(10) APhA-ASP encourages the inclusion of hours worked during internships in pharmaceutical industry into the hours required by state Boards of Pharmacy to sit for licensure.

R2 PRT: Inclusion of hours worked in internships in pharmaceutical Industry into required hours by state Boards to sit for licensure. - Wording/action:
(10) APhA-ASP encourages the inclusion of hours worked during internships in pharmaceutical industry into the hours required by state Boards of Pharmacy to sit for licensure.

Reasons for the Action(s) / Pros and Cons:

Pros:
- The addition of IPPE (introductory pharmacy practice experience) hours already ensures that students are getting adequate experience in both community and hospital pharmacy. These hours are to be completed within the first 3 years of professional pharmacy school, and are in addition to the hours that each individual state requires (i.e. Pennsylvania requires completion of 750 hours plus the 300 IPPE hours that were recently added on, before the 4th professional year of school). As it stands, internships completed in pharmaceutical industry do not count towards either the 750 or 300 hours (in PA). It would only benefit students to get experience in other areas, such as pharmaceutical industry.
- Many students don’t look at doing industry internships mainly because time does not allow them to complete these internships as well as get the required hours through community or hospital work.
- This would allow more students to experience a type of pharmacy they may not have been able to; also those who know they want to enter the pharmaceutical industry field could get practical experience that counts toward the required hours.

Cons:
- Not all states implement the IPPE hours in the same manner, though they should be standardized. Also, some states have less of a requirement for hours worked prior to sitting for licensure which may allow students to participate in pharmaceutical internships without the stress of completing the additional hours in community or hospital, this would not affect student pharmacists in such states.

Katie Finan ; 610-295-7131 ; Katie.finan@temple.edu ; Temple University