro Escolar University, an institution of higher learning, was established in 1907 by Librada Avelino and Carmen de Luna. It is committed to the furtherance of its founders philosophy Ciencia Y Virtud (Knowledge and Virtue). The College of Pharmacy was the first college established by CEU in June, 1921. In 1929, the 3-year course was extended to 4 years leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. The CEU College of Pharmacy was granted a Government Recognition No. 32, Series of 1946 on February 27, 1946. Twenty-six years later, the B.S. Pharmacy degree required 5 years of study, but in 1984, the B.S. Pharmacy course was reverted to 4 years. In February 1999, it was elevated to the School of Pharmacy to include supervision of MS Pharmacy and PhD in Pharmacy Programs. B.S. Pharmacy was opened in the CEU Malolos Campus in June 2001 while B.S. Pharmacy and Pharm. D. (Doctor of Pharmacy) Programs were offered in CEU Makati campus in June 2005. CEU Makati is the first school that offered Pharm. D. Program in the Philippines. In June 2008, CEU School of Pharmacy was the first school to offer the 4 yr. BSP, 5 yr. BSP in Clinical Pharmacy and 6 yr. Doctor of Pharmacy program.

 

[cdpiano27]

Actually you are eligible if you go to this school, check the bottom of this thread.

http://www.urch.com/forums/fpgee/101137-foreign-pharmacists-who-graduated-after-2003-a-2.html

They basically say that the national board let them take the FPGEE exam.

 

[FilRph04]

I have many filipina friends who are licensed pharmacist from the Philippines and they are now working as licensed pharmacist here. One friend she graduated (cumlaude)5 years BS in Pharmacy 2009. She took FPGEE & TOEFL and after that BOP will give certification to have an internship and after completing the internship hrs. she took NAPLEX & Pharmacy law and she passed. She had working contract from the retail pharmacy where she had her internship. I am a licensed pharmacist in the Philippines too but unfortunately i did not passed the FPGEE because i have 2 points lacking to pass the exam. I might take it again but i wanted to study PharmD here to gain more knowledge & skills. The disadvantage of BS. of Pharmacy from outside US is that it's hard to find a job in the hospital because mostly they need PharmD grad.

 

[FilRph04]

So what would that mean for me, a U.S. citizen? The main reasons I'd like to study there is because it's cheaper, faster, and I want to back to the "motherland" for a little hahaha. But if I'd simply be unable to find a job then I guess it's out of the question.

It is cheaper there. Just go to school that will offered 5 yrs. in Pharmacy because NABP will not accept foreign pharmacist to take FPGEE ( Foreign Pharmacy Graduates equivalency exam) if you graduated BS in Pharmacy 4 yrs. I was accepted to take FPGEE even i graduated BS in Pharmacy 4 yrs. because i graduated before 2003. For example, Univ. of San Carlos has 5 yrs. BS in Pharmacy. Im pretty sure NABP accept licensed pharmacist from that school to take FPGEE because i have a friend who graduated there 2009 and she is now a licensed pharmacist in Florida at the age of 21 and no debt because in the Philippines it's our parents who send us to school. We find job only after we graduate college.

 

[FilRph04]

Most of my Filipina friends who are already working as licensed pharmacist here, they proceed to study PharmD distance learning program at Univ. Of Florida. UF just recently offered distance learning for those working US licensed pharmacist already who graduated BS in Pharmacy 4 yrs. (either foreign pharmacist as long as NAPLEX passers or for those old US pharmacist who graduated BS in Pharmacy 4 yrs.) and wanted to proceed PharmD.