How's the transition from Graduation to being a Pharmacist?

[Rockinacoustic]

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I've been looking at Pharmacy Schools mostly out of state; solely for the reason that I see it as my ticket to experience another part of the country. I dorm at a school ~20 minutes from home, so while I'm "on my own", I have a cushion in seeing the same old faces.

I was talking to the pharmacist I work with and he told me my best option is to attend a school in state (NY), mostly because wherever you attend school is your best area to intern and network towards a job once you graduate. Being a Tech at CVS I have some of that here at home already.


I have two questions:
1). How hard is it to network as a grad if you'd prefer to live in a different state
2). How does state licensing work?
And, for anyone who sought work in a different state than their alma-mater's location, how was the transition?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Pianopooh]

I've been looking at Pharmacy Schools mostly out of state; solely for the reason that I see it as my ticket to experience another part of the country. I dorm at a school ~20 minutes from home, so while I'm "on my own", I have a cushion in seeing the same old faces.

I was talking to the pharmacist I work with and he told me my best option is to attend a school in state (NY), mostly because wherever you attend school is your best area to intern and network towards a job once you graduate. Being a Tech at CVS I have some of that here at home already.


I have two questions:
1). How hard is it to network as a grad if you'd prefer to live in a different state
2). How does state licensing work?
And, for anyone who sought work in a different state than their alma-mater's location, how was the transition?

Thanks in advance!

It's great you're thinking about pharmacy! Do you plan on staying in NY to practice pharmacy? If so, you want to stay in NY for school because NY schools will prepare you for part 3 of the exam (compounding). My friends who attend school out of NY state have problems catching up with the law and compounding, because their school doesn't emphasize compounding. I've tutored and helped out friends who went to schools in NJ and PA with compounding because they don't know what NY state boards are looking for.

Each state requires their own licensure exams, and in some states you can reciprocate (transfer your license) after a year or two of work. Let's say you don't pass NY state boards but you want to practice in NY state, you can work in NJ and pass their boards, then reciprocate to NY state in a year. I found out about this part recently from a grad intern I've been working with.

I have friends who are out of state attending my pharmacy school. Since they want to practice in their home state, they have to complete their internship hours in their own state. So this is something for you to consider too, because depending on the state you want to practice, they might require different things from you. My friend from Kansas completed her intern hours in Kansas, because she's going to practice there when she graduates (hence, she didn't complete any in NY state even though she attends school here).

As for networking, I think once you are established with a community chain pharmacy, it all works with referrals and recommendations within the chain. So if you do well in one location, I'm sure your superiors will have good things to say about you when you decide to change locations for work. As for hospitals or clinics, this really is about networking at career fairs and conventions if you do not get a chance to work in the area. For example, I know I do not have networks with any hospitals at my home because I'm attending school out of the area. I know I'm going to have to attend conventions to get myself noticed and considered.

I hope this answered some of your questions. Good luck! 🙂

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Thanks for the thorough response Pianopooh! I'm not exactly sure where I'd like to practice pharmacy, but NY's large demographics make it a possible choice for me.

In regards to State Licensing, Can I assume that each pharmacy school teaches in adherence to their state's licensing standards (Such as your example with compounding in NY)? And what other aspects of Pharmacy do some states exclusively test on?
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/member.php?u=87967

 

[DrWrong]

Thanks for the thorough response Pianopooh! I'm not exactly sure where I'd like to practice pharmacy, but NY's large demographics make it a possible choice for me.

In regards to State Licensing, Can I assume that each pharmacy school teaches in adherence to their state's licensing standards (Such as your example with compounding in NY)? And what other aspects of Pharmacy do some states exclusively test on?

Not to take away from the answer above, but I read somewhere that there are only a select few, California is one, states that require you to take a different test in order to practice in their state. All the other states, 48 I believe, only require the NAPLEX and the MPJE. The difference between the remaining states is that they require specialized law tests.


Something for you to look into. I'm sure If I'm wrong some of the more educated people will come here and correct me.


Anyone have confirmation on this?

 

[metrarx]

....

 

[VancTheTank]

.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Not to take away from the answer above, but I read somewhere that there are only a select few, California is one, states that require you to take a different test in order to practice in their state. All the other states, 48 I believe, only require the NAPLEX and the MPJE. The difference between the remaining states is that they require specialized law tests.


Something for you to look into. I'm sure If I'm wrong some of the more educated people will come here and correct me.


Anyone have confirmation on this?

Naplex is the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination - it is our board and is required to practice pharmacy in ALL 50 states. Cali did have their own exam, but that has been done away with. In addition to passing the naplex, each state maintains a jurisprudence exam - covering state-specific laws governing how pharmacy practices. This must be passed for each state a person wishes to practice (there are a few exceptions to this rule).

Many people confuse the need to sit the naplex with the ability to have reciprocity. This is the practice where sitting the naplex in one state is used as a means to approve a practice license in another state. 48 states have open reciprocity practices. Only Cali and Florida do not provide reciprocity. Likewise, no other state provides reciprocity to Cali or Florida. That being said, there are ways to circumvent this as well. But that is wholly another topic.

/Rant

 

[FAMUPharmD09]

Naplex is the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination - it is our board and is required to practice pharmacy in ALL 50 states. Cali did have their own exam, but that has been done away with. In addition to passing the naplex, each state maintains a jurisprudence exam - covering state-specific laws governing how pharmacy practices. This must be passed for each state a person wishes to practice (there are a few exceptions to this rule).

Many people confuse the need to sit the naplex with the ability to have reciprocity. This is the practice where sitting the naplex in one state is used as a means to approve a practice license in another state. 48 states have open reciprocity practices. Only Cali and Florida do not provide reciprocity. Likewise, no other state provides reciprocity to Cali or Florida. That being said, there are ways to circumvent this as well. But that is wholly another topic.

/Rant

Not entirely true. Florida just changed its laws recently and has made it possible to reciprocate licensure to Florida.

 

[genesis09]

With FL, your NAPLEX score can't be more than 12 years old.

 

[Me_Gusta_Drugs]

Naplex is the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination - it is our board and is required to practice pharmacy in ALL 50 states. Cali did have their own exam, but that has been done away with. In addition to passing the naplex, each state maintains a jurisprudence exam - covering state-specific laws governing how pharmacy practices. This must be passed for each state a person wishes to practice (there are a few exceptions to this rule).

Many people confuse the need to sit the naplex with the ability to have reciprocity. This is the practice where sitting the naplex in one state is used as a means to approve a practice license in another state. 48 states have open reciprocity practices. Only Cali and Florida do not provide reciprocity. Likewise, no other state provides reciprocity to Cali or Florida. That being said, there are ways to circumvent this as well. But that is wholly another topic.

/Rant

Ways to circumvent this? Im curious about this topic as well....hopefully its not too complicated

 

[PharmDstudent]

Not entirely true. Florida just changed its laws recently and has made it possible to reciprocate licensure to Florida.

"Outdated" information is still "true" information... it's just no longer "true" in current practice or application.

IOW, aboveliquidice was right, but out-of-date.



I'm at a highly contemplative point in my life right now. Cheers! 😛

 

[type b pharmD]

"Outdated" information is still "true" information... it's just no longer "true" in current practice or application.

IOW, aboveliquidice was right, but out-of-date.



I'm at a highly contemplative point in my life right now. Cheers! 😛

Interesting point!

 

[BaLLnOuTRaGeOuS]

That's BaLl'nOuTraGeOuS!

haha agreed

 

[FAMUPharmD09]

"Outdated" information is still "true" information... it's just no longer "true" in current practice or application.

IOW, aboveliquidice was right, but out-of-date.



I'm at a highly contemplative point in my life right now. Cheers! 😛

Uh, no...

 

[Quiksilver]

Thanks for the thorough response Pianopooh! I'm not exactly sure where I'd like to practice pharmacy, but NY's large demographics make it a possible choice for me.

In regards to State Licensing, Can I assume that each pharmacy school teaches in adherence to their state's licensing standards (Such as your example with compounding in NY)? And what other aspects of Pharmacy do some states exclusively test on?

you are going to find out that new york state is just about the only one that gives a crap about compounding. Its annoying, its frustrating and it sucks. But i guess to be a pharmacist you have to have a broad knowledge of what a pharmacist does. Compounding is one of them. You will find that you will meet people from all over the country in your class and you are not by any way limited to NYS when its all said and done. In fact my school has a ridiculous percentage of students who leave the state after graduation!

each school will teach to pass their state board exam. However the only state specific exam that you have to pass is the law exam. The NAPLEX is a national exam and for us new yorkers theres the compounding.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Not entirely true. Florida just changed its laws recently and has made it possible to reciprocate licensure to Florida.

I know you can do grade transfer to Florida... but I didn't know about the change in reciprocity... When did this happen???

 

[Rockinacoustic]

I guess my biggest concern now is going out of state and then deciding I want to come back to NY to practice, knowing jack-squat about compounding.

Should this be a big factor in which schools I apply to or am I just making a big deal over nothing?

 

[Quiksilver]

I guess my biggest concern now is going out of state and then deciding I want to come back to NY to practice, knowing jack-squat about compounding.

Should this be a big factor in which schools I apply to or am I just making a big deal over nothing?

if you go out of state, practice there for at least a year and you don't even have to worry about the compounding exam. This is even true if you do a residency in another state. Its called reciprocity, if you become licensed in another state and you have had your license for 1 year to the day, and then move back to NYS thereafter you can get your NYS license without taking the compounding exam

 

[FAMUPharmD09]

I know you can do grade transfer to Florida... but I didn't know about the change in reciprocity... When did this happen???

I wanna say around the middle of last year

 

[Pianopooh]

I guess my biggest concern now is going out of state and then deciding I want to come back to NY to practice, knowing jack-squat about compounding.

Should this be a big factor in which schools I apply to or am I just making a big deal over nothing?

Like Quiksilver wrote above, if you work a year in another state and return to NY you wouldn't have to worry about compounding. You need to consider where you want to settle for a year to complete this, if that is what you want to do. You will know something about compounding from your classes, so don't worry about not knowing anything about compounding. The problem is, knowing enough compounding and retaining the memory of it for the examinations. My suggestion is, choose a lot of rotation sites that would allow you to compound so you can have that extra practice in the last year, if you decide to choose a school outside of NY. Also, you should be able to arrange compounding practices outside of lab time. My school allows students to practice when there are no labs in session, so if you are very ambitious and wants to go to school outside of NYS, it is tough but it is doable. Good luck!