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Rowena · 11-04-2007, 11:58 PM

Hi everyone! I'm Rowena, an American but I graduated from the Philippines. My late father was a Filipino and my mother is a Filipina. My problem is as follows: Due to my family's health problems, I returned to the Philippines and I helped my father. After a couple of years, my father passed away and I decided to go to school in the Philippines to be with my mother. I later went to college in the Philippines, graduating before the January 1, 2003 deadline with a 4 year degree in Pharmacy.

However, I was not and am not a citizen of the Philippines. Therefore, I never did become certified to work in the Philippines, and in fact, I have never worked as a pharmacist.

So, my understanding is that I must submit my credentials to:
Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc
PO Box 514070
Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470
Phone: 414/289-3400
Web site: Educational Credential Evaluators

and then apply for the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination.

So, to me, it seems I would be eligible since I graduated with my 4 year degree in Pharmacy before the January 1 2003 deadline. But then I found the following information on a website:

"FPGEC Policy Revision
April 6 , 2006

NABP’s Executive Committee has approved revisions to Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee’s (FPGEC) policy for evaluating and considering FPGEC Program applicants who did not obtain pharmacists licensure nor registration in the country or jurisdiction in which their pharmacy degree was earned. The changes in the policy will continue to protect the public health and welfare as well as the integrity of the FPGEC Program.

The modified policy outlines that if licensure and/or registration is required to practice pharmacy in the country or jurisdiction where the applicant earned a pharmacy degree, but at the time of graduation the applicant could not obtain licensure registration in that country because he or she was not a citizen, the applicant must submit proof of licensure in whatever country it was obtained. This modified policy was implemented to offer an alternative for those applicants who meet all of the following criteria:

1. The applicant can provide an official statement from the licensing/registration agency in the country or jurisdiction in which the pharmacy degree was earned confirming eligibility to practice pharmacy in that country or jurisdiction but because of non-citizenship neither licensure nor registration were obtained;

2. The applicant can provide official proof of pharmacist licensure and/or registration in a country or jurisdiction different than that in which the pharmacy degree was earned.

Applicants who did not obtain licensure in the country or jurisdiction in which the pharmacy degree was earned for any other reason remain ineligible for FPGEC Certification."

Can someone help me understand this? I did not obtain pharmacists licensure nor registration in the Philippines where my pharmacy degree was earned. So, it seems that I am under this new rule? Is this correct?

So, a license is required to practice Pharmacy in the Philippines, and I was not a citizen of the Philippines.

According to this statement, "the applicant must submit proof of licensure in whatever country it was obtained. " I do not understand this. I do not have a license to practice Pharmacy. I am not and was not a citizen.

The policy reads, "meet all of the following criteria". I seem to meet rule 1 but not rule 2. I am so confused. Rule 1 seems to imply that I would have to have a letter from the Philippine government stating that I was not a citizen but that I graduated? However, non-citizens cannot work in the Philippines, so that logically makes me ineligble to have worked in the Philippines. And then Rule 2, "The applicant can provide official proof of pharmacist licensure and/or registration in a country or jurisdiction different than that in which the pharmacy degree was earned. ", well, how can that be possible in my case since I am a United States citizen with a foreign degree, and I do not have a FPGEC certificate, therefore, I am not licensed to be a pharmacist in the United States.

Can someone please help me, as I cannot seem to get an answer from National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).

Am I (a US Citizen) eligible for FPGEC if I graduated from the Philippines before 1/1/2003 but cannot "provide official proof of pharmacist licensure" in the USA which is a "jurisdiction different than" the Philippines where I earned my degree?

Am I just out of luck with my pharmacy degree?

hazel · 11-05-2007, 12:25 AM

Hi Rowena,
I think you are qualified for FPGEC, however, you have to fullfill the requirements that NABP set as a guidelines, since you have no licence in the Philippines due to Citizenship I think you have to procure a document stating that precisely , I 'm not sure of the procedure but my advise is to contact PRC in the Philippines, maybe the legal division, and ask if they can issue a document stating that you can not take the licensure examination in the Philippines, but have fullfilled all requirements to graduate as a BS Pharmacy.

All in all you fall into the alternate procedure that Nabp sets. I think you have to submit a request for alternate procedure together with your application.

Check the FPGEC bulletin regarding the alternate procedure.

Goodluck!

Rowena · 11-05-2007, 02:00 AM

Salamat Po Miss Hazel! Thank you very much Miss Hazel!

It's kind of confusing dealing with all of this. I will call the NABP and ask about the alternate procedure.

Thank you for your patience and understanding with me.

I found on page 18 of the current FPGEC bulletin this:
Alternate Procedures
If an applicant has graduated from a pharmacy program prior to January 1, 2003, with at least a four-year curriculum, or on or after January 1, 2003 with a five-year pharmacy curriculum, but cannot provide the required documentation, he or she may be eligible for an alternate procedure. The alternate procedure is considered only after the application form and supporting documentation have been evaluated by the FPGEC. A request for alternate procedures must be submitted with the application. The FPGEC will consider each request individually. Only applicants authorized by the FPGEC to utilize the alternate procedures will be permitted to do so. Appropriate forms will be provided to apllicants by the FPGEC."

Ahhhhh....so has anyone here successfully completed the "alternate procedures" process?

LOL! Thanks again Miss Hazel. It makes more sense now, and I feel a bit stupid! Thanks!

annelvis · 08-17-2008, 03:29 PM

guys need help. im a graduate of BS Pharmacy batch 2006 in the Philippines. because of this, i am not eligible to sit for fpgee. is taking doctor of pharmacy here in the philippines enough to qualify for the said exam. or do i need to study at US. what are the options? pls enlighten me with this matter.

thanks in advance.

11-04-2007, 11:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
Rowena Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2	Am I (a US Citizen) eligible for FPGEC if I graduated from the Philippines? Hi everyone! I'm Rowena, an American but I graduated from the Philippines. My late father was a Filipino and my mother is a Filipina. My problem is as follows: Due to my family's health problems, I returned to the Philippines and I helped my father. After a couple of years, my father passed away and I decided to go to school in the Philippines to be with my mother. I later went to college in the Philippines, graduating before the January 1, 2003 deadline with a 4 year degree in Pharmacy. However, I was not and am not a citizen of the Philippines. Therefore, I never did become certified to work in the Philippines, and in fact, I have never worked as a pharmacist. So, my understanding is that I must submit my credentials to: Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc PO Box 514070 Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 Phone: 414/289-3400 Web site: Educational Credential Evaluators and then apply for the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination. So, to me, it seems I would be eligible since I graduated with my 4 year degree in Pharmacy before the January 1 2003 deadline. But then I found the following information on a website: "FPGEC Policy Revision April 6 , 2006 NABP’s Executive Committee has approved revisions to Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee’s (FPGEC) policy for evaluating and considering FPGEC Program applicants who did not obtain pharmacists licensure nor registration in the country or jurisdiction in which their pharmacy degree was earned. The changes in the policy will continue to protect the public health and welfare as well as the integrity of the FPGEC Program. The modified policy outlines that if licensure and/or registration is required to practice pharmacy in the country or jurisdiction where the applicant earned a pharmacy degree, but at the time of graduation the applicant could not obtain licensure registration in that country because he or she was not a citizen, the applicant must submit proof of licensure in whatever country it was obtained. This modified policy was implemented to offer an alternative for those applicants who meet all of the following criteria: 1. The applicant can provide an official statement from the licensing/registration agency in the country or jurisdiction in which the pharmacy degree was earned confirming eligibility to practice pharmacy in that country or jurisdiction but because of non-citizenship neither licensure nor registration were obtained; 2. The applicant can provide official proof of pharmacist licensure and/or registration in a country or jurisdiction different than that in which the pharmacy degree was earned. Applicants who did not obtain licensure in the country or jurisdiction in which the pharmacy degree was earned for any other reason remain ineligible for FPGEC Certification." Can someone help me understand this? I did not obtain pharmacists licensure nor registration in the Philippines where my pharmacy degree was earned. So, it seems that I am under this new rule? Is this correct? So, a license is required to practice Pharmacy in the Philippines, and I was not a citizen of the Philippines. According to this statement, "the applicant must submit proof of licensure in whatever country it was obtained. " I do not understand this. I do not have a license to practice Pharmacy. I am not and was not a citizen. The policy reads, "meet all of the following criteria". I seem to meet rule 1 but not rule 2. I am so confused. Rule 1 seems to imply that I would have to have a letter from the Philippine government stating that I was not a citizen but that I graduated? However, non-citizens cannot work in the Philippines, so that logically makes me ineligble to have worked in the Philippines. And then Rule 2, "The applicant can provide official proof of pharmacist licensure and/or registration in a country or jurisdiction different than that in which the pharmacy degree was earned. ", well, how can that be possible in my case since I am a United States citizen with a foreign degree, and I do not have a FPGEC certificate, therefore, I am not licensed to be a pharmacist in the United States. Can someone please help me, as I cannot seem to get an answer from National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). Am I (a US Citizen) eligible for FPGEC if I graduated from the Philippines before 1/1/2003 but cannot "provide official proof of pharmacist licensure" in the USA which is a "jurisdiction different than" the Philippines where I earned my degree? Am I just out of luck with my pharmacy degree?

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11-05-2007, 12:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
hazel Eager! Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 62	Hi Rowena, I think you are qualified for FPGEC, however, you have to fullfill the requirements that NABP set as a guidelines, since you have no licence in the Philippines due to Citizenship I think you have to procure a document stating that precisely , I 'm not sure of the procedure but my advise is to contact PRC in the Philippines, maybe the legal division, and ask if they can issue a document stating that you can not take the licensure examination in the Philippines, but have fullfilled all requirements to graduate as a BS Pharmacy. All in all you fall into the alternate procedure that Nabp sets. I think you have to submit a request for alternate procedure together with your application. Check the FPGEC bulletin regarding the alternate procedure. Goodluck!

11-05-2007, 02:00 AM	#3 (permalink)
Rowena Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2	Salamat Po Miss Hazel! Thank you very much Miss Hazel! It's kind of confusing dealing with all of this. I will call the NABP and ask about the alternate procedure. Thank you for your patience and understanding with me. I found on page 18 of the current FPGEC bulletin this: Alternate Procedures If an applicant has graduated from a pharmacy program prior to January 1, 2003, with at least a four-year curriculum, or on or after January 1, 2003 with a five-year pharmacy curriculum, but cannot provide the required documentation, he or she may be eligible for an alternate procedure. The alternate procedure is considered only after the application form and supporting documentation have been evaluated by the FPGEC. A request for alternate procedures must be submitted with the application. The FPGEC will consider each request individually. Only applicants authorized by the FPGEC to utilize the alternate procedures will be permitted to do so. Appropriate forms will be provided to apllicants by the FPGEC." Ahhhhh....so has anyone here successfully completed the "alternate procedures" process? LOL! Thanks again Miss Hazel. It makes more sense now, and I feel a bit stupid! Thanks!

08-17-2008, 03:29 PM	#4 (permalink)
annelvis Trying to make mom and pop proud Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 5	guys need help. im a graduate of BS Pharmacy batch 2006 in the Philippines. because of this, i am not eligible to sit for fpgee. is taking doctor of pharmacy here in the philippines enough to qualify for the said exam. or do i need to study at US. what are the options? pls enlighten me with this matter. thanks in advance.

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