Student Affairs >>Requirments for Internship and Licensure

All state boards of pharmacy require that, in addition to a degree in pharmacy, specified hours of supervised working experience are necessary to become a licensed pharmacist. Regulations vary among the states. Applicants who reside in states other than Georgia should consult their board of pharmacy for instructors.

In Georgia, you may register with the State Board as a pharmacy intern after enrollment in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. You must apply for and receive an intern license. Georgia interns are required to work a minimum of 20 hours per week in order to receive credit. The State Board of Pharmacy will not grant credit for hours worked while you are enrolled in pharmacy school and the University is in session. Keeping proper records and following procedures for accurate reporting of hours worked is the responsibility of the intern.

All Mercer students are required to obtain a Georgia intern license during the first semester of school. Students may contact the Georgia State Board of Pharmacy (phone: 478-207-1686 or click on web site link below).

The Georgia State Board of Pharmacy requires that an applicant for licensure must be at least 18 years of age, must be a graduate of an accredited school of pharmacy, and must have completed 1500 hours of internship under the supervision of a registered pharmacist. The Georgia Board of Pharmacy awards graduates 1,000 hours of internship credit for the pharmacy practice experiences at the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The remaining 500 hours must be earned through employment as an intern in a pharmacy.

Graduates seeking licensure in states other than Georgia need to contact their respective state board of pharmacy for specific licensure requirements.

Application for the licensure examination may be made near the time of graduation. Over the past five years, the average first-attempt pass rate is 97 percent.

Connect to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy web site.
Connect to the Georgia State Board of Pharmacy web site.