Part II. Licensure Requirement for Pharmacists
18VAC110-21-50. Requirements for pharmacy practical experience.
A. Each applicant for licensure as a pharmacist shall have gained practical experience in the practice of pharmacy as set forth in this section and 18VAC110-21-60.
B. An applicant for licensure as a pharmacist shall attain a minimum of 1,500 hours of practical experience.
C. Practical experience that is gained within an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy, that conforms to the current ACPE standards, and that allows the student to gain at least 1,500 hours of practical experience shall meet the board's practical experience requirements for licensure as a pharmacist.
D. All practical experience credit gained outside of an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy program shall only be gained after successful completion of the equivalent of at least two semesters in an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy. Credit shall not be given for more than 50 hours in one week and not less than an average of 20 hours per week averaged over a month. The board may grant an exception to the minimum number of hours for good cause shown.
E. In accordance with § 54.1-3312 of the Code of Virginia, all practical experience required by this section shall be gained within the United States.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019.
18VAC110-21-60. Procedure for gaining practical experience.
A. Each person desiring to gain practical pharmacy experience in Virginia shall first register with the board as a pharmacy intern on a form provided by the board prior to becoming so engaged as a pharmacy intern. This requirement shall apply to any person gaining practical experience within the Commonwealth whether for licensure in Virginia or in another state.
B. In order to be eligible to register as a pharmacy intern, an applicant shall meet at least one of the following criteria:
1. The applicant shall be enrolled in and have started course work in a professional degree program of a board-approved school of pharmacy. Such registration is only valid while the student is enrolled in the school of pharmacy and is satisfactorily progressing toward meeting the requirements for licensure as a pharmacist. An expiration date shall be assigned to the registration to cover the estimated time period for the student to complete the school program and pass the required examinations. If the student is no longer enrolled in the school program, takes a voluntary break from the program, or is otherwise not actively participating in the school program, except for regularly scheduled school breaks, the registration is no longer valid and shall be returned to the board immediately;
2. The applicant is a graduate of a board-approved school of pharmacy or a graduate of a foreign school of pharmacy, has established educational equivalency and proficiency in English by obtaining the FPGEC certificate, and desires to gain required practical experience required for licensure as a pharmacist. Such applicant shall provide documentation on a board-approved form of current employment or an employment start date within 90 days in a pharmacy in Virginia with approval by the supervising pharmacist. An expiration date shall be assigned to cover the estimated time period needed to obtain the required practical experience hours and take the required examinations to become licensed as a pharmacist;
3. The applicant has already gained the required practical experience but is an otherwise qualified applicant awaiting examination for licensure. A three-month expiration date shall be assigned to allow the applicant time to take required examinations; or
4. The applicant is an applicant for reactivation or reinstatement of a previously issued pharmacist license and is meeting board requirements for relicensure. An expiration date shall be assigned to reasonably cover the period of time necessary to meet the board requirements.
C. For documented good cause shown, the executive director of the board may extend the expiration date of the intern registration upon submission of an application form approved by the board and payment of the initial application fee.
D. A pharmacy intern shall be supervised by a pharmacist who holds a current, unrestricted license and assumes full responsibility for the training, supervision, and conduct of the intern.
E. The intern registration of a pharmacy student shall be valid only while the student is enrolled in a school of pharmacy. The registration card issued by the board shall be returned to the board upon failure to be enrolled.
F. Practical experience gained within any other state must be registered with and certified by the board of that state in order to be accepted or certified by the board. In the event that a state relies on the pharmacy school to certify the hours of experience, an affidavit from the pharmacy school certifying the hours of experience gained in the United States may be accepted in lieu of board certification.
G. All practical experience of the pharmacy intern shall be evidenced by an affidavit approved by the board, which shall be filed prior to or with the application for examination for licensure.
H. An applicant for licensure by endorsement may provide verification acceptable to the board of practical experience hours worked as a pharmacist in another state within the United States in lieu of prelicensure intern hours in order to meet the practical experience requirement.
I. A pharmacy intern shall notify the board in writing of any change in address of record within 14 days of such change.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019.
18VAC110-21-70. Curriculum and approved schools of pharmacy.
A. The following minimum educational requirements for the specified periods shall be recognized by the board for the purpose of licensure.
1. On and after June 1, 1936, but before June 1, 1964, the applicant for licensure shall have been graduated from a four-year course of study with a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy awarded.
2. On and after June 1, 1964, the applicant for licensure shall have been graduated from at least a five-year course of study with a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy or a Doctorate of Pharmacy degree awarded.
B. In order to be licensed as a pharmacist within this Commonwealth, the applicant shall have been granted the first professional degree from a program of a school of pharmacy that meets the requirements of § 54.1-3312 of the Code of Virginia or shall satisfy the requirements of 18VAC110-21-90.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019.
18VAC110-21-80. Content of the examination and grades required; limitation on admittance to examination.
A. Prior to admission to any examination required for licensure, the applicant shall have met all other requirements to include education and practical experience requirements, but in no case shall the applicant be admitted if grounds exist to deny licensure under § 54.1-3316 of the Code of Virginia.
B. The applicant shall achieve a passing score as determined by the board on the licensure examination that is approved by the board and that shall consist of an integrated examination of pharmacy practice, pharmacology, pharmacy mathematics, and such other subjects as are necessary to assure that the candidate possesses the necessary knowledge and skills to practice pharmacy.
C. When an applicant for licensure by examination fails to meet the passing requirements of the board-approved integrated pharmacy examination on three occasions, the applicant shall not be readmitted to the examination until he has completed an additional 1,000 hours of practical experience as a pharmacy intern as set forth in 18VAC110-21-60.
D. The applicant shall also achieve a passing score as determined by the board on an examination that tests the candidate's knowledge of federal and state laws related to pharmacy practice. If an applicant has not subsequently been issued a license by any jurisdiction in the United States within three years of achieving a passing score, the applicant shall retake the examination in order to be licensed in Virginia.
E. When an applicant fails to pass the law examination, the applicant shall not be allowed to retake it for a period of 30 days.
F. If an applicant requests a testing accommodation for either examination based on a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, the board may approve a reasonable accommodation that does not compromise the security or integrity of the examination.
1. Supporting documentation shall be provided by the applicant to include the following to be considered for review:
a. A letter of request from the candidate that specifies the testing accommodation requested;
b. A written report of an evaluation (educational, psychological, or physical) within the preceding two years from a qualified professional that states a diagnosis of the disability, describes the disability, recommends specific accommodations, and provides justification that the accommodation is appropriate and necessary for the diagnosed disability. If the comprehensive evaluation was done more than two years ago and the condition is one that is not subject to change, the original evaluation report may be submitted along with a current letter from the qualified professional stating that there has been no change in the condition since the time of the evaluation; and
c. A written statement from the appropriate person at the applicant's school of pharmacy that describes any testing accommodations made while the student was enrolled, if applicable.
2. The applicant will be notified in writing of the decision. If the request for accommodation is granted, the approval information will be forwarded to the examination contractor and the form of the accommodation will be coordinated with the contractor.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019.
18VAC110-21-90. Requirements for foreign-trained applicants.
A. Applicants for licensure who were trained in foreign schools of pharmacy shall obtain the FPGEC certificate prior to being allowed to register as a pharmacy intern and gain the required practical experience in Virginia.
B. After obtaining the FPGEC certificate, the applicant may apply for a pharmacy intern registration and shall fulfill the requirements for practical experience set forth in 18VAC110-21-50 and 18VAC110-21-60 before being admitted to examinations required by 18VAC110-21-80.
C. Applicants for licensure who were trained in foreign schools of pharmacy shall also complete and achieve passing scores on the examinations set forth in 18VAC110-21-80 before being licensed as a pharmacist.
D. Applicants for licensure who were trained in foreign schools of pharmacy, but who subsequently have been granted a professional degree from a program of a school of pharmacy that meets the requirements of § 54.1-3312 of the Code of Virginia, as specified in 18VAC110-21-70, shall be exempt from the requirement for a FPGEC certificate but shall fulfill the requirements for practical experience set forth in 18VAC110-21-50 and 18VAC110-21-60 before being admitted to examinations required by 18VAC110-21-80.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019.
18VAC110-21-100. Registration for voluntary practice by out-of-state licensees.
Any pharmacist who seeks registration to practice on a voluntary basis pursuant to subdivision 12 of § 54.1-3301 of the Code of Virginia under the auspices of a publicly supported, all volunteer, nonprofit organization that sponsors the provision of health care to populations of underserved people shall:
1. File a complete application for registration on a form provided by the board at least five business days prior to engaging in such practice;
2. Provide a complete list of each state in which the pharmacist has held a pharmacist license and a copy of any current license;
3. Provide the name of the nonprofit organization and the dates and location of the voluntary provision of services;
4. Pay a registration fee of $10; and
5. Provide a notarized statement from a representative of the nonprofit organization attesting to its compliance with the provisions of subdivision 12 of § 54.1-3301 of the Code of Virginia.
Statutory Authority
§§ 54.1-2400 and 54.1-3307 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 36, Issue 6, eff. December 11, 2019.