I am sort of confused by the difference between FPGEE---license and PharmD. Would you guys please tell me a little bit?
what's the difference between FPGEE---license and PharmD?
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zzll said:
A PharmD is a degree that you earn by attending an accredited pharmacy school in the US. It is a doctor of pharmacy. The FPGEE is an exam given to foreign pharmacist who obtained their education outside of the USA. Hope this helps.
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dgroulx said:
I've worked with a couple of graduate interns who were going for their FPGEE and it was very scary.
Serious conversation of graduate intern from India working in retail for 6 months trying to pass the NAPLEX.
(at Osco where we print out interactions to let patient know when picking up meds)
Grad intern[counseling a new script]: Hold on their is an interaction with antibiotics and hormones let me consult the pharmacists.
Grad intern[to pharmacist]: What is this interaction?
Pharmacists: You don't know the interaction between birth control and antibiotics?
Grad intern: no.
Pharmacist: Well it can make birth control ineffective?
Grad intern: So what do I tell patient?
Pharmacist: Tell them to use other forms of protection?
Grad Intern: Huh?
Pharmacists: Tell them to use prophylaxis.
Grad intern: prophylaxis for the antibiotic?
Pharmacist: NO TELL them to use a CONDOM when having SEX!!!!!
Grad intern[puzzled look and an awkard silence]: Oh ok...
Apparently in india to get a pharmacy degree it is only 4 years after graduating high school. Who knows what kind of education they have? They can be learning mostly about herbal mystical rememdies for all I know.
I don't know... what are your opinions on allowing foreign students to practice pharmacy in the US? I think it allows for some undereducated people to read a review book and pass the naplex and then practice.
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Good God! Maybe if this shortage of pharmacists ever comes close to being filled we won't have those kind of pharmacists working in the US!
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My company employees a number of foreign pharmacy graduates that they specifically went over to a specific country and recruited.
Some of them have some serious competancy issues. One is so bad that they have demoted him to technician (not even intern!) while he trains and studies for the exam. Another told me to give my toddler Tylenol for her runny nose (instead of Benedryl).
Some of them seem to have a solid knowledge base but are very slow. I'm talking grinding the pharmacy to a halt, 15 minutes to check a refilled prescription slow. We've at times had to go on a 2-3 hour wait when working with a particularly slow floater, and we are a grocery store pharmacy doing 150 a day, max.
So, the competancy level of the H1B pharmacists is not uniform, but there is one thing that is: their attitude towards technicians and interns. The individuals my company hired will NOT ring up customers, type prescriptions, count pills, make doctor calls, help with the drive-thru, put prescriptions in bags, answer the phone or put away drugs.
One of the H1B pharmacists was assigned as our co-manager but left because he didn't like the fact that we only have one tech or intern at a time (usually) and he didn't like helping with the "non-pharmacist" jobs. Working with someone who will not help with the work is a nightmare. You try running around and trying to be at the register, the drive-thru, the drop off window, the counting table and on the phone all at the same time. While the pharmacist checks at a rate of 4 scripts/hour and spends forever talking on the phone loudly in another language. Horrible.
Some of them have some serious competancy issues. One is so bad that they have demoted him to technician (not even intern!) while he trains and studies for the exam. Another told me to give my toddler Tylenol for her runny nose (instead of Benedryl).
Some of them seem to have a solid knowledge base but are very slow. I'm talking grinding the pharmacy to a halt, 15 minutes to check a refilled prescription slow. We've at times had to go on a 2-3 hour wait when working with a particularly slow floater, and we are a grocery store pharmacy doing 150 a day, max.
So, the competancy level of the H1B pharmacists is not uniform, but there is one thing that is: their attitude towards technicians and interns. The individuals my company hired will NOT ring up customers, type prescriptions, count pills, make doctor calls, help with the drive-thru, put prescriptions in bags, answer the phone or put away drugs.
One of the H1B pharmacists was assigned as our co-manager but left because he didn't like the fact that we only have one tech or intern at a time (usually) and he didn't like helping with the "non-pharmacist" jobs. Working with someone who will not help with the work is a nightmare. You try running around and trying to be at the register, the drive-thru, the drop off window, the counting table and on the phone all at the same time. While the pharmacist checks at a rate of 4 scripts/hour and spends forever talking on the phone loudly in another language. Horrible.
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i have heard that it can be a real bummer graduating outside of the US. i work with a few pharmacists right now studying for the FPGEE. they only offer the exam twice a year, and it can be a real pain just signing up for it, with a high exam fee and the NABP is very specific about degree requirements. there are an extreme amount of questions, plus you have to go through all the loopholes of pharmacy experience hours, state hoopla, and what not. on top of that, you still have to sit for the NAPLEX and MPJE. my advice to anyone planning on completing a pharmacy degree outside of the US ... don't do it, to me it's not worth it at least ... it may be actually easier to become a doctor from the bahamas since there is no foreign grad test before the USMLE
Thank you, guys!
Your answers are really helpful. In fact, I'm also an international student with a background of Pharmacy. But for now, I'm in Dept. of Chemistry. I suspected that my present research may not be the best choice for me. I would like to get my PharmD someday in US. Well, if I do that, I have to take pCAT, TOEFL and use loan. It's sort of hart to make the final decision. Since I focused on research, I had no related working experience which is really annoying.
Your answers are really helpful. In fact, I'm also an international student with a background of Pharmacy. But for now, I'm in Dept. of Chemistry. I suspected that my present research may not be the best choice for me. I would like to get my PharmD someday in US. Well, if I do that, I have to take pCAT, TOEFL and use loan. It's sort of hart to make the final decision. Since I focused on research, I had no related working experience which is really annoying.
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zzll said:
One of my Chemistry TAs was a licensed pharmacist from Poland. He was working on his PhD in Chemistry because he wanted a research career with the pharm industry.
He had looked into trying to work as a floating pharmacist while in school (pays better than TAing - much better) but found the requirements too difficult. Too many hoops to jump through.
I think its difficult for foreign pharmacists to come work in the US unless they are sponsored (as the ones I work with are) by a company who pays for the extra training, tests, etc.
All4MyDaughter said:
yes, it's really kind of difficult. but i don't wanna give up hopes. I wanna live a quiet life with flexible schedule to take care of my future family. If currently it's too hard, I may try it after I get my PhD.
