So you are a Kosovan pharmacist looking to migrate to the United States.
- The first step is to obtain a VISA. To apply for an immigrant visa, a foreign citizen seeking to immigrate generally must be sponsored by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident immediate relative(s), or prospective U.S. employer, and have an approved petition before applying for an immigrant visa. Immigrant visas to the United States are processed for citizens and residents of Kosovo at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina.
- Recognition of degree equivalence – apply to Education Credential Evaluators (ECE) to look over your foreign qualification (you can send your Pharmacy Degree transcripts direct from wherever you live). Once they give you the green light you can then go and sit the equivalency exams. The main documents they ask for are:
- official university transcript
- proof of degree
- proof of A-Levels (or equivalent).
After they have recognised your degree and you have a VISA you are essentially the same as a US graduate pharmacist. So like an indigenous pharmacist graduate you then must:
| A. Take the TOEFL Exam – this is an English proficiency exam that you will need to take to prove that you are competent in speaking technical English. B. Take the FPGEE Exam – Apply to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to start the Foreign Pharmacy Graduates Equivalency Committee certification process. C. Start your Internship – register as a pharmacy intern with the state board of pharmacy and start recording hours. You will then need to submit records of internship hours to the state board of pharmacy/PCS once completed. The length of internships depends on which state you would like to migrate to. For instance in Maryland the internship time requirement is a flat 1500 hours, whereas in Washington state the hours titrate up dependent on your FPGEE Score i.e. if you score 75-90, you will need to have at least 1200 hours earned prior to the NPLEX/MPJE examinations, whereas if you score between 91-105 1000 – you will only need at least 800 hours. For a full list of the internship time requirement for different states please click the link. In addition, some students who find it difficult to secure a pharmacist internship will often work part-time as a technician to get their skill levels up. D. Take the NAPLEX Exam – once your internship is approved, you will need to take this national clinical competency exam which will cover you for all states. E. Take the MJP Exam – 49 states require you to take the Multi-State Jurisprudence exam however some, more popular destinations, such as California require you to take a state-specific exam such as the CPJ Exam. Each pharmacist which takes the exam gets 5 attempts. F. Obtain professional liability insurance – one of the most commonly used is the HPSO which has links to the American Pharmacist Association (APhA). G. Add your suffix – “RPh”, which stands for “registered pharmacist”, can be used by anyone who has completed the licensure requirements and is currently registered to practice. |