After numerous hours spent on studying, working, crying, doubting myself, finally I PASSED THE FPGEE 2022!!

Dati pinapangarap ko lang to. 7 years ago, I graduated BS Pharmacy (CEU MANILA) and I really had to wait for my turn for this moment to come kaya big deal sa akin.

Took me so long because it was quite difficult to adjust life situations sa America from getting a job, being comfortable with the culture, language, getting an apartment, getting my mom to come here in the US, to studying again 1 plus year (Clinical pharmacy at UIC DAVAO) to meet minimum education requirements.

Still can’t believe it. What a good way to end year 2022. It takes 2 months for them to release the results and guess what happened sa 2 months while waiting? lots of crying. CRYING EVERYDAY literally. I’m a true cancer sign Lol.

Anyway, here’s the US Pharmacist as a foreign graduated (Outside of US) timeline:

Step 1: Make sure you have at least 5 year pharmacy education. Proceed to clinical pharmacy if you can! (PharmD as 6th year not mandatory). They’ll not accept a 4 year degree except if you graduated before January 1, 2003.

Step 2: you need to be a licensed pharmacist in your home country. Let’s go PhLE!

Step 3: Pass the TOEFL first. (English Test). Be sure to get the minimum scores required by the NABP. Be sure to take it only in the US territories and some part of Canada or else NABP won’t accept it.

Step 4: Pass the FPGEE (Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Exam). Passing this exam will earn you a certification to proceed with US Internship, Naplex, and MPJE (Law exam). This is exam is only offered once a year.

Kaya big deal talaga kasi from being offered twice a year, they offer it once a year na lang. I was really praying to pass this exam kasi ayoko na umulit at maghintay ng 1 year.

Step 5: US Internship. Hours depend on the state where you want to work. For me, in the state of Texas, 1,740 hours.

Step 6 and 7: NAPLEX and MPJE. Ito mismo yung US pharmacy licensure exam (Mostly clinical based questions) and Law exam. And US Pharmacist ka na!

In my case, US Internship, NAPLEX, and MPJE happen at the same time. My state requires me to pass the NAPLEX and MPJE habang nag iintern. So, my estimated timeline to become a US Pharmacist ay December 2023 kasi medyo mahaba rin yung internship. Puhon.

PS: I’m also in graduate school though. I’m expected to graduate MS Pharmacy in July 2023 . It means while studying for the Naplex, MPJE, I’m also taking the comprehensive exam, and finishing and defending my (solo) Masters thesis.

I’m really thankful for the amount of people who wished me luck and are rooting for me. Kahit yung mga nakakakilala lang sakin virtually. With that, I want to help aspiring pharmacists as much as I can.

Sincerely yours,
Franchesca

Omg, tagal ko na grumaduate. The only pacop I own is the pink pacop. I started studying it pero di ko siya natapos. Siguro mga 10 pages lang. hehe. I focused mostly sa own notes ko. Pero of course, don’t be like me! Follow the advice of a board exam passer that took phle recently.

My Study desk // currently reviewing for FPGEE, TOEFL, and Masters (Pharmacy).

Follow me more (studygram: @studywithfranchesca). If you also have a studygram, I’d love to follow you too!

December 2021 //

Last few days of year 2021 feels so rushed. Ang bilis bilis ng panahon and nakakatakot siya. Next thing we know, we’re halfway through 2022. T/T

To sum up my little victories in the year 2021, I want to make a blog post out of it and some time in the future, I want to go back to this post and see how far we’ve come.

1. I became an Immunizer in the state of Texas. We are able to vaccinate Americans w/ covid and flu shots. This is a big win for pharmacy technician kasi only few states can vaccinate before.

2. I got a promotion from Sr. Tech to Pharmacy Operations Manager which honestly was unexpected. We waited for 6 months for the evaluation kasi. I even forgot about it. It was really difficult in the beginning especially that we still have a lot to learn as a manager. But I’m happy with the team I have even if pharmacies are 100%+ busier than before. Our vaccinations are always fully booked, a lot of covid-testing, we make more scripts than before, but we try to get together and help each other to survive each day. T/T.

3. I finished my Clinical Pharmacy program (CPh na ako!). It wasn’t easy kasi my classes start at 7PM to 5AM. So, I’m coming from a long day of work then I’ll drive home (fast) to attend classes until the next day. Finishing my clinical pharmacy program also means I finished writing and defending a thesis, and the 2 months internship! What a journey~

4. I got accepted to graduate school. MS pharmacy. I know, you’re all thinking, di ka pa ba napapagod sa full time work mo at kailangan mo parin mag-aral sa different timezone. Hehe. I’m okay. Grad school doesn’t burn me compared clinical pharmacy na talagang everyday ang classes pero stressful parin siya. I love it though, I love making oral reports, webinars, presentations, etc. I can’t believe I survived 1 semester already. I also have great professors that support me personally! <3 It would be a great challenge for me to manage my time wisely since I’m also studying for the FPGEE next year.

5. First time being a guest lecturer! I got invited by one of my clinical pharmacy classmate to do a lecture at the pharmacy school he current teach at now. I gladly said yes and I’m actually excited to do it. I was able to talk about sickle cell anemia to the pharmacy students. Enjoyed it kahit nakakakaba kasi first time!

6. This is also the year we welcomed baby Hezzy! My nephew. He’s a cute little ball of energy and loves to laugh, watch cocomelon, and loves reacting cute and sweet to his dad’s singing. Our very first baby boy in the family!

Year 2021 was a little better than 2020 because I was able to get back my sleep routine and eating habits better which in my opinion are an important aspects of my overall wellbeing, personally. That 0 sleep everyday in 2020 messed up my health especially mentally.

I’m always hoping for another great year of blessings for me and my family. Keep us safe together and help us make wise decisions in the world full of uncertainties.

I want to be honest, after 6 years not being in school, I was really excited to go back kahit na ang hirap pagsabayin ng full-time work and school (w/ different time zone). I don’t even know what day it is sometimes. Iniisip ko na lang na, temporary lang naman lahat ng pag hhirap. na kapag natapos ko itong 1 year clinical pharmacy, It will open an opportunity for me to take the FPGEE. I don’t mind taking temporary losses, failures, hardships in life kung alam ko namang ma-ggain ako ng bigger thing in the future.

And there are a lot of people that have inspired me to strive hard. I have classmates na not only they have a full-time jobs, but they’re also a wife and a mom. I have classmates that are also reviewing for the board exam. I remember, we had a series of individual case study presentations and my groupmate was also taking the board exam but he was able to do well in the case presentation. LIKE HOW. ang galing.

So ayun. I really did enjoy my classes kahit na mahirap. It was a temporary pain anyway.

Wala along secret. Nasa mindset lang siya. Hehe. lagi kong sinasabi sa sarili ko, “ayoko na talaga, pagod na pagod na ako– physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. pero kapag di ko matatapos ang clinical pharmacy, how am I gonna be able to qualify for FPGEE”. ganerng mantra everyday. Hehe.

it has to be at least 5 years. If not, di qualified makapag take ng FPGEE. and then TOEFL yung kailangan, hindi IELTS. :)

After FPGEE and TOEFL, US Internship naman (1500 hours, check with your state), and then NAPLEX and MPJE.

If you follow me on twitter, nilagyan ko ng price yung bawat exam.

My desk situation during a non-cramming season of grad school. Usually the day after a major exam. I added an extra unnecessary thing on my desk— a mini fridge. Where I store a soda, chocolate, yakult, banana/strawberry milk (korean), cider, and some skincare. Lol. All in one.

I’m also starting to study for the fpgee. Wish me luck and hoping for a productive days as we draw nearer to the end of year 2021!

UST too. I need to look into this more kasi may list ata sila ng schools.

1. If you have a brother, I suggest to go to this website para ma-guide kayo kung paano mag petition ng siblings. I don’t have an experience bringing in my sister (Only my mom). Which might have a different process. Pero go check that out! from USCIS website talaga yan.

2. Here’s what the US-Filipino RPh said: Go for CPh then go to the US to start taking your exams to be a US RPh. It’s a tedious process kaya start as early as you can. After getting a US RPh license and depende sa job mo, you decide whether you pursue pharmD through non-traditional pathway. May mga RPh jobs kasi na okay lang kahit walang PharmD.

Yung non-traditional, what they did was to finish CPh sa Pinas, then get US RPh license (exams + internships) then some of them nag PharmD dito sa US. May mga bridging programs kasi dito for the foreign pharmacist (BS to PharmD) kaso konting schools at state lang. May mga iba ding US RPh na pero di PharmD kasi di naman kailangan sa field nila.

What I am aiming for right now: Since I’m finished with my CPh, I’m reviewing for my US Board exams (to be held next October), while taking my Masters in Pharmacy + this coming January my PharmD (Puhon. all are long-distance sa PH). I’m funding my grad school now since cheaper siya kasi I’m earning dollars. And since pandemic, they’re okay with long distances. tini-take advantage ko talaga kasi mura siya compared sa US schools. I just have to adjust to the timezone which I don’t mind. Ambisosya lang talaga ako. hehe. Anyway, ayoko na mag non -traditional pathway kasi MAHAL and as much as possible ayokong mag move ng state just because of school.

Saturday, October 2, 2021 // 1:59PM
*my new setup with Ipad pro-2020.

Today, I woke up late as usual because I have my MS classes up until 5:00AM. Hello everyone!

Life lately

I’ve been busy at work. I’ve been approved of OT, so I’m trying to help my store until we get more people. I’ve been working more than 40+ per week and It’s exhausting. We’re doing more covid + flu shots on top of our usual workflow. of course, we want to protect people as much as we can! <3

I’m also a graduate student! I’m taking up MS Pharmacy and I’ve been loving my schedule so far. It’s not heavy compared to my clinical pharmacy classes. Been trying to dedicate my weekend to grad school since I’m working mostly 10-11 hour shifts every day working in the pharmacy during the weekdays.

Aside from working full time and being a graduate student, I’m also reviewing for my US Pharmacy exams. There are 4 exams to pass (in order to get the US RPh license) but right now, I’m focusing on my English Test (Toefl) and FPGEE (foreign pharmacy graduate equivalency exam).

I try to juggle everything and pray that I actually make progress with every little thing I want to accomplish by the end of each week. I’m a little hectic but I don’t mind being busy like this. I want to take advantage of my time.

I’m hoping to finish my masters and obtain a US RPh license by the year 2023. It just happen to be the same year. I’ll be 29 years old by then. Pero.. whether I finish my master’s or not, I’d still be 29 anyway. Might as well pursue it especially if we have the means and resources to do so.

Forever grateful.

laging pagod but always inspired,

Franchesca x theilustrado