COP Intern License
Enrolled CHSU students in the PharmD program must obtain and maintain an intern license through the California Board of Pharmacy (“Board of Pharmacy”) after enrollment in the College.
Detailed information about registration as an intern pharmacist with the Board of Pharmacy is provided to all new students in the fall semester of the first year. To be eligible for an intern license from the Board of Pharmacy, students must meet all eligibility requirements required by that state agency, as those requirements may change from time to time. CHSU has no control over what requirements the Board of Pharmacy imposes. Generally, to satisfy these requirements students must be enrolled in a school of pharmacy recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) as evidenced by being granted Precandidate, Candidate or full accreditation status.
The College of Pharmacy is in a teach-out phase that affords currently enrolled students in the Classes of 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 the same rights and privileges as graduates from a program holding ACPE Candidate status. Graduates of a class designated CALIFORNIA HEALTH SCIENCES UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF PHARMACY as having Candidate accreditation status have the same rights and privileges of those graduates from a fully accredited program. ACPE conveys its decisions to the various boards of pharmacy and makes recommendations in accord with its decisions.
COP Licensure
COMPLETION OF PROGRAM AND LICENSING
Completion of the educational program leading to a degree and/or diploma is dependent upon student performance and success. The requirements for licensure in the profession are established by the state where licensure is sought. Completion of the educational program and obtaining a degree or diploma does not by itself guarantee licensure. Students are expected to remain current with other licensing requirements, including but not limited to the licensure examination and technical standards they may be required to meet in order to be licensed by the state in which they seek to practice. In addition, maintaining such technical standards is a condition for continued enrollment in this program; reasonable accommodations as defined and required by law may apply to persons with disabilities.
CALIFORNIA INTERN PHARMACIST
Registration Requirements
To register as an intern pharmacist in California, candidates must be currently enrolled in a school of pharmacy recognized by the Board or accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) and have fingerprint and background clearances. Complete registration instructions can be downloaded from the California State Board of Pharmacy website at: http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/forms/intern_app_pkt.pdf.
California Pharmacist
The standard processing time for Pharmacist Examination and Licensure Applications by the California Board of Pharmacy is approximately 30 days after submission; however, the Board will process applications submitted by schools within 10 business days if these applications are submitted as a batch by the school. Students interested in participating in the batch processing of applications must submit their completed applications to the Office of Student Affairs by May 1st, prior to graduation. The Office of Student Affairs and reviews each application prior to submission to the Board; however, it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all information is correct and that all required application materials have been included as part of the final application packet. These applications will then be hand delivered to the Board of Pharmacy after graduation, since official transcripts, which are a component of the application, are not complete until after graduation has occurred. To qualify for a pharmacist license, you must request an official transcript to be sent directly to the board by your school. The official transcript must indicate your degree earned and date conferred.
To request an Official Transcript to be sent to the Licensure Board, please click Request Official Transcript.
Eligibility Requirements
To be licensed in California you must pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) and the California Pharmacist Jurisprudence Exam (CPJE).
To be eligible to take the licensure examination for California, you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age.
- Be a graduate of a domestic school of pharmacy or be a graduate of foreign school of pharmacy and be certified by the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC).
- Have completed at least 150 semester hours of collegiate credit, 90 of which must be from a school of Pharmacy.
- Have earned at least a baccalaureate degree in a course of study devoted to pharmacy.
- Have completed 1,500 hours of approved pharmaceutical experience as a registered intern or one year of experience as a licensed pharmacist in another state.
- Have fingerprint and background clearances.
The registration instructions, requirements, and application form for licensure as a pharmacist in California may be obtained and downloaded at the California State Board of Pharmacy website: http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/forms/rph_app_pkt.pdf.
NAPLEX/MPJE
The MPJE exam is for students pursuing licensure out of the state of California. To take the NAPLEX and/or MPJE, candidates must meet the eligibility requirements of the board of pharmacy from which they are seeking licensure. The board will determine your eligibility to take the examinations in accordance with the jurisdiction’s requirements. If the board determines that you are eligible to take the examinations, it will notify the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) of your eligibility. If you have questions concerning eligibility requirements, contact the board of pharmacy in the jurisdiction from which you are seeking licensure.
Registration instructions, requirements, and application form can be obtained and downloaded from the National Association of Board of Pharmacy (NABP) website at https://nabp.pharmacy.