The FPGEC defines a "foreign pharmacy graduate" as a pharmacist whose undergraduate pharmacy degree was conferred by a recognized school of pharmacy outside of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. United States citizens who have completed their pharmacy education outside the United States are considered to be "foreign pharmacy graduates," while foreign nationals who have graduated from schools in the United States are not.

If the candidate is a foreign student of pharmacy or has completed the degree in another country, he has to follow the steps below in order to immigrate to USA.

The Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee^® (FPGEC^®) operates under the auspices of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy^® (NABP^®). Established in recognition and fulfillment of responsibilities for public health care and education, the FPGEC's goals are:

1. to inform foreign pharmacy graduates about FPGEC Certification and the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination^TM (FPGEE^®);
2. to evaluate the qualifications of foreign pharmacy graduates who apply for FPGEC Certification;
3. to oversee the development of the FPGEE; and
4. to cooperate with other agencies concerned with foreign pharmacy graduates.

NABP provides the FPGEC Certification program as a means of documenting the educational equivalency of a candidate's foreign pharmacy education, as well as the license and/or registration. In the process of FPGEC Certification, candidates provide documents that verify their educational backgrounds and licensure and/or registration. Candidates are also required to pass the FPGEE, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and the Test of Spoken English (TSE). The FPGEC Certificate allows foreign graduates to partially fulfill eligibility requirements for licensure in the states that consider the Certification.

The FPGEC Certificate is not a license to practice pharmacy. Applicants who receive the FPGEC Certificate may be qualified by the state boards to take the pharmacy licensing examination in those jurisdictions that accept this certification. Because the licensure requirements vary from state to state, candidates are advised to directly contact the board(s) of pharmacy of the state(s) in which they desire licensure.

It is the candidate's responsibility to confirm with state boards all requirements regarding FPGEC Certification as eligibility for licensure, citizenship, residency, and any other requirements for eligibility for licensure, including completion of experiential programs.

NABP makes every effort to keep its literature current and accurate. However, since there is occasionally a delay between when a change within a state is effective and when NABP is notified of such a change, the FPGEC advises candidates to contact the states directly for the most up-to-date information.

FPGEC reserves the right to change the requirements for the FPGEC Certificate published in this Application/Registration Bulletin, without notice to prospective candidates. Such changes will take effect when adopted by the FPGEC. The FPGEC further reserves the right to discontinue the program at any time, without advance notice to any candidate or prospective candidate.

To be eligible for FPGEC Certification, candidates must pass the TOEFL with a total score of 550 or higher on the paper-based TOEFL or 213 or higher on the computer-based TOEFL. Candidates must pass the TSE with a score of 50 or higher. The TOEFL and TSE must be successfully completed within two years (either before or after) of passing the FPGEE. The TOEFL and TSE must be completed by all foreign pharmacy graduates, even those who are native English speakers. There are no exceptions or waivers to these requirements.

1. Candidates for FPGEC Certification must request that TOEFL/TSE Services submit an authentic report of TOEFL and TSE scores directly to the FPGEC. Use the FPGEC identification number 9103, and provide the TOEFL and TSE registration numbers and full name as they appear on the TOEFL and TSE score reports. Official score reports must be submitted directly to the FPGEC by TOEFL/TSE Services.
   Note: TOEFL/TSE Services reports TOEFL and TSE scores for a limited time after the test. Contact the Education Testing Service (ETS) for further details.
2. If the name on the TOEFL and/or TSE score reports does not identically match the name submitted on the application/registration form for the FPGEE, the candidate must notify the FPGEC, in writing, immediately. (Refer to the "Applicant's Name" section for more instructions.)
3. For additional information and instructions about TOEFL and TSE, contact:
   TOEFL/TSE Services
   PO Box 6151
   Princeton, NJ 08541-6151
   USA
   609/771-7100
   www.toefl.org

All correspondence submitted via fax, mail, or the applicant must sign private courier service. The FPGEC will not respond to unsigned correspondence. The FPGEC cannot be responsible for delayed, lost, or misdirected mail. If you desire a record of receipt of your correspondence with the FPGEC, send it via private courier service or United States Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested.

The Computer-based FPGEE

Beginning November 2000, the FPGEE will be administered as a computer-based examination at specified testing centers located throughout the United States. The FPGEE will also be administered on a continuous basis five to six days per week. To be considered for approval to sit for the FPGEE, candidates must submit a completed application/registration form, fees, and supporting documentation in accordance with the procedures established by the FPGEC and as described in this Bulletin. It is the candidate's responsibility to provide all required materials. Specific information about sitting for the FPGEE, including study materials and examination subjects, will be mailed to candidates after the candidate has been accepted to sit for the exam. Beginning in August 2000, study materials and examination subjects will be available on the NABP Web site, www.nabp.net.

Note: There is no longer a deadline to apply for the FPGEE.

Candidates are advised through this Application/Registration Bulletin exactly what materials and documentation are required for supporting application/registration. The FPGEC will inform candidates if their application/registration package is incomplete, and advise candidates to complete it as soon as possible. It is the candidate's responsibility, and not the FPGEC's, to make sure that all required supporting documents are submitted and received by the FPGEC in a timely manner. Waiting for the FPGEC to remind a candidate of the deficiencies in his or her file can cause significant delays.

The FPGEC will use the address on the application/registration form for all communications. Candidates must notify the FPGEC, in writing, of any mailing address changes. Include both the previous and current addresses in the notification.

To be considered for the FPGEE, candidates must complete and submit the application/registration form, fees, and supporting documentation to:

NABP
FPGEC
Examination Committee
700 Busse Highway
Park Ridge, Illinois 60068-2402
USA

Note: Candidates accepted to take the FPGEE in past years are not guaranteed acceptance.

Application/Registration for the FPGEE (Form 100)

The FPGEC has included a white envelope for submitting the application/registration form.

A candidate must complete and submit a current application/registration form each time he or she applies for the FPGEE, regardless of whether applications have been submitted in the past.

The FPGEC will process all application/registration forms and materials, as they are received and as quickly as possible. The FPGEC evaluates each application/registration form and all supporting documents for accuracy, authenticity, and fulfillment of program requirements. The FPGEC will notify each candidate directly, in writing, regarding the status of his or her file including any deficiencies. A candidate will then be given an opportunity to correct those deficiencies.

If an application/registration form is not signed, properly notarized, and the proper fees and photographs are not enclosed, the application/registration form and all accompanying materials will be returned to the candidate. This may cause significant delays in the application/registration process. It is the responsibility of the candidate to resubmit the completed application/registration form and materials by the postmarked deadline date that will be indicated on the Application Rejection Letter. If a completed application/registration package is not resubmitted by the postmark deadline, the fees minus a $50 administrative fee will be returned to the candidate.

The candidate's name as it appears on the application/registration form must be used in all communications with the FPGEC.

If all requirements are satisfactorily met, the candidate will receive a letter of acceptance to sit for the FPGEE.

Photographs

Two identical, full-face photographs of passport size and quality must be submitted with your application. Photographs must have been taken within three months of the date the application is mailed to NABP. Computer generated, digital, or photocopies of photographs will not be accepted. Glue or paste (do not staple or tape) one photograph to the space indicated on the application/registration form. The entire notaries seal, stamp, or signature of the official who affirms item number 18 on the application/registration form must be legible and must overlap a portion of both the attached photograph and the application/registration form. The seal or signature must not cover the face in the photograph. The other photograph will be used on the FPGEC certificate and therefore, must not be signed, notarized, or contain any writing.

Notice of Receipt of Application/Registration Form Postcard (Form 102)

Candidates must complete the Notice of Receipt of application/registration form postcard as directed and enclose the completed postcard with their application/registration form and materials.

The Notice of Receipt postcard (Form 102), which each candidate pre-addressed and mailed with his or her application/registration form, will be returned to the candidate as verification that the application/registration form has been received at the FPGEC office. This notification does NOT guarantee admission to the examination.

The practice of pharmacy within each state is regulated by the laws of the state, including the regulation of licensure for pharmacy practice.

To practice pharmacy in any state, a pharmacist must become a registered pharmacist (RPh), also known as a licensed pharmacist.

The State Board of Pharmacy licenses pharmacists. Requirements vary somewhat from state to state, but in general, to be licensed a pharmacist must:

The pharmacist's educational experience does not end upon being licensed. Most states require licensed pharmacists to take continuing education courses every year in order to maintain their licenses to practice. Pharmacists obtain this additional education through correspondence courses, attending professional meetings and seminars presented by pharmacy associations, or participating in courses provided by the schools and colleges of pharmacy.

It has been said that pharmacists are the most regulated of all professions. The State Board of Pharmacy issues regulations which pharmacists must follow to assure the public health, safety and welfare.

In addition to state regulations, however, pharmacists are also subject to regulations of Federal agencies. The Food and Drug Administration has the responsibility of assuring the safety and effectiveness of prescription medications and other products, and the Drug Enforcement Administration controls distribution of controlled substances, i.e., narcotics and other drugs that have the potential for abuse and misuse.

Besides the laws and regulations directly affecting pharmacy practice, pharmacists must also abide by laws and regulations related to the implementation of federal and state programs like Medicare and Medicaid.