Timeline during 4th year to graduation

[Amicable Angora]

So my school has been extremely negligent in telling us what we should be doing and preparing for as graduation draws near.

I'm in my P3 year and was wondering if I could get some suggestions on key points to do or watch for from the end of P4 year to graduation.

For example, if I wanted to get licensed in Oregon (any location used as an example), when should I be registering for the Naplex and MPJE, does it have to be taken in Oregon or can it be taken anywhere?

When rotations end what should I be doing or have been doing? When should I be applying for jobs? Etc. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated thank you.

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[RimzyA]

I think you are getting ahead of yourself. You are in your 3rd year and there are students currently in their 4th year, so of course your school isn't telling you about what to expect as graduation draws near, it is not pertinent.

I am currently in my 4th year and we started getting more information during the first semester of p4 year, we just had a career expo where interviews were conducted and you really don't get information on registration for naplex until after you have graduated. So just focus on school and stop worrying about graduation.

 

[Amicable Angora]

I would consider your school to be as negligent as mine then, I feel this information should be transparent and freely given early.

 

[blackwolf2000]

Is it one of the newer pharmacy schools?

 

[steveysmith54]

I think you are getting ahead of yourself. You are in your 3rd year and there are students currently in their 4th year, so of course your school isn't telling you about what to expect as graduation draws near, it is not pertinent.

I am currently in my 4th year and we started getting more information during the first semester of p4 year, we just had a career expo where interviews were conducted and you really don't get information on registration for naplex until after you have graduated. So just focus on school and stop worrying about graduation.

I had similar experience at my school. I am assuming he or she is in the middle of first semester or p3, which when you tend to take most challenging/important courses in therapeutics. My school didn't want to add distraction of choosing rotations and worrying about when job fair day is. We got most of this info in the middle of the semester prior to rotations. Odds are the school has yet to schedule job fair day anyways. But, if you are worried, about the school dropping the ball, speak to an assistant dean or someone else in your school, preferable a newer grad/p4 student. My school sent our pharmacist apps to BOP towards the end of p4, and then we received our authorization to take the boards. Our career day was sometime in January (graduation was in May), although I hear it's earlier now.

 

[Digsbe]

We were told to take out about 1-1.5k extra or have that money in order to pay for your licensing fees and NAPLEX + MPJE. Some of our stuff about getting licensed was covered in our law class including reciprocity and all that good stuff.

I'd contact the board of pharmacy for the states you want to get licensed in as well. It can't hurt.

 

[Amicable Angora]

Is it one of the newer pharmacy schools?

My school is an established school.

 

[TheBlaah]

So my school has been extremely negligent in telling us what we should be doing and preparing for as graduation draws near.

I'm in my P3 year and was wondering if I could get some suggestions on key points to do or watch for from the end of P4 year to graduation.

For example, if I wanted to get licensed in Oregon (any location used as an example), when should I be registering for the Naplex and MPJE, does it have to be taken in Oregon or can it be taken anywhere?

When rotations end what should I be doing or have been doing? When should I be applying for jobs? Etc. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated thank you.

I wouldn't necessarily call that negligent as they most likely made the conscientious decision to wait to tell your class. Unless you want to make the blanket statement that the vast majority of pharmacy schools are negligent.

Anyway, how your school addresses how they will disseminate information regarding graduation is specific to each school but they generally talk about it during the second "semester" of fourth year. My school schedules a week-long classes fully addressing everything to expect for graduation and preparation for NAPLEX/licensure.

Anyway, to answer your questions, registering for NAPLEX and MPJE takes place after you've graduated. You can take the law exam for any state at a nearby testing center. If your area is saturated, you may expect that signups for the exam appointments fill up almost immediately for the first month after graduation.

When rotations end, you should be preparing for the NAPLEX/MPJE/submitted your intern hours or transferred them to another state/completing graduation requirements.

You should be applying to jobs during 4th year. A lot of schools, at least in my area, are having career fairs about this time.

 

[Amicable Angora]

My school avoids talking about it and even for someone who is looking for information, like myself, cannot find it.

So can I take the Ohio MPJE in Kansas, for example, or do I have to take Ohio in Ohio and California in California?

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Without knowing what state your in this is a endless conversation. Have you asked your current 4th year students what they've been told to do?

 

[TheBlaah]

I'll have to agree with the above post. Some states are different (Cali's law exam, Georgia and Ny's wet lab). But generally, yes, you can take the MPJE for Florida in while in Georgia.

 

[genesis09]

My school didn't really talk about licensing requirements until P-4 year. However, in P-3 year we had law and we talked a little bit about regulations then. Licensing information is easily found on your state board's website. You can't expect the school to hold your hand on every little thing.

In the eyes of the school, there is plenty of time to prepare for licensing. It cost me about a thousand dollars for my initial license.

 

[radio frequency]

Applying for pharmacist jobs as a P3 is largely a waste. Wait until P4; then you might catch some interest.

You have plenty of time to prepare. If you're nervous, one month of mellow studying is generally more than enough for the NAPLEX. The MPJE might take two weeks of mellow preparation per state (except in California -- I've heard the CPJE is onerous). The nuts and bolts of applying to take the exams will be explained by your school next year.

After graduating, many folks will immediately start working as graduate interns if they have a pharmacist job offer in hand. During this time, you also prepare for your board exams, and sign up to take your boards.

The advice to take out a few thousand extra dollars to get one or more licenses is good, if you need to borrow.

 

[jsmith84]

You should be able to sign up for and pay for the tests on the NABP website a few months prior to graduation. I registered and paid in February and graduated in May. The day after graduation I sent in all my applications to the state boards. The school should automatically send your info to NABP regarding your Naplex. They just need confirmation that you graduated. A couple weeks after graduation I got all my authorizations to test (for Naplex and MPJE). I would suggest registering early in p4 year but they can't do much with you until they know you graduated.

As for taking different tests in different states, from personal experience I think you can take whatever test you want wherever you want. I took PA, OH, and WV all in PA at the same testing site.


Hope that helps and good luck !

 

[Rockinacoustic]

I will echo that you should budget for an extra ~$1k just for exam & licensing fee costs, more if you expect to get licensed in multiple states

 

[Amicable Angora]

What is a good time frame to have completed testing and secured a job? September? October?

Do people usually just take the Naplex + MJPE immediately after graduation?

 

[bacillus1]

What is a good time frame to have completed testing and secured a job? September? October?

Do people usually just take the Naplex + MJPE immediately after graduation?

Jobs typically want you licensed ASAP. Residencies typically give you until about Oct 1st, but you may want to become licensed earlier in case you fail the MPJE and have to retest. I was licensed by about August 1st.

 

[Digsbe]

What is a good time frame to have completed testing and secured a job? September? October?

Do people usually just take the Naplex + MJPE immediately after graduation?

Most graduates I knew who were proactive about getting a job tried getting hired on as a grad-intern with a staffing job lined up once they got their license or had agreements to work once they got their license. They graduated in May, did paperwork and were able to test for NAPLEX in June, once they passed NAPLEX they were able to take the MPJE shortly after and their licenses got posted. I think for them it took a little over a month on average from graduate to licensure. Some states take more time, California is notoriously slow in processing things from what I hear. It can kinda depend on the state board in some cases.

I plan on getting licensed ASAP, even if I do a residency I want to be licensed before it starts (usually July 1) because I'd rather not deal with licensing and exams while during residency.

 

[MindGeek]

One thing I wish that my school had told us was that you need to pay for the NAPLEX ($505) at the time you register to be able to take the NAPLEX, not when you pick your test date/time. Same with the MPJE ($210).
So basically plan on spending $715 the day you get your passing grade on your last APPE in April/May.
P.S. NABP does not take Discover.

And the budgeting continues...

• My first state including NAPLEX and MPJE cost me $1664 (includes adding immunizer status too but not NAPLEX/MPJE test prep materials).
• 2nd state (app. + first reg. + NAPLEX score x-fer + MPJE test) cost me $385.
• 3rd state cost me $609.
• 4th state is costing me $807.

Also plan on budgeting for RxPrep. The physical book with 6 months of the quiz bank (but no video lectures) costs $347.

 

[BidingMyTime]

I'm sure your school will give you the proper information in time. Licensing information was included in our law class (which I'm guessing you haven't had yet?) My school also have licensing information for neighboring states available for students who needed it (talk to your law professor about this.) We were also all given the form to register for the NABPLEX (I was pre NAPLEX) and the forms to apply for our license....I'm pretty sure this was spring of the last year of school, but possible the fall of the last year.

In other words, it doesn't hurt to be proactive, but more likely than not, all the information you need will be given to you in your last year of school. There really isn't anything you can do with this information, until the last semester of your school, so there is no reason for the school to give it out early (and the earlier its given, the more likely people will forget about it, and the school would have to recover it for half the students anyway.)

Edited to add: Mindgeek has a good point though, knowing the cost of testing ahead of time would be helpful in budgeting.

 

[Pharmacist369]

Hey do you have the study material for florida MPJE