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Illinois Pharmacy license requirements


mariagpl

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Does anybody know what are the requirements to get the license in Illinois? It has been discussed in prior posts but I am a bit confuse with the information that I got from the web site:

 

"An applicant who has graduated with a professional degree from a school of pharmacy located outside of the United States must do the following:

(1) obtain a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination

Committee (FPGEC) Certificate;

(2) complete 1,200 hours of clinical training and

experience, as defined by rule, in the United States or its territories; and

(3) successfully complete the licensing requirements

set forth in Section 6 of this Act, as well as those adopted by the Department by rule."

 

I saw that was only 400 hours internship, why this 1200 hours? Can anybody clarify that?

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Hello,

I asked Illinois board of pharmacy about the intern license and the 1,200 hours and that was the response:Illinois does not issue a Pharmacist Intern license. The only ones allowed to work in a pharmacy are Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians licensed by the Department.

If you wish to apply for a pharmacist license to have your credentials reviewed you will need to submit an application for pharmacist on the basis of examination. You will need to submit with the application proof of education, a copy of your ECE certificate and a copy of the FPGEC with the application.

 

 

 

The 1,200 hours must be approved by the Board prior to commencement if the applicant is not previously licensed in another state.

 

 

Applicants upon approval of their application receive sample courses and must obtain the location on their own as the Department does not recommend anything nor maintain a listing of possible sites.

 

 

Good luck.

 

 

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Hey guys,

I came to know that now ilinois boards of pharmacy will allow foreign graduates to worak as pharmacist in IL. Is it so? I mean that 5 years graduate program requirement is now no more effective. Actually, I searched on their website but there they keep the same old requirement. Does anybody has any idea regarding the latest news?

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I just got answer from the Illinois board. They say the next:

 

"You will need to complete the Pharmacist licensure application on the

basis of Examination. You will need to submit proof of graduation from your pharmacy school. Upon review you will be given examples of course that has been approved by the Department in the past to use as a guide. Then you must find a pharmacist/pharmacy that will allow to complete the 1,200 hours within the facility and will verify that you completed it a satisfactory manner. This all must be submitted to the Department prior to beginning the course as no credit will be given until the course is approved by the Department.

 

Upon completion of the course and receipt of a copy of your FPGEC you

will receive permission to take the NAPLEX and MJPE but not before."

 

I think that the 5 years graduate program is still required, but I am not sure.

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Hello people,

I also called the IDFPR just now to inquire as to what steps need to be taken in order to do internship in Illinois. Since these guidelines are new and complicated (so I believe), and somebody reads them from somewhere I feel the Board people are themselves a little confused. :rolleyes:

 

Anyways, this is the exact information what I have from the IDFPR:

 

1. YES, they have changed rules recently. NO, they don't need the 5 year degree thing.

 

2. First thing is to send the 4 page pharmacist application along with your FPGEC and ECE certificate. (Since I took FPGEE in '05, I didn't go through ECE, the confusing thing was that IDFPR guy said that I should get ECE certificate through NABP). Mariagpl is right they said they will send samples of clinical course thet you need to complete with a pharmacist after the appproval of your application.

 

3. Second step which you should take simultaneously along with pharmacist application is to send an application for the pharmacy tech (to complete the 1200 work hours) because the board doesn't issue a separate intern license.

 

4. Finally you need to get an approval from IDFPR on completion of the 1200 work hours to take the NAPLEX and MPJE.

 

Hmm.... a little complicated but if somebody learns something different or new about licensing in IL, please shed some light. Kindly share the complete information.

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It seems that we do not need to have FPGEC certificate to get the teachnician license. Is that correct?

 

We sent our TOEFL complaint letter to IL legislators, and OBAMA in May, 2007.

 

I encourage all of you to send TOEFL iBT complaints to your legislators and governors of every state you live in. It works.

 

It is only a letter. It won't hurt you.

 

The finished complaints were posted in this forum as attached files. You must have 100 posts to be able to download the files.

 

Or you can ask me to send those complaints to you. We need to send our messages across 4 corners of the country.

 

Good luck.

 

Knok

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Hi Pharmph,

 

Thanks for the information. I got following reply from board of IL.

The FPGEC is not a license to practice pharmacy in Illinois . You will need to complete an application for licensure on the basis of the Examination and submit the completed application, fee, copy of ECE evaluation and copy of the FPGEC certificate. Your application will be reviewed and if found to be in compliance with the Illinois Act you will be sent a copy of a clinical course of instruction to use as guide when submitting your 1,200 course for approval by the Department.

Now i don't understand what they are telling regarding application. They are writing that You will need to complete an application for licensure on the basis of the Examination . I don't know about which exam they are talking about? In the application form (on site) also they are writing about licensure exam. Does anybody has idea which kind of exam is this?

 

Hello people,

I also called the IDFPR just now to inquire as to what steps need to be taken in order to do internship in Illinois. Since these guidelines are new and complicated (so I believe), and somebody reads them from somewhere I feel the Board people are themselves a little confused. :rolleyes:

 

Anyways, this is the exact information what I have from the IDFPR:

 

1. YES, they have changed rules recently. NO, they don't need the 5 year degree thing.

 

2. First thing is to send the 4 page pharmacist application along with your FPGEC and ECE certificate. (Since I took FPGE in '05, I didnt go through ECE, the confusing thing was that IDFPR guy said that I should get ECE certificate through NABP). Mariagpl is right they said they will send samples of clinical course thet you need to complete with a pharmacist after the appproval of your application.

 

3. Second step which you should take simultaneously along with pharmacist application is to send an application for the pharmacy tech (to complete the 1200 work hours) because the board doesn't issue a separate intern license.

 

4. Finally you need to get an approval from IDFPR on completion of the 1200 work hours to take the NAPLEX and MPJE.

 

Hmm.... a little complicated but if somebody learns something different or new about licensing in IL, please shed some light. Kindly share the complete information.

 

Now I think, I am getting it. You will need to complete an application for licensure on the basis of the Examination -- means that, I need to file application for licensure and/or Examination (4 page form) which is pharmacist license as well as for NAPLEX and MPJE. So with that form I need to give fee fo NPLEX and MPJE (80+465 and 80+185 = total $810), ECE evaluation report, FPGEC certificate (to get that -should clear FPGEE and Toefl iBT). Once they approve your application, they will send clinical course guideline and you need to take training of 1200 hours under supervision of pharmacist. After completion of your training they will give you permission (ATT) to sit for NPLEX and MPGE. You have to complete those two exams with in 365 days after getting ATT. If you don't take with in a year then again you have to apply with new fees.

 

Now the issue is they don't issue intern lisence. So you need to do your internship on basis of phamr technician license. But now another issue is without SSN, they don't issue technician license and also in application form for pharmacist they are asking about social security number. What if I am on H4 (dependent ) visa and don't have SSN? can anybody has idea?

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PTS I am not sure about the SSN part, you would I guess need an H-1B (sponsored by the hiring pharmacy) to be able to work. About the pharmacist licensure application you dont have to send the money for NAPLEX and MPJEE with initial application, you need to send only $75 along with supporting documents. Also even after getting the pharm tech licence you have to wait for the board to approve your initial pharmacist licensure application in order to be able to complete your work hours. Without the board approval you would be using tech license only as a tech and not as an intern.
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Are you sure that we have to do the course under the thec licencence? What I understood was that you have to do a course, not work in the pharmacy (of course if you don't get paid), and for that it is suppose you can do the course with a student visa or H4. Am I right? I ask the board about it but they said I should ask in inmigration.

 

Besides, must be much easier to find a H1B sponsor once you are Registered Pharmacist. Anybody has experience about that?

 

Thank you everybody for your answers.

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Hello people,

I also called the IDFPR just now to inquire as to what steps need to be taken in order to do internship in Illinois. Since these guidelines are new and complicated (so I believe), and somebody reads them from somewhere I feel the Board people are themselves a little confused. :rolleyes:

 

Anyways, this is the exact information what I have from the IDFPR:

 

1. YES, they have changed rules recently. NO, they don't need the 5 year degree thing.

 

2. First thing is to send the 4 page pharmacist application along with your FPGEC and ECE certificate. (Since I took FPGEE in '05, I didn't go through ECE, the confusing thing was that IDFPR guy said that I should get ECE certificate through NABP). Mariagpl is right they said they will send samples of clinical course thet you need to complete with a pharmacist after the appproval of your application.

 

3. Second step which you should take simultaneously along with pharmacist application is to send an application for the pharmacy tech (to complete the 1200 work hours) because the board doesn't issue a separate intern license.

 

4. Finally you need to get an approval from IDFPR on completion of the 1200 work hours to take the NAPLEX and MPJE.

 

Hmm.... a little complicated but if somebody learns something different or new about licensing in IL, please shed some light. Kindly share the complete information.

 

Hi, pharmph,

 

"Hi, I am in a very akward situation because I took prepharmacy related

courses for more than a year before my entry to BPharm. The Bpharm I am

taking now consists of four years with an internship after graduation.

This internship is a requirement for licensure, however, the NABP does

not accept it. So the only hope I have is this prepharmacy related

courses to be satisfied within the US pharm board's requirement. What worries

me is that whether the COUNTRY itself has to be offering 5 years

itself.

 

How can you become licensed in that state with just an internship of

1200 hours?"

Do any other states in US looking forward to do that as well?

 

 

Cheers, mate

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Hello Aussiepharmer,

 

I am 101% sure that the Illinois state board does not require a five year degree now, people who have a four year degree will have to complete 1200 hours of internship ( and for Mariagpl, clinical instruction course with a pharmacist and internship is the one and the same thing, they don't offer a separate clinical instruction course ). The number of hours vary depending upon whether you have a four or five year degree, people with five year may only have to do 400 hours of internship or none at all depending upon their coursework.

 

 

For FPGEC you would still need a five year degree, in your case I think you should call NABP and ask if your internship and/or prepharmacy would be considered as additional years or not. Different states have different rules and they keep changing them too.

 

 

Enjoy

 

-

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  • 3 months later...

Hi

 

I am foreign pharmacist too. Right now I am licensed in WI and TX. I am currently in texas but willing to move back to IL. I wrote board inquiring about getting licensed there. They said same thing. I was wondering if somebody could send me link to that form we need to fill out. When I e mailed NABP they said that I need to fill out application by licensure transfer first. My other question is I have already given NAPLEX do I need to give it again or do I just need to take MPJE.

 

I was trying to call them but did'nt have any luck. does somebody have direct phone # where we can call instead of e mailing them. I do not get any specific answers from them on e mail.

 

I would greatly appreciate any help

 

Vidhi

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  • 2 weeks later...

There have been a lot of information posted over cyberspace regarding these new regulations about pharmacy licence reqirements. As the new policies indicates that five year degree requirement is no longer in existence and any overseas pharmacist can apply for licence to work as pharmacist in illinois. Look at the application stating that pharmacy curriculum must be five years and FPGEE requirements says all foreign pharmacist graduating after Jan 2003 must have a curriculum of five years.

 

Since the FPGEE requirements is still 5 years As posted on net (NABP.NET) and application for pharmacist licence must be accompanied with FPGEC and ECE evaluations.

 

How this new rules gonna help anybody who can not sit for FPGEE and not produce FPGEC with application.

 

Lot of confusions :hmm:

 

 

Anybody with latest and clear info, please share knowledge.

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HEY GUYS, CAN SOMEBODY MAKE IT CLEAR.

 

HOW CAN A GRADUATE IN PHARMACY(4 YEARS) FROM A SCHOOL OUTSIDE UNITED STATES AFTER JAN 2003, GET A LICENCE IN ILLINOIS.

SINCE NABP KEEP ON SINGING THE SAME OLD SONG Ie: FPGEC AND ECE????? WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR A GRADUATE( 4 YEARS) TO TAKE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

 

WHY THERE ARE SO MANY CONFUSING POSTINGS OVER CYBER WORLD REGARDING LICENCE PROCEDURE.

 

DOES THIS 4 YEARS CONCEPT AND 1200 OR 400 HOURS INTERNSHIP WITH CLINICAL PRACTICE APPLY TO ONLY US GRADUATES OR ANYONE FROM ANY COUNTRY WITH 4 YEARS PROGRAM, AFTER JAN 2003.

 

MORE INFORMATION MORE CONFUSING

MORE CONFUSING LESS CLEAR.

 

MAKE IT CLEAR

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Hi pharmph, according to your information it is possible not doing the internship if you have some coursework. What is that exactly? Experience as a pharmacist? PhD? After the pharmacy school I did a residency in my country and I have work in hospital pharmacy for a long time. Do you think that would be enough? Should I send all my certificates to the board with my application?

 

Thanks for you help.

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Hi!! Iam Just About To Submit My Application Form To Il Dept Of Prof Regulation.. And On The Requirements It States That We Need A Transcript Fr The School.. Do They Want The School To Directly Mail It To Them Or Do We Submit The Transcripts With The Rest Of The Requirements? Pls Help Me Because My Parents Are Getting My Transcript For Me In The Philippines And I Dont Want Them Going Back And Forth And When I Call Their Office They Will Put You On Hold For A Looooong Time.. Thanks!!
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hi aussie pharmer.. i graduated on 1997 fr a 4 yr curriculum pharmacy curriculum.. and i also finished med school do you think i should submit my transcript fr med school also.. will that help with my evaluation for internship?
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I don't think it would help you with internship because med school is a completely different degree. I know that any courwork or internship that you did AFTER a four year degree is NOT counted. But if you did prepharmacy- related coursework BEFORE the pharmacy degree, that MAYBE counted.

 

For my case, I did 1.5 years of prepharmacy related coursework before my entry to 4 year BPharm. It turns out that my specific situation is actually very complicated, so I am totally unsure about my eligibility.

 

And since you graduated before 2003, I am sure you would be eligible

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This is what I received from email, their email address is FPR.PRFGROUP10@illinois.gov

 

My message:

I heard that Illinois recently changed the law so that 4 year foreign pharmacy graduates can be licensed in Illinois, where 4 year graduates should take 1200 hours of internship and about 400 hours for 5 year graduates. Then how can 4 year graduates take the FPGEE?(As far as I know, FPGEC requires a 5 year degree program)

 

Their reply

Current Illinois law requires anyone educated outside the United States to have a FPGEC certificate and complete 1200 hour course of clinical instructions regardless of the length of their program.

Illinois does not sponsor, approve or otherwise set the standards for the FPGEE as the is within the scope of the NABP. Those who applied before the law was changed have been allowed to complete their 400 hours, anyone who has not applied previously will have to complete 1200 hours.

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Aussiepharmer,

 

It is clear that Illionois Pharmacy state board does not have authority to issue FPGEC certificate. If you don't have FPGEC certificate, it doesn't matter how long your degree is.

 

If you know that those who have four year degree is not allowed to take FPGEE anymore, you can switch to study in the country where they offer 5 year degree or come to the USA to study Pharm.D. program.

 

I saw you ask this question a few months back. Many people answered your question. Even though many of us have 5 year or 6 year degree cannot be licensed in Illinios since they cannot get the FPGEC certificate.

 

FPGEC certificate will be issued if you pass the requirements set by NABP.

 

I hope that you understand it. People here cannot change requirement about 4 or 5 year degree since now many countries including USA offer only 6 year program. Four and six years seems to be very different in length of study. My country offered 6 years program since 1997. I remember that my school put all courses together tightly. I had to take the exams on Saturday. That was the reason why my school expanded the length of study to 6 years. Also, schools add clinical pharmacy on the last year of 6 years program.

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Knok,

 

It seems that you do not understand my specific situation. Nobody actually has answered my question. I find it very complicated. As I repeat, I took prepharmacy related subjects for 1.5 years at a US university before transferring to my current four year pharmacy degree. You should know that those with four year DEGREES are eligible to sit for FPGEE if they have done at least one year of prerequisites before the pharmacy degree. The NABP requires a five year CURRICULUM. So the one year prerequisite with a four year degree qualifications are eligible. Look at Canadian & UK graduates – esp. for UK graduates, their pharmacy schools are NOT ACPE accredited. But they can sit for FPGEE because their A-levels in high school is counted within the 5 year requirement. For more info, take a look at:

 

http://www.pharmj.com/pdf/hp/200604/hp_200604_careers.pdf

 

As for my personal case, my current pharmacy school required me to take at least one year of prerequisites at a college because I was unable to meet their IB requirements. The IB(International Baccalaureate) is very similar to A-levels. Both are recognized as college credits by many US colleges, and are 2 years of duration. Since I graduated from a US high school where IB was not offered, and that I had to graduate one semester earlier than the majority of my fellows, the only way to fulfill my university prerequisites was to take at least one year of university studies.

Have a look at the admission requirements for my school website:

 

http://www.vcp.monash.edu.au/courses/pharmacy/index.html

 

High school students in Australia can take VCE or IB as prerequisites for my college of pharmacy. Foundation studies are also accepted, which is also recognized as college credits. And I’ve heard of many international students taking A-levels for entry to Australian pharmacy schools. The comparison I am making here is more focused on UK pharmacy education vs. Aussie pharmacy education. Both countries offer four year undergraduate degree with one year internship after graduation, and the internship year is not counted by NABP. The only difference is that high school students in Aus don’t take A-levels. However, mine is different to other aussie pharm schools in that college credit-equivalent prerequisites such as IB is required if you were not to choose to take VCE(VCE not counted towards 5 yrs).

 

http://www.msp.ac.uk/studying/undergraduate/master-pharmacy/entry.html

 

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/phrmy/resources/UG-PHRMY-06.pdf

 

Take a look at these random UK pharm school admission websites above. They also accept IB as an alternative to A-levels. What I mean here is it would be ridiculous if NABP rejects A-levels/IB/college credits + 4 yr Australian degree and approves the A-levels/IB/college credits + 4 yr UK degree where both are five years total. This also means that if I am eligible for FPGEE if I transferred to a UK pharm school, but not eligible for the FPGEE if I transferred to the Australian degree, which is unreasonable.

 

And if you were to say that the country itself has to have a 5 year curriculum to be eligible for FPGEE, that is not true. I’ve seen a Taiwanese graduate from a 5 yr school on this forum become eligible for FPGEE even though the other schools within the country were offering four years.

 

From your post, you’re saying that you hope me to understand it but I can’t. I am taking more than 6 years of education for pharmacy – 1.5 years in US + 4 yr degree + 1 yr intern. If the NABP does not accept my qualification, that means I have wasted 2.5 years. It is also frustrating that 1 yr intern is recognized. Even though it has intense clinical training, it is not counted ONLY BECAUSE it is AFTER graduation. If it was included within the degree to make up to a five year degree, that it would be a different story. What’s the difference? It’s the same length of education before licensure anyway!

 

My point here to emphasize is that if the “1 year prerequisite PLUS four year degree” is accepted for Canadian and UK graduates in being eligible to sit for FPGEE, that rule must be applied CONSISTENTLY to Australian, NZ, and even Indian graduates. Indian graduates take 2 years of Diploma of Pharmacy PLUS their 4 year degree, but they can’t sit for FPGEE.

 

So what is the TRUE five year rule? The NABP is one of the most random organizations I’ve ever known.

 

In my perspective, you seem to imply that it’s a cake walk to transfer to a country that offers a 5 year curriculum or to a US PharmD. I have emailed several five year degree pharmacy schools in Europe(offered in English). They replied me I would have to start all the way from first year(at that time, I finished second year in Australia) even if I have all the credits.

 

Finally, what I would like to highlight to everyone is that it is totally fine for the NABP to stay with the five year rule, and I am NOT asking them to change this rule. However, if they were to do so, their rule should be applied equally to graduates from any country as long as the CURRICULUM is a 5 year period and that enough credit requirements are satisfied, not being selective for a particular nationality for some reason(i.e. prestige of the country, etc.)

 

I have not applied for FPGEE yet but have sent them an actual letter, and they replied that "Since Australia has a four year curriculum, it does not meet the FPGEE eligibility requirements." It seems like they think this is the norm.

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