Frequently Asked Questions about Licensure and Certification of Education
How do I get licensed? (general directions)
What If I have questions about the process or application?
Where can I get information about NJ licensure?
Is there a way I can get a feel for what the NAPLEX will be like?
What if information for the exams has changed recently?
Do I need to submit a transcript?
If I finish Cycle 8, can I take the NAPLEX/NJPE early? Should I do this? What do I need To do?
If I finish Cycle 9, is the process different than for those finishing Cycle 8?
Is there any advice or specific directions for the NJ application?
What school name and address should I use when completing forms?
What is my graduation date? Why is it a different date than the School of Pharmacy Graduation Convocation?
Where can I find a notary public? How do notaries operate?
How do I get licensed? (General Directions)
Obtain the licensure application from the Board of Pharmacy of the state in which you wish to become licensed. READ THIS COVER TO COVER. (Links to contact info for all state boards are at http://www.nabp.net under the Boards Of Pharmacy ling on the left)
Obtain the NAPLEX/MPJE Registration Bulletin from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) website above (click on Examination Programs link on left and then NAPLEX and the link to Registration Bulletin will appear on the right). READ THIS COVER TO COVER. NABP is the organization responsible for developing and managing the exam.
As described in the documents discussed in the above paragraphs, you essentially need to apply/register in two places: the Board of Pharmacy and NABP. You will need to complete the application for the Board of Pharmacy (generally a paper based form in most states) and register for the exam with NABP on the website above (which is online).
The Board of Pharmacy will determine if you meet the eligibility requirements and if so, will notify NABP. An Authorization To Test (ATT) letter will be sent to you by Pearson VUE, the company that actually administers the exam, after they are notified by NABP. The letter gives you instructions about how to schedule your testing appointment, the dates available to you and other information. You must have an ATT to schedule your exam. Return to top
What if I have questions about the process or application?
Generally speaking, questions related to licensure should be directed to the Board of Pharmacy in the State for which you are applying for licensure. Links to each Board of Pharmacy can be found by visiting the National Association of Board of Pharmacy website, http://www.nabp.net and clicking on "Boards of Pharmacy" link on the right side. In addition to registering for the exams as described above you will need to fill out an application for the state you are applying for licensure in. Also most questions can answered by reviewing the NAPLEX bulletin and the state board application form for your state. If you’ve read all the documentation and still can’t answer the question, you may email Dean Woodward, but realize the information will simply be his interpretation or opinion and only the Board can give you the official answers. Return to top
Where can I get information about NJ licensure?
You can obtain information directly from the Board of Pharmacy as follows:
In person:
124 Halsey Street, 6th Floor
Newark, NJ 07202
By phone: (973) 504-6450
Through their website: http://www.nj.gov/oag/ca/medical/pharmacy.htm
The Board of Pharmacy provides the instructions for applying for licensure, and for the NAPLEX and MPJS MPJE exams, and information on the fees involved. The forms are contained under the link titled, Application Packet for Licensure by Examination or Score Transfer. Also see specific advice on this FAQ. Return to top
How much will licensure cost?
You will probably pay several fees. For NJ you will pay fees for:
1. Application Fee. The amount of this will be listed in the application forms.
2. Criminal Background Check. The amount of this will be listed in the application forms. Please note, the Adam Safeguard background check IS NOT ACCEPTABLE for licensure and you MUST complete the background check and fingerprinting through the Board of Pharmacy provider.
3. NAPLEX Examination Fee. The amount of this fee will be listed in the NAPLEX/MPJE Registration Bulletin.
4. Licensure fee for one or two years, depending how much time is left before the next two-year renewal.
Other states may have more or fewer fees. All will have the NAPLEX/MPJE fee. Return to top
Is there a way I can get a feel for what the NAPLEX will be like?
Yes. The Registration Bulletin explains that it is a good idea (we agree) to take the pre-NAPLEX exam, for practice. Information about this, and much other useful information is available in the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy website: www.NABP.net (there is also a fee for the pre-NAPLEX). Return to top
What if information for the exams has changed recently?
In terms of the NAPLEX, one of the Ability Based Outcomes of our program is for the student to become a self-directed and life-long learner. This will be a necessary skill for the rest of your career. In terms of NJ law issues, you may want to review the quarterly State Board of Pharmacy Newsletters from the past year to see if anything has changed since you took the law course. To access this online go to http://www.nabp.net and move your mouse over the link for "Newsletters" in the upper right corner below the colored bar. Select "State Newsletters". On the next screen select New Jersey in the drop down box in the middle of the page. Return to top
Do I need to submit a transcript?
Yes for NJ, varies for other states. For NJ you must submit to the Board an official copy of your transcript indicating that you have graduated with a Pharm.D. degree. The transcript you submit to the Board must have your degree information posted on it. This information is not posted to your transcript until after University Commencement when your degree will be conferred (May 20, 2009, two days before the Pharmacy School Ceremony). An official transcript can only be obtained from the University Registrar (not from the Pharmacy School's Dean’s Office). You can order the official transcript online from the Registrar at :
http://registrar.rutgers.edu/NB/TRANS-NB.HTM#official
When completing the transcript request, when you are asked when you would like to have the transcript released select “Hold for May Degree.” If your online transcript indicates the degree (at the bottom after Spring 2009 grades) it will also be on the printed transcript. It’s possible it will appear a few days prior to the University Commencement.
Note that some students have the registrar’s office send the transcript directly to the Board of Pharmacy. If you choose to do this, you may want to consider marking the checkbox to include your social security number which may help the board match the transcript your application. Obviously you need to balance that with the risk of having your social security number sent through the mail. Return to top
If I finish Cycle 8, can I take the NAPLEX/NJPE early? Should I do this? What do I need to do?
If Cycle 8 is your final rotation: Once you have successfully completed all of the graduation requirements (i.e. have taken and received grades for all required didactic courses, rotations, and student portfolio), you may apply to take the NAPLEX and MPJE exams, and can even take the exams, but your license will not be issued by the Board until your official transcript has been submitted (i.e. after graduation). HOWEVER, the Board has recently pointed out that taking the exam prior to your graduation date, may prevent you from being licensed in some states. Please review the July 2008 NJ Board of Pharmacy Newsletter for specific details in the front-page article title "NAPLEX and MPJE Eligibility Dates" at: http://www.nabp.net/ftpfiles/newsletters/NJ/NJ072008.pdf
[Dean Woodward's Opinion on the above issue: "I think all students should wait to take the exams until after graduation. Many pharmacists relocate to other states during their career due to family obligations, career opportunities, etc. It's also difficult to predict where your career will take you. When I got licensed in KY after graduation, I would never have believed you if you told me that four years later I would be getting licensed in NJ. I think the benefit of waiting a few extra weeks to take the exam (during which you could study more and increase your likelihood of passing) outweighs the risk of having to retake the exam years later."]
For those students who will be finished with Cycle 8 and wish to apply to take the exams before graduation, there is a form (the last page of the online forms titled, “Certification of College Record of Applicant for Examination,”) that must be filled out, signed, and sealed by the Dean's Office. You can fill out this form and drop it off in the Dean's Office (Room 103) to be signed after March 20, 2009. Note that no forms will be signed prior to March 30, 2009 since the necessary grades will not be available until after the end of Spring Break at the earliest.
The Dean’s Office will confirm that your Spring 2009 grades have been received and the form will be signed and sealed. In the event that your grades for any rotation or your portfolio have not been received, your form will be held until the grade is received. The Dean’s Office will call you when it has been signed or you can bring a self-addressed stamped envelope. We recommend picking it up to avoid the possibility of your form being lost in the mail. Return to top
If I finish Cycle 9, is the process different than for those finishing Cycle 8?
Yes. If Cycle 9 is your last rotation: Students who are taking Cycle 9 DO NOT need to have the Certification of College Record of Applicant for Examination form completed and can simply use the transcript as verification. Return to top
Is there any advice or specific directions for the NJ Application?
Yes, as listed below for specific sections of the application.
Application Packet for Licensure as a Pharmacist By Examination or Score Transfer Items 7-9:
Be honest, a very thorough criminal background check is done by the
Board and they may identify items not picked up by other background
checks.
Education Section Item 4 School address is:
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey/Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
160 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway NJ 08854
Education Section Item 5:
Degree, Diploma, or Certificate: Pharm.D.
Major: Pharmacy
Date Granted: May 20, 2009 (regardless of if you finish Cycle 8 or 9)
Education Section Item 6:
Note
that you must request final transcript from the registrar’s office.
This can be done online at transcripts.rutgers.edu. Indicate on the
request to send after degree is posted. See specific directions on this
FAQ.
Page labeled "Affidavit" - do not sign this until the notary public tells you to in his/her presence. See notary question on this FAQ.
Certification of College Record of Applicant for Examination (if you choose to submit this):
Name of College: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey/Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy
Dates of Attendance – see detailed instructions in next question
Date When Degree course was fully completed:
• Last cycle = Cycle 8, enter March 20, 2009.
• Last Cycle = Cycle 9, enter May 1, 2009.
Date when degree will be awarded: May 20, 2009.
Degree Awarded: Doctor of Pharmacy
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What are my dates of attendance for the “Certification of College Record of Applicant for Examination.”?
For students admitted to the School of Pharmacy as freshmen and who are graduating in six years, you should go to the Registrar’s website (https://transcripts.rutgers.edu/transcripts/index.html ) and select the “Get Instant Enrollment Verification” link. After submitting the required information the system will provide a PDF file with the exact start and stop dates of each semester you attended. For instance for your first year you would enter the start date of Fall 2003 semester and the end date of the Spring 2004 semester.
For students who transferred into the School of Pharmacy, we recommend using a bracket around the first two years and indicating where your pre-pharmacy work was done. See example. If you did more than two years prior to coming to the School of Pharmcy we reccomend listing the start date of your first year in the Year 1 line and the end date of the last semester prior to enrollment in Pharmcy on the Year 2 line.
For students who were held back year in the program (after failing a course for example) we reccomend listing the start and stop date of a two year period. For instance if a student failed a course in P1 during Fall 2005 and then had to repeat that course the following year, on the line for Year 3 list the start date as the start of the Fall 2005 semester of your P1 year and the stop date as the end of spring 2007,the following academic year. Return to top
What school name and address should I use when completing forms?
Some states have not updated their records and we recommend when filling out the forms, use “Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey/Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy ” as the name of the School from which you are graduating with the Pharm.D. degree. The address is:
160 Frelinghuysen Road
Piscataway NJ 08854-8020
What is my graduation date? Why is it a different date than the School of Pharmacy Graduation Convocation?
Your diploma will list the date of University-wide Commencement (May 20, 2009) because that is when your degree is official conferred and that is the date you should list. The School of Pharmacy Convocation Exercises are on May 22, 2009 and if you choose to attend this ceremony you will receive your degree at that time. Return to top
What if I make a mistake?
We have found that some boards are very particular and will not accept documents with corrections. It is suggested that if you make a mistake reprint the form and fill that page out again. Return to top
What is the timeline of licensure?
Unfortunately very few students provide us feed back on how the process goes. So that we can provide students better information, effective with the class of 2009 we are asking students to track their licensure process with the following tracking form which can be filled out and saved on your computer and emailed to us when complete.
Below is the timeline from one student who finished Cycle 8 last year (n=1). Your expience may vary:
4/8/08 - Mailed packet to NJ BOP (I had already registered online with NABP maybe a week or two prior?)
4/15/08 - Received background check paperwork in mail (I faced about a 10-day wait for the next-available appointment to be fingerprinted. This may have something to do with the new requirement that all pharmacy technicians be registered/fingerprinted).
Sat 4/19/08 - I received my Authorization To Test from Pearson VUE. I haven't scheduled my NAPLEX yet; I'm probably going to aim for right before graduation at this rate (need to start studying!!!) Return to top
Where can I find a notary public? How do notaries operate?
Notary Publics are available at banks, law offices, pharmacies, and most copy stores. Be sure to make an appointment with the Notary to insure that the person is available. Make sure that all parties who will be signing the document will be able to be available for the appointment. Ms. Urbanski in the Office of Academic Services (Room 102) is a notary public.
Specific rules need to followed regarding the notarization of documents, especially one for documents which more than one person is signing. First and foremost, all parties signing the document and the document itself must be present in front of the Notary. Secondly, each signee must provide the Notary with two forms of ID that contain the individual's signature. At least one of the IDs needs to have a relatively recent photo of the bearer. Valid IDs include, but are not limited to, valid passports and driver's licenses. A Notary at the University may also accept your current Rutgers University ID at his or her discretion. Third, a document may not be signed prior to visiting the Notary. It must be signed in front of the Notary.
Depending upon the document and the Notary, a small fee for the service may be charged. Notary appointments will last ten to fifteen minutes. Return to top
The Faculty and Staff at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy wish you every success in your personal and professional lives as you enter your chosen profession as a pharmacist! Congratulations!
© 2009 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. All rights reserved.
