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Qualifications Prescribed for Registration in a Scope of Practice

To register as a pharmacist in New Zealand, an applicant must have the prerequisite qualifications in pharmacy and all applicants must meet the Competence Standards for Pharmacists at the Pharmacist level as defined by the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand before entry to the register.

The procedure for processing applications from overseas registered and qualified pharmacists will depend on where the applicant obtained their qualifications and registration. A chart outlining the general process for overseas applicants is available here.

Pharmacist Scope of Practice

Pursuant to section 12 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003, the following qualifications are prescribed for registration as a pharmacist:

New Zealand Pharmacy Graduates:

• Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Auckland; OR
• Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Otago; AND
• Successful completion of Preregistration Programme of Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (Inc.).
  

Australian Pharmacy Graduates:

• Australian pharmacy degrees from Schools of Pharmacy holding either full or provisional APC (Australian Pharmacy Council) accreditation; AND
• Successful completion of Preregistration Programme of Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (Inc.).
  
  For further details on registration procedures please see New Zealand and Australian BPharm Graduates

 Australian Registered Pharmacists - Trans Tasman Mutual Recognition:

• Current registration with any one of the Pharmacy Boards of Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, ACT, Northern Territories, Pharmacists Board of Queensland or Pharmaceutical Council of Western Australia; AND
• Successful completion of four weeks supervised practice in New Zealand and the Pharmacy Council Oral Assessment of New Zealand Pharmacy Practice Law and Ethics.
  
  For further details on registration procedures please see Australian Registered Pharmacists

Pharmacists currently Registered in United Kingdom, Eire, Canada and USA (Recognised Equivalent Qualifications Route - REQR):

• Holders of a pharmacy qualification from a country or jurisdiction recognised by APC (currently recognised countries are United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada and the United States of America) in which there is a legislative basis for registration/ licensure of pharmacists, and
  the practice of pharmacy is considered by APC to be substantially equivalent to Australia/New Zealand, and
• the level of competency required to practise pharmacy is considered to be substantially equivalent to Australia/New Zealand; and
• has accreditation of tertiary institutions offering pharmacy degrees as approved by APC, or which the pharmacy qualification is from an institution individually accredited by APC;
  
  are required to successfully complete the following:
  
• the Competency Assessment of Overseas Pharmacists (CAOP) examination;
• a minimum period of four weeks supervised practice under an approved pharmacist (three months for Canada and United States of America applicants);
• the Pharmacy Council Law and Ethics Interview and calculations assessment; and
• a Pharmacy Council approved Return to the Workforce Programme (Canada and United States of America applicants only).
  
  For further details on registration procedures please see  UK/Ireland/USA/Canadian Pharmacists (REQR)

 Registered pharmacists applying from countries other than Australia or REQR countries:

• Pharmacy degree and post-registration work experience in pharmacy deemed by the Pharmacy Council ("the Council") as equivalent in content and learning outcomes to a current APC accredited pharmacy programme; and
• Current registration as a pharmacist with a pharmacy registration authority in the same country of registration where the degree in (iv)(a) was completed; and
• Successful completion of the Knowledge Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sciences (KAPS) examination; and
• Successful completion of the on-line New Zealand Pharmacy Legislation course; and
• Successful completion of the Intern Training Programme of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (Inc).
  
  For further details on registration procedures please see Other Overseas Pharmacists (Non REQR)

 

Intern Pharmacist Scope of Practice

Pursuant to section 12 of the Act, the following qualifications have been prescribed for registration as an intern pharmacist:

• Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Auckland; OR
• Bachelor of Pharmacy, University of Otago; OR
• Pharmacy degree deemed by the Council as equivalent in content and learning outcomes to a APC accredited pharmacy programme; AND current registration as a pharmacist with a pharmacy registration authority in the same country of registration where the degree was completed; AND the Knowledge Assessment of Pharmaceutical Sciences (KAPS) examination; AND relevant post registration experience.

More information on the Intern Training Programme is available here.