Pharmacists have accomplished careers in the U.S. with an average annual salary of $130,000. The occupation comes with many advantages such as career advancement options, job security, and the capacity to make a lasting impact on their patients’ health.

They also practice in a variety of settings including hospitals, retail pharmacies and clinics which brings a lot of diversity in their practice.

In order for one to practice as a pharmacist in the USA as a foreign educated individual, the following steps must be undertaken:

Step 1 – FPGEC Certification

The FPGEC (Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee) has been set up to register foreign trained pharmacists willing to practice in the US. This contains the FPGEE (Foreign pharmacy graduate equivalency examination) that assesses educated pharmacists from the foreign nations.

Completion of the FPGEC certification is an important step in the process of obtaining a pharmacist license in the USA. Steps in the certification process of FPGEC:

1. Apply for the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) Certification through the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
2. Submit  your pharmacy education document, including transcripts and diploma. This step also requires passing the TOEFL iBT exam to demonstrate English language proficiency.
3. To passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) certification, you must achieve the following TOEFL iBT scores:
   • Reading: 21
   • Listening: 18
   • Speaking: 26
   • Writing: 24

Note: The fees for submitting your application include an application fee ($100) and an evaluation fee ($650)

To Register and more information please visit Official Website

Step 2 – FPGEE (Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination):

The standardized exam is termed the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and requires foreign pharmacy graduates to evaluate their education against that of American trained pharmacists.

The exam includes subjects such as pharmaceutical sciences, clinical pharmacy and law practice. Passing the FPGEE is a requisite in a series of requirements aimed for international graduates to secure licensure as pharmacists in the United States. The Steps are :

1. After your FPGEC application is approved, register for the FPGEE. This exam assesses your knowledge of various pharmacy topics, including basic biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, social/behavioral/administrative pharmacy sciences, and clinical sciences.
2. The FPGEE is a crucial step to ensure that your pharmacy education is equivalent to that of a U.S. pharmacy graduate.

Exam Fee and Registration:

1. Fee: The FPGEE examination fee is $1,250. This fee covers both the application and examination costs.
2. Registration: After your FPGEC application is approved, you will receive an Authorization to Test (ATT), allowing you to register for the FPGEE exam.

Exam Duration and Structure:

For additional details, including specific registration deadlines and steps, you can visit the official NABP FPGEE page.

Step 3 – NAPLEX and MPJE:

To become a pharmacist in the USA, there is the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) that needs to be passed by graduates as it is a licensure requirement.

The graduate student’s knowledge and skills in the practice of pharmacy, such as patient care and drug therapy management, are measured. Entering some states, there is the necessity for pharmacists to take the MPJE (Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination), a law-related examination. It tests their knowledge of federal and state legislative frameworks shaping pharmacy practice ensuring that pharmacists are knowledgeable about pharmacy practice laws.

Completing the FPGEE plus state requirements entails sitting for both examinations. The steps are as follows:

• Once you have your FPGEC Certification, you can proceed to the next steps required to become a licensed pharmacist in the U.S.
• Pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX), which tests your knowledge of the practice of pharmacy.
• Additionally, you must pass the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE), which tests your knowledge of pharmacy law.

Step 4 – Internship:

Before the full licensure can be granted, a specified number of internship hours needs to be completed. The number of hours needed is not the same in all states. It is required that these hours are completed under the supervision of a U.S licensed pharmacist.

Step 5 – Licensure:

Now, if you have successfully completed the above steps, you can apply for licensure in that state of your choice. Every state has its own requirements which makes it obligatory to confirm from the state board of pharmacy.

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