Working in UK Pharmaceutical Industry with a non EU Degree?

[stuart-b]

Hopefully someone can point me in the right direction,

Is it possible to work in the UK Pharmaceutical Industry with a Pharmacy degree attained from a Non EU Country (the country will join the EU in the next 1-2 years), and if so, what is the process? Do you have to complete certain exams or conversion courses, or is it an assessment from some medical governing body on an individual basis?

Bit of a long short to ask here but thought I would try

Many thanks,

Edited by stuart-b on Monday 8th March 18:44

[Nidjit]

I've worked for two pharma companies without two A-levels to rub together. Wasn't injecting bunnies or anything, but the job ads did require a life-sciences degree or equivalent.

If you have the relevant experience, don't wear flip-flops to the interview or light up a doobie half way through, you should be fine. Go for it. The fact that you have a degree at all may put you near the top of the papersift.

Best of luck.

[stuart-b]

Thanks, it isn't actually for me, but she will want to work as a pharmacist, or in the industry at least, so wanted to know what the situation was.

[mft]

stuart-b said:

Is it possible to work in the UK Pharmaceutical Industry with a Pharmacy degree attained from a Non EU Country (the country will join the EU in the next 1-2 years), and if so, what is the process? Do you have to complete certain exams or conversion courses, or is it an assessment from some medical governing body on an individual basis?

I reckon she'll be able to work in a pharma company in a non-pharmaceutical capacity, pretty easily - as you would with any decent science degree. People with pharmacy degrees can take on a variety of roles - in our company pharmacists work in Research, Audit, Medical Information, Medical Affairs...

However, working as a pharmacist? Not sure - best check with the professional body.

[456mgt]

As others have said, suitability of her degree only matters if she wants to practice as a pharmacist. Suggest you pop an email to these guys: http://www.rpsgb.org.uk/

As far as working somewhere in pharma, it's far more down to her personal ability & interests than her degree subject. It certainly won't hold her back.

[Paul Dishman]

456mgt said:

As others have said, suitability of her degree only matters if she wants to practice as a pharmacist. Suggest you pop an email to these guys: http://www.rpsgb.org.uk/

If her degree is approved by the RPSGB then she probably have to do a year's pre-registration and take an exam and an English test.

If her degree isn't approved then she'll have to take a UK degree, then the pre-reg year and exam.

Best case scenario is a year before qualifying, worse case is five years. I know of an Iraqi Pharmacist who did the latter (decamped from Exeter to Sunderland Uni) and is now happily locumming for Sainsburys

[stuart-b]

Thanks for the replies, very helpful.