UNITED KINGDOM
Indian pharmacy degrees are not directly accepted by the UK you will need to do a 1-year University-based conversion course called the OSPAP. After this, you will need to do the “pre – reg exam” and then you will become licensed to work by the GPhC – The General Pharmaceutical Council.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is the regulator of pharmacists and pharmacies in the UK, this is similar to the FDA in India.
Apply for the Overseas Pharmacists Assessment Programme (OSPAP) – a postgraduate diploma provided by the Universities of Aston, Brighton, Hertfordshire, Kingston – London and Sunderland. See the map below for precise locations.
Undertake the Fitness to practise evaluation – this is a document submission where you need to prove to the GPhC that you are not a criminal etc.
Take the Pre-registration training program – this is a 52-week in-pharmacy training programme conducted in England, Scotland or Wales. Once complete, you must be signed off as satisfactory by your pharmacist tutor-employer.
Sit the GPhC registration assessment – this is a clinical knowledge exam, the failure rate is between 10-30% each year.
The only providers of OSPAP courses are:
- Aston University
- University of Brighton
- University of Hertfordshire
- University of Sunderland
The closest to the capital, London used to be Kingston however they are no longer accepting applicants, therefore the second closest is (as shown on the map below) Hertfordshire in the north or Brighton, by the sea in the south.
Overseas pharmacists’ assessment programme :
The Overseas pharmacists’ assessment programme (OSPAP) is a postgraduate diploma that is undertaken as the first part of the route to registration required by those who have qualified as a pharmacist from outside of the EEA.
The OSPAP is a one-year course designed to ensure that those who have qualified overseas receive the appropriate education and training to prepare them for UK practice and entry to pre-registration training.
Entry requirements
The OSPAP course is available to those who hold a pharmacy qualification gained overseas and are registered, or eligible to register, as pharmacists in their country of qualification.
Providers of GPhC accredited OSPAP courses :
- Aston University (Birmingham)
- University of Brighton
- Kingston University
- Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen)
- University of Sunderland
- University of Hertfordshire (provisionally accredited)
If you want to work in the UK as a pharmacist you will need to undertake the OSPAP course and meet the requirements set by the GPhC, which includes work-based training and a registration exam. You will not be able to call yourself a pharmacist without registering with the GPhC.
In order to work within academia in UK Schools of Pharmacy there are a number of routes.
Undertaking a PhD will allow you to become a research academic within the UK. However, if you are not a registered pharmacist within the UK you may not be able to teach pharmacy practice sessions or may be restricted to technician duties during such classes. Without pharmacist status you can always teach all the other subjects, including pharmacology, therapeutics, etc. So no, you don’t have to do the OSPAP to go into academia.
Doing split roles between hospital and community – aka, a Teacher Practitioner. Whilst this doesn’t require you to undertake a PhD you will need to be a registered pharmacist and have a few years experience in the hospital sector.
Career :
As a qualified pharmacist you could probably expect a starting salary equivalent to around £20,000 to £30,000 (in today’s money) depending on the area of pharmacy you choose to work in.
After 10 years you could expect to be earning the equivalent of anywhere between £35,000 and £60,000. Pharmacy technicians could expect a starting salary equivalent to around £13,000 to £15,000 rising to £25,000 to £30,000 after 10 years.
PEBC Certification Process for International Pharmacy Graduates
STEP I
DOCUMENT EVALUATION
You must pass this evaluation of your educational and professional credentials to be eligible to take the Pharmacist Evaluating Examination.
PEBC – The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada (PEBC)
It is the national certification body for the pharmacy profession in Canada. PEBC is a non-profit organization with more than 50 years of experience in assessing the qualifications and competence of candidates for licensing by pharmacy provincial regulatory authorities.One of the requirements for initial registration and licensure is certification of an applicant’s knowledge, skills and abilities at entry to practice. This certification is granted by the PEBC to those who successfully complete the PEBC Qualifying Examination – Part I (MCQ) and Part II (OSCE). The Board is responsible for:
- Assessing the qualifications of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians on behalf of provincial pharmacy regulatory authorities
- Ensuring that entry-level pharmacists and pharmacy technicians have the necessary professional knowledge, skills and abilities to practise pharmacy within their scope of practice, in a safe and effective manner.
Provincial legislation restricts the practice of pharmacy to qualified persons licensed by provincial regulatory authorities. The PEBC Certificate of Qualification for pharmacists is a licensing requirement for entry-to-practice applicants (whether trained in Canada or elsewhere) in all provinces, except Quebec. The PEBC Certificate of Qualification for pharmacy technicians is an entry-to-practice licensing requirement in all provinces that have regulated pharmacy technicians.Through its comprehensive certification process, PEBC ensures that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians entering the profession have the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to safely and effectively practise pharmacy.
STEP II
THE PHARMACIST EVALUATING EXAMINATION (PEBC Evaluation Exam)
You must pass this examination to be eligible for the Pharmacist Qualifying Examination (PEBC) – Parts I (MCQ) and II (OSCE).This is a single day exam taken through computer on exam centre. The exam period is 4.25 hours long.
STEP III
QUALIFYING EXAMINATION
The Qualifying Examination (both Parts I and II) is comprehensive and objective. It examines the knowledge, skills and abilities required for current pharmacy practice.
Preparing for the Pharmacist Qualifying Examination
The Pharmacist Qualifying Examination is based on seven entry-level competencies, required by pharmacists beginning to practise, which were developed in 2014 by The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA). These competencies are assessed through related questions or practice-based scenarios. On each examination, there will be a number of questions (for Part I) or stations (for Part II) relating to these major competency areas:
- Ethical, Legal and Professional Responsibilities
- Patient Care
- Product Distribution
- Practice Setting
- Health Promotion
- Knowledge and Research Application
- Communication and Education
- Intra and Inter-Professional Collaboration
- Quality and Safety
The detailed competency statements are shown in the section “ Qualifying Examination Blueprint “
PART – I
The Pharmacist Qualifying Examination – Part I is a multiple-choice question (MCQ) examination. It is a single day, computer-based exam. Questions on the MCQ assess the understanding and application of knowledge to problems, as well as the ability to make judgments and problem-solve in situations relevant to pharmacy practice. Each question assesses one specific competency.
PART – II
The Qualifying Examination – Part II consists of both interactive and non-interactive stations. Each station will require that you complete one or more short tasks such as:
- Counselling or responding to questions from a “Standardized Patient” or Standardized Client
- Interacting with a “Standardized Patient” or “Standardized Client” or “Standardized Health Professional” to resolve a drug therapy problem or ethical dilemma
- Responding in writing to a message or request for information/advice
- Screening / evaluating new prescriptions
- Checking dispensed prescriptions for accuracy prior to their release
LEARN MORE ABOUT CANADA
MAP of Canada – https://www.infoplease.com/atlas/north-america/canada
Government of Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en.html
Visit Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada.html
Canadian Pharmacists Association – https://www.pharmacists.ca/
Pharmacists’ Gateway Canada for International Pharmacists – https://www.pharmacistsgatewaycanada.ca/
How to Immigrate to Canada as a Pharmacist – https://canadianvisa.org/blog/immigration/how-to-immigrate-to-canada-as-a-pharmacist