Pharmacy: intern pharmacists.

Existing law, the Pharmacy Law, establishes the California State Board of Pharmacy within the Department of Consumer Affairs and sets forth its powers and duties over the licensing and regulation of the practice of pharmacies, pharmacists, intern pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians. A knowing violation of these provisions is a crime. Existing law requires an intern pharmacist to complete 1,500 hours of pharmacy practice or intern experience before applying for the pharmacist licensure examination. Existing law authorizes an applicant for examination who has been licensed as a pharmacist in any state for at least one year to submit certification to satisfy the required 1,500 hours of intern experience if that applicant has obtained a minimum of 900 hours of pharmacy practice experience in a pharmacy as a pharmacist. This bill would instead require, for all applicants, that 900 hours of the 1,500 required pharmacy practice experience include experience in a pharmacy, including experience in both a community and institutional pharmacy practice setting. Existing law requires the pharmacy practice to comply with the Standards of Curriculum established by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) or with regulations adopted by the board. Existing law requires an intern pharmacist to submit proof of his or her experience under penalty of perjury. This bill would require that an applicant for the licensure examination who has graduated after January 1, 2016, from an ACPE accredited college of pharmacy or school of pharmacy recognized by the board, be deemed by the board to have satisfied the required hours of pharmacy practice experience, as specified. By expanding the scope of an existing crime, this bill would create a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.