Are German Pharmcists graduating after 2003 eligible for FPGEE?

[Nika]

Hello everybody,

 

 

I am a German Pharmacist and I moved tothe USA last year. I am now trying to figure out what I need to doto become a licensed Pharmacist here. I know that there is the FPGECProgramm including the FPGEE. My problem is that I am not sure if Iam qualified or the test.

 

 

My main issue is the 5 year-DegreeRequirement (I graduated after 2003). To become a Pharmacist inGermany you need to go to university for 4 years and pass the firstand second State Exam. Then you need to leave the university and do a one-year internship. After the year of internship you have anothertest (the third State Exam). Only if you pass all these three testsyou get the license to work. So it takes at least 5 years to be aPharmcist.

 

 

Now I do not know if I meet therequirement of 5 years because my education at the university wasonly 4 years and the website of the NABP clearly says thatinternships do not count.

 

 

Is there another German Pharmcist whograduated after 2003 and was able to take the test?

 

 

Does anybody know what I can do if theinternship does not count? Can I just go university here for a yearto get the 5 years or is my whole degree useless?

 

 

I am thankful for every answer!

[soniczek]

I am in the same position and was wondering the same, following this thread.

[soniczek]

I think it counts into the five-year requirement, this is why:

 

The FPGEC Application Bulletin states that "The following completed after graduation cannot be considered for determining the minimum required curriculum length: (...) internships (...).

 

It says AFTER graduation, but we need this internship to take the final Third Exam and get our German pharmacy degree. The internship happens before the graduation.

 

However, I just sent an e-mail to NABP and asked them, just to make sure. I will post here if I get an answer.

[soniczek]

Sadly, the NABP hasn't responded, but I found this: (look for the comment from Dr. Jochen Pfeifer): Apotheker in den USA: Statt Umschau Klinische Pharmazie und hoheres Gehalt

[Nika]

Hello,

sorry for answering so late!

Thank you for writing the NABP. I did the same one year ago when I was still in Germany and they wrote me back a copy and paste of the text that is on their website. Maybe you have more luck. But this week I had some connections and got the direct email address from a person who works at the board and apparently has to deal with this issue. I wrote him Friday evening . He didn't answer yet . I let you know when he does!

But the article of the DAZ gives me some hope.

[soniczek]

Thank you.

 

Did you get your "supporting documentation" (proof of degree and transcripts) from your German university yet?

It is quite a hassle, they told me that they have to make them individually with all the classes I have taken and estimate when they were. Also it has to be in a sealed envelope with a stamp etc., just like they said in the Application Bulletin.

 

If I understood correctly, we need this document package 3 times - twice sealed (one for FPGEC application, one for the ECE application) and one for us to get it translated.

 

Good to hear you have connections! I hope he will be able to help us with this whole process. Just let me know if you learn something interesting :)

[Nika]

I haven't started to collect the documentation yet. I already have a transcript from my university that is in English and German. I got it when I was still in Germany and I only wanted it so I have something when I am applying for jobs outside the pharmacy. It was not sealed so I guess I need to get it again.

I also read somewhere that you need 3 sealed packages that is correct. I am just wondering if you just need the stuff from the university. I do not know where you studied, but I studied in Kiel and all the final test where managed by the Landesamt fuer soziale Dienste of Schleswig-Holstein. My certifications and co are issued by them. So I guess I need some documentation from them as well, right?

[soniczek]

Yes. I studied in Mainz and my certificates were issued by the Landesamt fuer Soziales, I only have 1 original of each here with me. I guess we will need 1 of each in both sealed envelopes 🙄

 

I have asked our Studienbuero what to do about it, because they previously said they have some experience. If they can't take care of it, I will just ask the Landesamt if they can do the whole sealed and stamped envelope shenanigans with all of my Staatsexamen papers and approbation 3 times 😀

[Nika]

Let me know what they tell you!

 

I guess we definitely need something from the Landesamt because they are the only one who gave us grades. All the tests I did at the university where only " passed" or " not passed" but no grades.

 

We probably need both: official transcription from the university and degree from the Landesamt. So 2x 3 sealed envelopes.

[soniczek]

Yep, you are right. They told me they can only include my classes from university and the grades of the state examinations (from the scans I sent them). For the state examination certificates and approbation I have to contact the Landesamt fuer Soziales. It will be ready in about 2 weeks and they will send me a preview to review it.

[Nika]

Okay, that is good. I hope this is all we need to proof our education.

When are you planning on doing the test? This September /October or next year? (there are always twice a year, one in April/May and one in September/ October)

[soniczek]

I planned on doing it as fast as I can, meaning this fall. I just hope the application will go through smoothly, and we also have to take the English test. And find some good material and books to study :)

What about you?

[Nika]

I am planning for the next year in spring.

Btw. I got an answer from my connection to the Louisiana Pharmaboard. He says he wrote the NABP for me and will try to find an answer for me. I will keep you updated.

[soniczek]

Thanks! After almost 3 weeks I got a response from the NABP with a copy&paste of their website :) They also say we should contact the FPGEC directly with specific questions regarding our situation by regular mail or fax.

[soniczek]

I sent the same request (my exam certificates and degree in a sealed envelope) to the Landesamt and got this disappointing response:

"ich bitte Sie, sich an die Behörden in den USA zu wenden. Die zuständigen Behörden werden uns dann die entsprechenden Verifizierungsunterlagen zusenden."

What does that even mean? Have you been in contact with your Landesamt?

[Nika]

Okay, that is strange, maybe the ECE or the NABP needs to ask for the documents or they did not understand you right. You should have the right to got documents about you. Are you still in Germany? Then maybe you could call them and ask what they want. Otherwise you could maybe write an email to the NABP and tell them what the Landesamt told you. And send their answer to the Landesamt.

I called them when I was still in Germany and the lady I spoke with told me she remembers a case and she remembers sending a lot of documents in a sealed envelope but she didn't say anything more

[soniczek]

I'm not in Germany anymore, I'm in SC.

 

I wrote an e-mail again saying this is the way the NABP wants it (along with a screenshot of the instructions in the bulletin) and I've never heard anything about "Verifizierungsunterlagen", and then he asked me to send him copies of my certificates. I think they just had no idea what to do in such a case :D

Let's see what happens next.

[Nika]

I just got an answer from the NABP :

Eligibility for the FPGEC Certification program can only be determined upon completion of the online application, appropriate fee’s and supporting documentation of your pharmacist’s credentials.

 

You can find instructions on how to apply for the FPGEC Certification program on our website. As indicated on the NABP website, www.nabp.net, applicants for the FPGEC Certification program must have completed a pharmacy curriculum and hold a degree in pharmacy. Applicants for the FPGEC Certification program who obtain their pharmacy degree on or after January 1, 2003 must have completed a minimum of a five-year pharmacy curriculum at the time of graduation. However, pre-pharmacy coursework required by the university may be considered. Consideration of post-baccalaureate degrees and whether they may be applicable to determine the minimum required curriculum length will be made on a case-by-case basis at the sole discretion of the FPGEC.

 

In addition, applicants for the program must meet the licensure and/ or registration to practice pharmacy requirements as indicated in the FPGEC Application Bulletin.

 

Upon reading your email it appears that you may qualify for the FPGEC program. You mentioned that you became licensed in Germany in 2015, however, because you did not mention in what year you graduated, it is difficult to determine if you qualify. If you graduated before January 1, 2003 with a four year pharmacy degree you would qualify, however if you graduated after 2003 yes you would be required to have completed a 5-year pharmacy degree program at an accredited university. The FPGEC has reviewed several cases in which candidates attended universities in Germany with 5-year programs.

 

If you have obtained a 4-year pharmacy degree after 2003 you may wish to investigate if any United State Pharmacy Schools offer a non-traditional pharmacy degree. Which in that case you would not need to complete our certification program. You may also wish to contact the Board of Pharmacy in the state you wish to practice and see if the Board of Pharmacy can offer you any alternative options. Lastly you could go back to school at a US Pharmacy School and complete a 5-year program, again in that case you would not need to complete the FPGEC Certification program.

I am a little bit confused now. I never heard about a pharmacy program in Germany where you need to go 5 years to the university or do they mean our program?

But like I thought not a clear answer, only more confusions...

[soniczek]

So, I am now applying for April 2019.

 

In the bulletin, it says that you have to send your license to NABP and your proof of degree to ECE.

 

I understand that "license" in Germany is probably the "Approbationsurkunde", but what exactly is our proof of degree? I just have an "Examenszeugnis" of each Staatsexamen and one "Zeugnis ueber die Pharmazeutische Pruefung" which was the last one. Is this our proof of degree? Technically, in Germany the Approbationsurkunde is the proof that we are pharmacists... :dejected: