BSPh to PharmD

Many pharmacists who graduated from US and Canadian schools received Bachelors’ (BS) degrees as the entry-level credential to practice pharmacy.

Although their time in education and training approximated that of today’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) graduates, their alma maters choose not to retroactively update their BS degrees to Doctor of Pharmacy.

If you have an entry-level professional BS in Pharmacy degree, chances are you have already accomplished everything necessary to be recognized as a Doctor of Pharmacy.

Regardless of your age and whether you now practice pharmacy, the title “Doctor” will generally convey respect and credibility, signifying your expertise and extensive education.

Other health professionals, consumers, and business associates may correlate your “Doctor” title with the high level of knowledge, skill, and specialized expertise that you already possess.

Moreover, the title “Doctor” may influence how you are perceived and addressed in professional, business, and social settings.

Saints Cosmas and Damian Health Sciences College, incorporated by the Caribbean government of Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory, verifies original source credentials of pharmacists with an undergraduate US or Canadian entry-level BS degree and recognizes equivalency with that of a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD).

The no-hassle online process begins with a Preliminary Application. You authorize a background screen and provide demographic information, a notarized form with a photo of your driver’s license or passport, a notarized form with a photo of your pharmacy school diploma, and $400 USD initial processing fee.

When the Board of Examiners approves your Preliminary Application, you will be requested to submit your Final Application with an updated address (for expedited delivery of your diploma or certificate of equivalency) and $1,450 USD final processing fee.

There are no additional fees, no courses to take, no examinations to pass, no manuscripts to write, and no attendance requirements.

An example of the Doctor of Pharmacy (in Latin, Pharmaciae Doctor) diploma or certificate of equivalency is avialable here: Doctor of Pharmacy Certificate.

If you desire additional information or have difficulty with any part of the Preliminary Application process, do not hesitate to contact me directly. I’m here to help.

Quentin M. Srnka, BSPh, PharmD, MBA, FACA

Direct email: pharmacy@stcosmas.org

The PharmD Advantage: Lost or Continuing to Evolve?

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) diploma or certificate of equivalency by the Board of Examiners, a pharmacist must:

• Hold an undergraduate entry-level professional degree from a US pharmacy school accredited by the Accreditation Council on Pharmacy Education (ACPE) or from a Canadian pharmacy school accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP);

• Have or have held an unrestricted pharmacist license in a US or Canadian jurisdiction; and

• Have a clear criminal and offender background unless preempted by law.

Application Overview

First, as part of this process, you will be required to provide clear images of documents which prove your: (1) identify with a government-issued photo ID, and (2) graduation with an entry-level professional degree from an accredited pharmacy school in the US, US territory, or Canada. Examples of acceptable proof images are cellphone photos of: (1) the front of your driver’s license or passport information page, and (2) your diploma. If you do not have required proofs of identity or graduation, please contact us at pharmacy@stcosmas.org for assistance.

Second, we will contact you as soon as we have reviewed your Preliminary Application submissions. Our Board of Examiners reviews applications at least monthly and issues diplomas or certificates of equivalency only after review and approval of the Final Application.

Third, a partial payment of $400 USD is due with your Preliminary Application; $1,450 USD will be due with your Final Application if the Preliminary Application is approved by the Board of Examiners. The total fees are $1,850 USD. Review of a Preliminary Application does not guarantee final approval.

ALL FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE; ALL DETERMINATIONS BY THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS ARE FINAL AND NON-REVIEWABLE. THE SUBMISSION OF A PRELIMINARY APPLICATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE FINAL APPROVAL BY THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS OR THE ISSUANCE OF DIPLOMAS OR CERTIFICATES OF EQUIVALENCY.

Start Your Preliminary Application Now by clicking the button link below and providing the demographic information requested. After a review, our team will contact you. By email, you may be asked to send us clear images to prove your identity and graduation. In order to proceed, our team will prepare for you an individualized Agreement, Release, and Affidavit that you will be required to sign, have notarized, and submit as part of your Preliminary Application. A link will be emailed to you to facilitate submission of the required Preliminary Application documentation and to pay the $400 USD Preliminary Application fee.

After receipt of your signed and notarized Agreement, Release, and Affidavit and fee, our team will begin the verifications process.

As part of the verifications process, you will receive an email from a background screening organization, and you will be required to complete an information profile online.

If the Board of Examiners approves your Preliminary Application, our team will send you an email with a link for you to submit your Final Application and $1,450 USD final fee.

For any questions about verifiable proofs of identity or graduation, or other aspects of the application process, please contact our team at: pharmacy@stcosmas.org.