Timeframes between exams in Vancouver/BC to get a certified pharmacist
Dear all,
the procedure is not really simple to get a certified pharmacist in Canada.
According to official page of College of pharmacist BC, after Evaluation exam follows English Language Proficiency, then the Jurisprudence Examination, then Structured Practical Training, then Qualifying Exam – Part I and Part II. My question is: how much time do I have, let say, to complete English Language Proficiency after successful Evaluation Exam, and after English Language Proficiency - Jurisprudence Exam, and so on?
I am aware, the question is pure hypothetical, but it would help me to plan my moving to Canada very much. I have a PR status and want to get prepared as much as possible for the whole Canadian procedere in the country, where I live now. I guess, it might be level of Jurisprudence Examination, in best case, but maybe someone has already experience with that.
Many thanks in advance
Thank you phdidi!
Well, to have some of good luck, it would be nice;-) Thanks a lot for your detailed answer! I guess, you are already licensed, aren't you? Is it difficult to find a place for an unpaid internship in a pharmacy? I was surprised at 3 months length only. Is it full time (about 40 hours/week) or is it possible to do it part-time?
I work now on CPR and get slowly but sure panic. Whew! Some contents I still remember, but some are forgotten. if you do not use somethings in your every-day life... Once, which sounds a little bit promising, the pass mark of 60% at EE. It does not mean, that I can relax ;-D
Well, NO! I'm not licensed yet :( I'm just document evaluated, and will write EE this July, God willing.
So, I don't know about these details yet, sorry! u r just being too curious too soon lol
I'm not relaxed either to be honest, my exam is approaching and I haven't seen myself accomplished anything yet!
And that's the thing u mentioned, not applying what u study on a daily basis practice is another issue!
So, let it be, let it be :D
I'll keep for you the fingers crossed! It is a normal feeling shortly before the exam. It seems only to be so. I am sure, as soon as you get your questions, you will know the answers. That are only questions - funny letters on a piece of paper;-) And you are in the best form! They can't do you anything! :-D
It ist not as bad as it seems to be ;-) And... do not study anything a day before EE. It will not really help, but will increase the nervousness absolutely unnecessary:-)
PS
Did I mentioned it already?...I hate calculations. I HATE them! I HATE THEM!!! I HATE THEM!!!!!! ...Whew...now I feel much better...Let's continue fighting ;-D
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hi to both of you..
By the way phdidi,Good Luck in your EE.Try to relax the day before the exam and eat a full breakfast before taking your exam. Try to answer as fast as possible,try not to leave unanswered questions,answer the easy questions first so atleast you'll know that your gaining points remember you need atleast 100 points per day to pass the exam right?atleast that's what I'm told when I took my EE last Jan2010.Also,there were ethical questions involved ( for this situations always ask the patient consent, a search warrant or consent from guardian of the patient if the patient is minor or unable to give consent ,half life computations,pharmacoeconomics computations,some chemical structures ( i dont know most of them) and basic pharmacology.. Hoping for the best! :)
To survivor,
Its good that you are already reading/reviewing the basic pharmacy concepts,as for the computations we are on the same boat but I guess we have to face it one way or another.For the EE try reviewing half life I think PEBC favors half life and pharmacoeconomics computations.
Hi purpleberry, I just came from the exam and saw your msg!
What's with the pharmacoeconomic!!! we r becoming marchants fellow people! ha
It is not as everyone says easy easy ... go eat some peasey haha!
I felt it is a type of competitive exam not evaluation one! so hard and dryyyyy, ugly, boring and impossible ugghhh!
Survivor calculations are the best! except those pharmacoepipsycodermatology one! lol
hehe..pharmacoeconomics is the application of economic evaluation techniques in the study of drug therapy blah blah blah.they talk about the cost issues,dollar spent vs dollar save.Quality of life.I encountered this during my EE days.YUp!I heard that EE was difficult this time.I just hoped that you will pass but if you're confident enough then I suggest that you start reading the therapeutic choices book.I heard that the 6th edition is coming out soon. I'm an IPG too and I'm just a newly registed pharmacist here and Im also a new member here in pharmacyintern. :))
As early as of now learn to love Therapeutic Choices Book for MCQ. It will help you along the way) and for OSCE its the Patient Self Care and CPS that you should cherish! GOOD LUCK!! Hoping for the Best! :))
hey,
I am an IPG, I wanted to ask you whether you have successfully passed the PEBC exams? Your advise will be very helpful.
Thanks & Best Regards,
Viral
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Hi, I applied for the exam last Jan 2011, but got denied visa, haven't studied since then!!
Now I'm just starting to study. Also, thinking of going through BC requirements rather than Ontario. What's shocking to me is that the entire IPG program in BC is 6 months while in Ontario is around 14 months! Huge difference. Am I correct?
hi,
I studied in University of Toronto as an IPG.It jsut took me 6 months I started last May2010 and Finished it at around October.Then I moved here in BC to take all the PEBC exams including the juris. Luckily just this July,I got my registration as a pharmacist.Hopely I finished my internship this November and eventually work as a pharmacist.
I think the IPG program at University of BC is around 6 months also.The difference is that they have 3 months theoretical and then after that internship (3months or 500hours).That's basically what I know about their difference. Internship and Studentship in Ontario is around 9 months.In BC we don't have studentship just the internship itself.
Hope this helps! I'll asked around for more informations :)
Hey purpleberry,
How did you do the IPG before doing the PEBC exams? Also, How did you finish Toronto's program in just 6 months?
I believe BC's program is more conveneint, short and sweet! :D
hi,
Actually, I'm following the IPG program of my company,back in my country I did my IELTS(July2009) then in jan2010 I took and passed my EE,then May-June2010 I started my CPS 1 in University of Toronto then July-Oct I was finishing my CPS2 then by around late October I moved to vancouver to take the November MCQ exam.I passed the exam after that I did some volunteer work in the pharmacy while preparing for the May OSCE exam,9 days later I took my Juris exam.Luckily by July 11,I saw my pebc number and my regsitration number.I was able to pass all the exams.Now Im starting my internship which is for 500hours comes November I can now practice as a pharmacist.It took me around 1.5 years to where I am now.
Im already employed by a company here in Vancouver so after I finsihed my internship I can worked for them ASAP.
As for how I was able to finished the IPG program in University of Toronto in 6 months I guess it because that's the time frame for that IPG program.3 months for CPS1 and another 3 months for CPS2. I also try to do the CPE program or the Canadian Pharmacy Experience Program. It has 2 manuals. Actually the Ontario college of pharmacist recommends to do the manuals before starting the CPS.I guess to have a good grasp of pharmacy practice here in Canada and in a way for added knowledge.
In Ontario,I guess it's recommended and required for IPG's to do the CPS Program. Here,in BC it's not required however come to think of it,this program can really enlighten,broaden and prepared us in our future practice as pharmacists. This programs gave me a bird's eye view of the Canadian Pharmacy practice.Who else will can do this for me?.... I guess the program works for me :)
hi,
Actually, I'm following the IPG program of my company,back in my country I did my IELTS(July2009) then in jan2010 I took and passed my EE,then May-June2010 I started my CPS 1 in University of Toronto then July-Oct I was finishing my CPS2 then by around late October I moved to vancouver to take the November MCQ exam.I passed the exam after that I did some volunteer work in the pharmacy while preparing for the May OSCE exam,9 days later I took my Juris exam.Luckily by July 11,I saw my pebc number and my regsitration number.I was able to pass all the exams.Now Im starting my internship which is for 500hours comes November I can now practice as a pharmacist.It took me around 1.5 years to where I am now.
Im already employed by a company here in Vancouver so after I finsihed my internship I can worked for them ASAP.
As for how I was able to finished the IPG program in University of Toronto in 6 months I guess it because that's the time frame for that IPG program.3 months for CPS1 and another 3 months for CPS2. I also try to do the CPE program or the Canadian Pharmacy Experience Program. It has 2 manuals. Actually the Ontario college of pharmacist recommends to do the manuals before starting the CPS.I guess to have a good grasp of pharmacy practice here in Canada and in a way for added knowledge.
In Ontario,I guess it's recommended and required for IPG's to do the CPS Program. Here,in BC it's not required however come to think of it,this program can really enlighten,broaden and prepared us in our future practice as pharmacists. This programs gave me a bird's eye view of the Canadian Pharmacy practice.Who else will can do this for me?.... I guess the program works for me :)
hi, thanks so much for sharing your experience with us. I was wondering if there was a specific reason for you taking the MCQ before taking OSCE. Is it also possible, in other words "human" or makeable to do both MCQ and OSCE at once??
Thanks for ur time.
hi,desertrose
actually it's do-able,some people recommend to take both exams however in my case I finished the IPG program in toronto around end of september and the mcq exam was at that time around 1st week of november, its just like I have 5 weeks to prepare for mcq and also as directed by my company we have to take the mcq first then do some pharmacy exposure then do the osce. I'm following a time-frame.According to my boss,since I'm an IPG, they were more concerned for us when it comes to osce since the exam is all about communications,they acknowledge that fact that English is not our first language so more time and preparations were needed to surely pass the exam. For them IPG's were good in mCQ type of exams.
If your comfortable and confident enough to take both exams by do means go ahead.
If you have enough time to study both exams then take both of them.As per trend,they say that the exams in November MCQ is relatively easy compared to OSCE and vice-versa in May.
My friend failed the November MCQ in our first attempt so last May she took both MCQ and OSCE exams.LUckily she passed,its do-able but you really have to study very hard.As for mcq she studied the tc and rx files and as for osce,she joined our study group.We were trained to scan the tc,psc and cps fast,How to locate the answer in given references and appear smart and prepared as well. Happy Reading! :))
oh, so it is recommendable to do MCQ and OSCE at the November date rather than in May, is that correct??
I was wondering to which study group you went...is there a good one here in Toronto?
Congrats on passing this hugge process!!Well done :))
hi again,
Well,according to my fellow IPG's they see a trend(?) that MCQ is much easier in November and the OSCE is much harder.Comes May the OSCE is much easier then the MCQ is much harder(?)..Im not sure about that predictions... For me, I dont care so much about that predictions/trends as long as you study ang prepare yourself.
As for my OSCE,I asked some of my friends who are already pharmacists here in BC and Toronto to help me practice for my OSCE.It's like sn in house practice. They alotted time for me each week some by skype some by ym or phone and other times it's one on one. They just let me talked,find my weakness and strengths during practices.They timed me if I can answer the given scenarios in 7 minutes ,have a exit strategy things like that. I cannot afford to enrol in review centers here it too expensive.
Maybe you can find friends or other people who will also do the exams and maybe study and practice together may it be skype,ym,phone or even emails.Support groups can very much help in taking this PEBC exams.
Start studying and reading.Schedule everything that you need to study so that you can cover so many subjects and focus!
Good Luck!
I have passed PEBC eval exam last year and lost track of thing and dont know what to do next. I have also passed ILETS and I Have pre registered my self as IPG in BCPHARMACIST.ORG.
Question one: Should I do IPG course from BC? Its very expensive :-(
Question two: I am in new delhi India, can I get an internship with PEBC eval exam pass certificate + ilets+ BCpharmacist.org membership as pre IPG?
I will give PEBC next levels after eithter doing IPG course or doing assistant pharmacist job.
I want to do to internship cause it is PAID :-)
Please guide me.
Regards
vivek_malhotra77@hotmail.com
I have passed PEBC eval exam last year and lost track of thing and dont know what to do next. I have also passed ILETS and I Have pre registered my self as IPG in BCPHARMACIST.ORG. Question one: Should I do IPG course from BC? Its very expensive :-( Question two: I am in new delhi India, can I get an internship with PEBC eval exam pass certificate + ilets+ BCpharmacist.org membership as pre IPG? I will give PEBC next levels after eithter doing IPG course or doing assistant pharmacist job. I want to do to internship cause it is PAID :-) Please guide me. Regards
Dear survivor,
I've learned it takes 2.5 to 3 years hard work to finish the whole process, I live in Ontario, but I checked BC college of pharmacists, http://www.bcpharmacists.org/library/E-Registration_Licensure/E-2_Pharmacist/5027-RegInfo_IPG.pdf
It's the same steps here in Ontario
The licensing process is flexible depending on the person him/herself, this is first.
Second, though there is a more recommended aproach for doing it, I'll outline the steps chronologically as most acceptable:
1-Document Evaluation: this step can be done in advance at the country u r living in right now. Make sure to learn what is needed via the pharmacy examining board of canada http://www.pebc.ca/
2-Evaluation Exam: after receiving a letter of acceptance from PEBC, that's after document evalution is done. (has no expiry date)
3-English Proficiency test: be carefull that this test expires in 2 years, but the reason why u should do it after evaluation exam is becoz it is required in the next step.
4-IPG program: requiers passing evaluation exam plus english test among other things, check them out!
5-Structured practical training: studentship can be started after CPS1 of IPG program, or after u finish the whole program, it's up to u!
6-Structured practical training: Internship after IPG program.
7-Qualifying Exam 1 & 2 (there is a 3 years expiry date between the two exams)
8-Jurisprudence Exam can be done at anytime but it expires in 3 years and usually recommended to be done last.
So basically that is all, u can start studying for evaluation exam from now learn about the syllabus and blue print from PEBC website.
Good Luck.