How to Become a Pharmacist in California
Pharmacists play a critical role in patients’ journeys to health and the ability of our healthcare systems to deliver care. If you are interested in pursuing a career in this important field of healthcare in California, you will need to know the process for getting started and advancing in this line of work.
Explore Your Pharmacist Career Options
As you prepare to start your journey for your future career as a pharmacist, it’s important to think about what type of environment you want to work in and what types of roles interest you.
Most pharmacists work in traditional dispensing or pharmacy management roles. However, with the emergence of community pharmacists, there are now more opportunities for pharmacists in California to work directly with patients in more specialized roles, such as the assistance of chronic disease management in patients.
If you are looking for a more traditional pharmacist role, you may want to consider California’s pharmacist (RPh) license. If more specialized pharmacy care appeals to you, it may be worth pursuing an advanced practice pharmacist (APh) license down the road.
Learn more about the requirements for earning an APh in Step 6.
Complete Your Degree and Required Intern Hours
To work as a pharmacist in California, you must meet certain education and internship requirements.
You will need to have a BS in Pharmacy or a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree from a college of pharmacy program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). You will also be required to complete 1,500 intern hours or show proof of licensure as a pharmacist in another state for at least one year.
It is important to do your research to determine which PharmD program is right for you. West Coast University offers an ACPE-accredited Doctor of Pharmacy program that is delivered in a hybrid format, which means it offers a combination of in-person and online learning. From on-site simulation activities to practice in a virtual pharmacy through VR headsets, the WCU PharmD program provides practical, hands-on training to help prepare you for a career as a pharmacist.
Pass the National and State Exams and Obtain Licensure
To become a licensed pharmacist in California, you will need to pass the following exams:
- National American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX)
- California Practice Standards and Jurisprudence Examination for Pharmacists (CPJE)
To be eligible to sit for the exam, you will need to submit the Pharmacist Examination for Licensure Application along with a fee and documentation to confirm your identity, completion of the required education, and completion of the required intern hours. Learn more about the application process.
Start Working as a Pharmacist
Once you have obtained your license, it’s time to secure a job as a pharmacist. Start applying to jobs and make sure to use whatever resources are available, from the network you built as a PharmD student to any career support services available through your pharmacy program.
For example, WCU’s PharmD students and graduates can benefit from the university’s Career Services department, which has a team available to help with everything from resume support to mock interviews to assistance with finding job opportunities and more.
Complete Required Continuing Education
To keep your California pharmacist license, you will need to complete 30 hours of continuing education (CE) every two years — or 40 hours every two years if you are an advanced practice pharmacist, according to the California State Board of Pharmacy. At least two CE hours must be from the completion of the Board’s mandatory law and ethics webinars, and at least one hour must be from a cultural competency course.
You must ensure that all your CE courses are related to the field of pharmacy and are administered by an approved provider. Learn more about the requirements for pharmacist continuing education in California.
Consider Pursuing a More Specialized Pharmacist Role
If you’re a California pharmacist who is in good standing with the state board and you’re interested in exploring a specialty that allows you to be more involved in direct patient care, you may want to consider a license as an advanced practice pharmacist (APh).
A licensed APh is given authority to perform additional duties, including:
- Performing patient assessments
- Ordering and interpreting drug therapy-related tests
- Referring patients to other healthcare providers
- Assisting with the evaluation and management of diseases and health conditions
To become licensed as an advanced practice pharmacist, in California, you must earn certification in a relevant area of the practice of pharmacy and/or complete a certain amount of experience delivering clinical services to patients.
Examples of specialty areas that some advanced practice pharmacists become certified in include but are not limited to:
- Ambulatory care
- Critical care
- Geriatric pharmacy
- Nuclear pharmacy
- Nutrition support pharmacy
- Oncology pharmacy
- Pediatric pharmacy
- Pharmacotherapy
- Psychiatric pharmacy
Get Started on Your Doctor of Pharmacy Degree
Your journey to becoming a pharmacist can start now!
It takes less than three years to complete WCU’s Doctor of Pharmacy program, which is offered at the Center for Graduate Studies campus in Los Angeles. Earn your degree at one of the first pharmacy schools in the nation to launch an accelerated hybrid curriculum.
Learn more about the PharmD program at WCU and apply today.
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