NABP FPGEE Exam (Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency) Detailed Information
FPGEE or FOREIGN PHARMACY GRADUATE EXAMINATION COMMITTEE™(FPGEC®) CERTIFICATION
The FPGEC Certification program or
FPGEE is accepted by more than 48 state boards of pharmacy as a means of documenting the educational equivalency of a candidate’s foreign pharmacy education. Foreign educated pharmacists succesfully passed FPGEC certification are considered to have partially fulfilled eligibility requirements for licensure in those states that accept the Certification.
FPGEE Committee Revises Pharmacy Curriculum
Requirement Beginning January 1, 2003,
FPGEE will require foreign-educated pharmacists to have earned their professional degree from a five-year curriculum program in order to apply for
FPGEE or Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination CommitteeT (FPGEC®) Certification.This change affects only those candidates who earn a pharmacy degree after the 2003 deadline.The new curriculum
FPGEE requirements do not apply to foreign-educated pharmacists who have earned a four-year degree prior to January 1, 2003. These individuals will remain eligible for
FPGEE under the current program requirements of a four-year curriculum. This revision was prompted by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education's (ACPE) decision to revise the standards for the entry-level pharmacy degree in the United States from a five-year baccalaureate degree in pharmacy to the six-year PharmD. All accredited US colleges and schools of pharmacy must meet the ACPE requirement by 2004. NABP President John A. Fiacco notes that "NABP has implemented this policy change in the
FPGEE program to ensure consistency and equivalency in the educational curriculum of pharmacy programs." Approximately 40% of foreign pharmacy programs presently offer a five-year curriculum. It is hoped that more educational institutions will expand their programs to meet the
FPGEE requirement.
FPGEE Competency Statements:
NABP has developed the
FPGEE Competency Statements. The Competency Statements summarize and outline the knowledge and skills that you are expected to have acquired before you take the
FPGEE and that you are expected to be able to demonstrate in answering the examination questions. All questions are based on these Competency Statements, which are reviewed and revised as necessary. A strong understanding of the Competency Statements will aid in your preparation to take the
FPGEE.
The Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination, or
FPGEE, is one of the examinations required as part of the FPGEC Certification Program. (You must also take and pass the TOEFL iBT, the English-language exam administered by Educational Testing Service.)
The
FPGEE is offered twice each year, and it is administered at Pearson VUE test sites throughout the continental United States. Only individuals made eligible during the FPGEC application process can take the
FPGEE.
Once you successfully complete the FPGEC evaluation process, you will receive a letter of acceptance to sit for the
FPGEE as well as detailed information on the registration and scheduling process. An
FPGEE Identification Card, which will contain instructions for beginning the exam registration process, will also be included.
When you are accepted to take the
FPGEE, you will have the opportunity to take the examination on one of two consecutive testing opportunities. For example, if you are accepted for the October 14, 2016
FPGEE, but decide not to take the exam, you can still take the next exam. The April 25, 2017
FPGEE will be your second, and final, opportunity to take the
FPGEE. However, if you provide documentation showing that a work, health, personal, or visa-related circumstance is preventing you from taking the examination, the FPGEC will review the documentation and decide if an additional opportunity to test will be granted.
Preparing to Register and Sit for the
FPGEE
If you haven’t already, download the FPGEC Candidate Application Bulletin. It provides detailed information about the FPGEC Certification Program and applying for the
FPGEE. The Bulletin includes information about the following:
An overview of FPGEC Certification
FPGEC and ECE application procedures
Documentation of pharmacist credentials
Registering for the
FPGEE
FPGEE administration
FPGEE score results
Download the FPGEC Application Bulletin
Be sure to download the Application Bulletin only from this website to get the most accurate, updated information about the FPGEC and
FPGEE. NABP is aware of some websites that are posting fake, outdated, or incorrect registration bulletins.
Register for the
FPGEE
After the FPGEC determines that you are qualified to take the
FPGEE, NABP will mail you an
FPGEE Identification Card, which contains instructions for beginning the
FPGEE registration process.
Candidates have from July 1, 2016, to September 30, 2016, to register for the
FPGEE with NABP. Within a few days of registering to test with NABP, you will be emailed your Authorization to Test (ATT) from Pearson VUE. The ATT authorizes you to schedule an appointment to take the
FPGEE at a Pearson VUE test site within the continental United States.
Register Now for the October 14, 2016
FPGEE
Schedule Your Exam Appointment
Scheduling for the October 14, 2016
FPGEE is available.
Before you can schedule your examination with Pearson VUE, you must register to take the
FPGEE with NABP. Within a few days of registering to test with NABP, you will be emailed your Authorization to Test (ATT) from Pearson VUE, NABP’s test vendor. The ATT authorizes you to schedule an appointment to take the
FPGEE at a Pearson VUE test site.
Candidates have from July 7, 2016, to October 7, 2016, to schedule their exam. Scheduling is completed through the Pearson VUE website or by contacting Pearson VUE customer service at 888/709-2679. Any changes to your testing appointment must be made through Pearson VUE. Detailed scheduling instructions will be provided in your ATT.
Retain the
FPGEE Identification Card that you received with your acceptance letter. You must present it at the Pearson VUE test site to be admitted to the exam on your scheduled exam day.
Review the
FPGEE Competency Statements
The
FPGEE Competency Statements provide a blueprint of the topics covered on the examination. A strong understanding of the Competency Statements will aid in your preparation to take the examination. The 250 questions on the
FPGEE are divided among four content areas:
Basic biomedical sciences – 10%
Pharmaceutical sciences – 33%
Social, behavioral, administrative pharmacy sciences – 22%
Clinical sciences – 35%
The statements can be found in the FPGEC Candidate Application Bulletin.
Prepare With the Pre-
FPGEE
To get a feel for what is on the exam, consider the Pre-
FPGEE. The Pre-
FPGEE is a 66 question practice exam that will help you see what it will be like to take the
FPGEE. Available online, the Pre-
FPGEE is accessible anywhere you have an internet connection.
Important Information for Your Test Day
Bring your
FPGEE Identification Card. Also, bring two forms of ID as follows:
A government-issued identification that contains a recent photograph and signature is required. Examples include:
Passport
Other valid government-issued IDs:
US-issued or foreign driver’s license
US state identification card Secondary ID
A secondary ID may be requested at the testing center. Acceptable forms of secondary ID, which must be current, include the following:
Driver’s license
Passport
State-issued ID card
US passport card
Military ID
US military ID
Valid debit/credit/ATM cards (must be Visa, Discover, MasterCard, or American Express)
The printed name on both your primary and secondary forms of ID must match the name that appears on your
FPGEE Identification Card. If you do not have the correct IDs with you on the day of your test, you will not be able to test.
See Identification Requirements in the FPGEC Candidate Application Bulletin for more information.
2. Arrive 30 minutes early: This will give you time to complete check-in procedures.
You will be required to provide a digital signature and have your photograph taken. You will also provide a palm vein scan if this is your first time taking the test; if you are a repeat test-taker you will need to provide both a digital fingerprint and a palm vein scan.
If you arrive at the test center 30 minutes after your scheduled examination time, you will forfeit your appointment.
3. Read the FPGEC Candidate Application Bulletin for more information about procedures and restrictions.
Report Exam Irregularities
Please read the FPGEC Application Bulletin for more information about exam misconduct. If you have witnessed such misconduct or other irregularities as described in the Bulletin, please report it to NABP immediately.
Missed Appointments and Rescheduling Your Exam
If you need to cancel a scheduled appointment to test, you must cancel your examination at least five business days before your scheduled test date. See
FPGEE Information in the FPGEC Candidate Application Bulletin for information on canceling your examination appointment.
If you arrive at the test center without the appropriate credentials, you will be refused entrance into the examination. There will be no refund of your testing fee. You will be required to reapply for the
FPGEE and pay the examination fee.
Exam Limits: 5 Attempts
FPGEC candidates are allowed a maximum of five attempts to successfully pass the
FPGEE. This became effective January 1, 2012, for all current and new candidates. See the FPGEC Candidate Application Bulletin for more information on the retake policy.
FPGEE Certification: Passport to the Promised Land for Indian Pharm.D graduates
Abstract
It’s any pharmacy students dream to practice their profession in the United States (US) because it stands out in providing dignity and the remuneration it pays off to the pharmacist than any other country in the world. Foreign pharmacy graduate equivalent examination (
FPGEE) certification is mandated to all the foreign pharmacists as a first step to practice pharmacy profession in the United States of America. After the new requirement mandated in the US from 2003, Pharmacy Council of India launched Doctor of pharmacy as a 6 years integrated course to help the college ready students and a 3 year post-baccalaureate bridge course for the students graduated after 2003 as an intervention in 2008. Even though the process is so laborious most of the foreign graduates think it’s worth taking a shot. It starts off with applying for transcripts and ends with taking up the
FPGEE held by the National Association of Board of Pharmacy (NABP). Obtaining eligibility for the exam is a laborious process that can take anywhere from 6 months to 1 year depending upon the university of graduation, country’s pharmacy board/council, its reciprocation with the NABP and the country’s postal transit. Despite fulfilling all the requirements accurately, the entry of the candidate into the country is not certain as it lies in the hands of the visa issuing offer whose actions are always unpredictable.
