The big hold up

To work as a pharmacist in Australia you have to be registered with the Pharmacy Board of Australia.  I have come over here on the stream B process as I have mentioned many times in previous posts.  So far I have sent of an application to the Australian Pharmacy Council who assessed whether my skills and training were comparable to that of an equivalent Australian course, I then sat an exam called the Competency Assessment of Overseas Pharmacists.  This all occurred in the UK, the next step on the journey is to complete 152 hours of supervised practice in an Australian community or hospital pharmacy.  Thanks to B's friend I have found a community pharmacy willing to take me on to do my supervised practice, and hopefully to provide me with a job afterwards as well.

Before I can start there are two forms that need to be completed which can be accessed from the PBA website.  The first is an 'Application for limited registration for supervised practice as a pharmacist' (form ALPS-60).  This form is very similar to the original APC form that I completed over a year ago now.  Annoyingly it also requires a 'letter of good standing' from the GPhC in the UK, which can take several weeks to arrive and so frequently proves to be the rate limiting step in the process.  The second form which you submit simultaneously with the first is 'Application - approval of supervised practice as a pharmacist' (form AASP-60), which assess the pharmacy selected to ensure it is a suitable site and that the chosen preceptor fits the requirements set out by the PBA.  The requirements are as follows, the preceptor must be an Australian registered pharmacist with at least 12 months experience and there cannot be more interns than preceptors in any given pharmacy.  The one requirement that nearly caused us a problem was the requirement for official preceptor training, however this requirement doesn't come into force until 2013.  I have now submitted both these forms, and have had an e-mail back from the PBA to acknowledge they have received it.  So now I just have to wait.

Adam