INTERSTATE PHARMACIST LICENSURE

To advocate for improved timeliness of the pharmacist licensure application approval process; further,

To advocate for interstate pharmacist licensure; further,            

To support streamlined reciprocity processes, including temporary licensure mechanisms, as progress toward interstate licensure. 

Rationale

Pharmacists sometimes face challenges from delays in obtaining licensure by transfer or reciprocity when moving their practice from one jurisdiction to another. Such delay may be due to the need for boards to review pharmacists’ licensure records in all jurisdictions in which they are licensed, administer a state pharmacy law exam, complete a criminal background check, and, in some cases, schedule an interview with the board. To address these challenges, boards of pharmacy should allow pharmacists in good standing to immediately practice in a different jurisdiction when they change employment or enter a residency program. Granting pharmacists a temporary license for a period of up to six months while the board completes its review would help meet workforce demands while continuing to safeguard the public health. In some cases, pharmacists who are unable to obtain a license in a timely manner are unable to fully use the skills in which they have been trained. Without a license, the pharmacist may temporarily have to function as a technician or perform other tasks. For pharmacists participating in residency programs outside their jurisdiction of licensure, several months of their residency program can elapse before they receive licensure transfer or reciprocity. Upon completion of a year-long residency program, many residents move to another jurisdiction to practice and have to start the transfer or reciprocity process again.           

Members in several states have reported that in recent years boards of pharmacy have been slow to issue pharmacy licenses. This delay is especially problematic for pharmacy residents from another jurisdiction who rely on boards to grant them a license prior to performing in a clinical capacity. Given that the licensing period can take several months, this delay has presented a problem for pharmacy residents who have a limited timeframe to successfully complete their duties, typically one year. In some cases, state boards are urging residents to obtain a pharmacy technician license; however, this is inappropriate given the expertise and education residents have and the level of practice they’re expected to engage in. Given its national scope, NABP is well-positioned to explore a broad solution to this problem rather than the current, incremental, state-by-state approach.