Going to UK for Pharmacy. What do you guys think?

[LoKoTe]

Hello guys. This would be my second post in the forum, even though I've been reading a lot for the past 6 months. Well, I live in South Florida and here like everywhere else getting accepted in pharmacy school is a mess ( at least for me ). I got accepted to pba for pre-pharmacy, thinking I could finish the required 24 credits there and get accepted in their Pharmacy school under their guaranteed acceptance program, but they've change the requirements 2 times already and they don't even list the updated ones in the website. Tired of them, and thinkig that if I actually go to PBA I'd have to be there 2 more years before applying to Pharmacy school ( since they don't have almost ANY relevant classes such as General Biology I available in the summer ) I applied to one univ in the UK and they accepted me. It'd cost me the same as here, it is 4 years plus the other year for registration there; and what I have in mind is that when i finish my 4 years there and start working on my registration there I could apply for the PharmD program here in the US available for international students, if not I could get registered with the state board as a RPh, but I need a lot of graduate intern hours and then take 3 tests. I know this is a lot, but I think on my circumstances is the best idea since my goal is to get my degree asap to start working and I still need to take a lot of pre-requisites, plus a lot of pharmacists I work with are saying that Pharmacy Schools here are going to start asking for a B.S. next year. What do you guys think? I really think it is a good idea and a great experience to study abroad.

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[PharmacistApril]

Hum...I understand your pain but I think that you should still give US colleges of pharmacy a try. I just believe thats so much work going there......then comming back here for more schooling. If Pharmacy is your dream and you have no ties here I say go for it. However, I feel that if you are qualified to get into a UK pharmacy school your stats are just as good here. What are your stats if you don't mind me asking? Dont give up on US schools lol.

 

[LoKoTe]

The reason why I decided to go there is beacuse my stats suck. I have a 3.2 GPA, which hopefully will get better this semester at around 3.4. The reason why it sucks is because I've been working about 40-50 hours a week for 2 and half years now in different pharmacies because I have to and I'm just too tired to study. Also, I took a lot of those classes a long time ago in another country so It's so painful to me to retake all that. So I think that I know the material when in fact I need to review it. And I planned myself really good thinking towards the PBA alternative which looked so promising. But now that they've changed everything and don't even tell new students I believe UK is my best bet. All or most of the people that i hear get accepted in Nova or UF have really really good GPAs and/or BS in something. And I know that when i graduate from the UK I'll have to either spend the 2080 hours as an intern in florida to take the FG test, etc etc or go 2 years to another Univ to get the pharmD, but right now as I see it, I'll have to get a BS in something which will take me 2 more years and then see if i get accepted. In total, moneywise and timewise is about the same, plus I have the guaranteed of acceptance in the UK. Thanks for taking the time read all this and any input will be much appreciated.

 

[Rumplestiltazepam]

I really would give US schools another chance, apply to more schools than just Florida ones. When you get back here in 4 or so years do you know you will be guaranteed admission to a 2 year PharmD program?
If you have so few credits that you can move your GPA up .2 in one semester/term than I say stick it out here and bring that GPA up even more and apply to US schools. If you are working to much to study, then work less so you can study, how do you plan to make it through any pharmacy program if you do not have time to study during prepharm years?
Also if you like the idea of being in the UK for 4 years and getting a different cultural experience then maybe this is the best route for you but I would not give up just because you are discouraged with US schools. I got into pharm school with a 3.4 GPA overall. You work experience is a strength and I assume you could get some great LORs with your experience. Just have to write a badass PS.
Whether it is UK or US good luck with your goal to practice pharmacy in the US.

 

[djquiksilver]

I gather the degree from UK is 4 years Bachelor in Pharmacy? If you move between Commonwealth countries then you wouldn't have too much trouble with your 4 yrs degree. However, you will have trouble sitting the Board exam here in the US since the requirement is a degree in Pharmacy that's at least 5 yrs from a foreign Pharm school. I was had to abandon my 4 years BPharm studies, come here and start all over again. It's painful so I don't want to see you go thru the same experience. Make sure you research the licensing requirements real well before moving abroad. PM me if there's anything u want to clarify.

 

[LoKoTe]

oh wow i'm so sorry to hear that. and yes, i've read the florida requirements and it says 5 years, but the programs in uk have changed and they're now MPharm as of Master of Pharmacy and they are 4 years of classes plus the residency year that would make it 5 years. but i'll call the florida pharmacy board and confirm if this degree would be recognized or not. also my intentions are to apply to a pharmd intl program on my residency year in uk. it all depends on wheter the board recognizes the mpharm or not. if they dont i wont waste my time and money, but if they do the experience would be great. Also i know i dont have any guarantee that i will be accepted in an intl program after that, but my chances are greater with a degree on my hand than without nothing. if anybody has any other input i'd appreciate it. thanks a lot guys!

 

[LoKoTe]

Well, I was really scared about the Title recognition by the Florida Pharmacy Board, but after carefully re-reading all the documents I found this:

"II. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS FOR LICENSURE EXAMINATION
As indicated by Section 465.007, Florida Statutes and Rule 64B16-26.205 all applicants with a B.S.
degree from outside the United States must successfully complete the following to be admitted to
the professional licensure examination:
(1) Be a graduate of a four year undergraduate pharmacy program at a school or college outside
the United States and have completed an internship program approved by the board. An
internship program sufficient to qualify an applicant for licensure by examination may
be provided by an accredited school or college of pharmacy or a state board of
pharmacy, or jointly by an accredited school or college of pharmacy and a state board
of pharmacy.
(a) You are required to document completion of 2080 hours of intern/pharmacist
experience. Evidence sufficient to constitute satisfactory proof of completion
of an internship program shall consist of a certification by provider (school
or state board) that the applicant has completed the program. If additional
hours are required to total 2080 hours pursuant to the rule, satisfactory
proof of the additional hours shall be constituted by the provider’s or
preceptor’s or employer’s certification of completion of the additional hours.
(2) Successfully pass the foreign pharmacy graduate equivalency examination which is given by
the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Commission.
(b) Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Exam (FPGEE) with a scaled
score of at least 75.
To obtain additional information and to apply to participate in the Foreign
Pharmacist Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) contact the Foreign
Graduate Equivalency Committee, N.A.B.P., 1600 Feehanville Drive, Mount
Prospect, IL 60056, telephone (847) 391-4406.
(3) Test of Spoken English (TSE) with a scaled score of at least 200 or an equivalency calibrated
score of 45.
(4) Test of English as a spoken language with a scaled score of at least 500 for the pencil & paper
test or 173 for the computer based version.
To obtain information and to apply to participate in the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) contact: Educational Testing Service, P.O.
6154, Princeton, NJ 08541-6154, telephone (609) 771-7243.
(5) Complete a minimum of 500 hours of supervised work activity within the state of Florida. The
work experience program including both the preceptor and the intern must be approved by the
Florida Board of Pharmacy. "

so 4 years+internship year would be accepted if this is correct. But like I mentioned before, my intentions are to apply to an international post bacc PharmD upon my completion of MPharm over there. What do you guys think?

I'm still mad tha PBA hasn't even gotten back to me saying which classes would transfer and to ask me to register for classes. Thanks for everything everybody!

 

[Rumplestiltazepam]

This is admission season and some schools are swapped and are having hard time replying to everyone. Personally I think they should staff so they can take care of everyone in a short amount of time but that is not reality.
If you are mad at PBA for not getting back to you, call them and ask them what the hold up is or maybe they could even answer some of your questions on the phone. Already some college years + 4 years + internship year + pharmD intl program = long time....that sounds like a lot of school but if you are willing to do it you must really want to be a pharmacist, and that is awesome!

They really do not have the new requirements up on their website, or sent out in an email?? I find that hard to believe but if it is true that really does suck. At my school I have always been notified in the prepharm newsletter by email whenever any changes or events have occurred in the school's pharmacy world.

 

[LoKoTe]

Idesiretosling, I'm mad at PBA not because they haven't gotten back to me, but because everytime I ask something they don't know, and they're admission counselors. When I first applied, they had the requirements they currently have in their website, when I got accepted and went personally there for some questions and a tour, the admission counselor told me they had changed the requirements, this was in december, so I planned myself to take extra classes to make up the requirements, and I called about a month ago to ask a financial aid question, and guess what, the admission counselor tells me, oh and btw, they increased the requirements ... so guess what, all my planning to the trash again, that's why I'm mad at them, and they even have the old information from 2 changes before in the website. The bad thing, I haven't even taken my organic chems, because I was taking OC1 this spring, to take OC2 in the summer, but I had to drop OC1 because they increased the reqs at PBA and i had to take it there, and guess what again my friends , they don't offer almost anything at the summer ... so yeah, I'm kind mad at them ... so what I though was to go to london and get my masters there 4 years+2 years Intl pharmd+residency ... I'll start applying to the Intl PharmD program when I finish my 4th year and while doing my interships there ... that way it'll be 6.5 years. Here, I'd have to go to PBA for 2 years to finish what they require me, plus take the PCAT and see if they accept me, and if they do, 4 years ... I like to think possitively but realistically too, so the way I see it, better something in hand than a possibility. To anyone that has read this far thanks a lot! to anyone who inputs anything else or who has said anything, thanks even more! you guys are really really helpful!

 

[eclipster]

hey LoKoTe

Was reading your ambitious plan to go to U.K and get a degree to become a pharmacist here...here is the deal if you want to go and get a degree from U.K ... have to shell out loads of money and and god knows how much time it will take before you can practice pharmacy here!!( Vs finishing pre-req here and getting in to 3 or 4 yr Pharm.D in U.S)...but one word of caution,you got to make sure that you will be able to take the FPGEE exam if you go for U.K degree..as per the new guidelines of FPGEC board you have to have a five year straight undergrad degree..no masters and no residency/internship acceptable unless its part of undergrad curriculum..My suggestion is dont waste your time and money by going there,instead work hard try to get here itself..
I can give you my own example of how i ended up in Pharm.D..I'm a pharmacy major from India, did 4-year undergrad and did internship etc (which was not part of undergrad curriculum though) but couldnt get accepted to take FPGEE..because officially FPGEC board recognizes Indian degree as a four year undergrad degree and I'm sure Indian edu system is pretty much designed based on U.K's system(I'm not sure if U.K recently made any changes to it).... nd also dont forget the fact that unless you take FPGEE, no state board(no exceptions!)will allow you to practice pharmacy as an intern pharmacist..so no NABP eligibility..

P.S:Call NABP office and find out FPGEE eligiblity for a U.K degree..once that is done first.. then you can think of what is next

 

[LoKoTe]

Oh wow ... thanks a lot eclipser! I'm gonna go find that out asap.

 

[pezdispenser]

To LoKoTe, I was about to write a big paragraph about how your plan is wrought with danger, but eclipster already said everything that I wanted to say!

The information you got from the Florida law only tells part of the story. If you graduated from a foreign 4-year program before 1/1/2003, then yes, you can take the FPGEE and follow the rest of the process to get a pharmacist license.

But if you graduate from a foreign program after 1/1/2003, as per FPGEC (not the FL pharm board), you must have done a 5-yr program to be eligible to sit the FPGEE. As stated by eclipster, the pre-reg/internship year does not count as a fifth year!

In my own example, I graduated in Australia after 1/1/2003 with a 4 year BPharm + 1 year pre-reg. I am now fortunate enough to be in the 2.5 year PharmD for intl. pharmacists at Nova, so I can still get licensed in the US within a reasonable time frame.

 

[PharmDream]

Hello guys. This would be my second post in the forum, even though I've been reading a lot for the past 6 months. Well, I live in South Florida and here like everywhere else getting accepted in pharmacy school is a mess ( at least for me ). I got accepted to pba for pre-pharmacy, thinking I could finish the required 24 credits there and get accepted in their Pharmacy school under their guaranteed acceptance program, but they've change the requirements 2 times already and they don't even list the updated ones in the website. Tired of them, and thinkig that if I actually go to PBA I'd have to be there 2 more years before applying to Pharmacy school ( since they don't have almost ANY relevant classes such as General Biology I available in the summer ) I applied to one univ in the UK and they accepted me. It'd cost me the same as here, it is 4 years plus the other year for registration there; and what I have in mind is that when i finish my 4 years there and start working on my registration there I could apply for the PharmD program here in the US available for international students, if not I could get registered with the state board as a RPh, but I need a lot of graduate intern hours and then take 3 tests. I know this is a lot, but I think on my circumstances is the best idea since my goal is to get my degree asap to start working and I still need to take a lot of pre-requisites, plus a lot of pharmacists I work with are saying that Pharmacy Schools here are going to start asking for a B.S. next year. What do you guys think? I really think it is a good idea and a great experience to study abroad.

Why don't you go to Puerto Rico if you want to go out of the country. They offer a PharmD program accredited by the US. Their acceptance rate is I think 2:1.

 

[eclipster]

To LoKoTe, I was about to write a big paragraph about how your plan is wrought with danger, but eclipster already said everything that I wanted to say!

The information you got from the Florida law only tells part of the story. If you graduated from a foreign 4-year program before 1/1/2003, then yes, you can take the FPGEE and follow the rest of the process to get a pharmacist license.

But if you graduate from a foreign program after 1/1/2003, as per FPGEC (not the FL pharm board), you must have done a 5-yr program to be eligible to sit the FPGEE. As stated by eclipster, the pre-reg/internship year does not count as a fifth year!

In my own example, I graduated in Australia after 1/1/2003 with a 4 year BPharm + 1 year pre-reg. I am now fortunate enough to be in the 2.5 year PharmD for intl. pharmacists at Nova, so I can still get licensed in the US within a reasonable time frame.

going to USN

 

[LoKoTe]

To all of you tank you so much! I guess I'll just have to go to PBA since they accepted me and finish my pre-reqs there and see what happens.