Cramming on my English Test

Twelve days from now I will be into a very tough hurdle of passing the TOEFL iBT. Its hard to believe that I didn't even prepared for this and now I'm thinking that I just threw away the money I paid to register for the test. For the benefit of those who doesn't what this test is all about let me give you a brief introduction about it.

TOEFL-iBT stands for TEST ON ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE-internet Based Test. It has four sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. I've read terrible stories of previous test-takers posted in a forum. Some of them even took it six consecutive times to get a satisfactory grade. This test is very important for us Pharmacist, pursuing a Licensure in  the United States.  The NABP set a standard score we should get in order to be issued a FPGEC Certificate.

My advice to anyone who wish to take this test for their Profession is to devote some time to study and practice on it. I'm sure some of you might say that it would be an easy exam because we've learn our english since we entered kindergarten. However, the test is about how well we use the language in an every day campus and off-campus life. I believe most of us Filipinos can understand English and the dilemma will only be when its time for us to speak our thoughts, since we rarely use it in our day to day conversion.

FPGEE ® Tips

How long must I prepare for FPGEE ®?

· In our opinion, at least 2-3 months (4 hours/day)

Do I need to study from different books?

· Limit yourself to fewer references, our recommendations are: Comprehensive Pharmacy Review by Shargel, your own pharmacy books/notes, Manan Shroff's Reference Guide For Foreign Pharmacy Licensing Exam-Questions & Answers. We recommend you to evaluate your test preparedness using PharmSuccess' FPGEE® Practice Test. Use the FPGEE® Calculations and Pharmacy Management programs to familiarize yourself with the kind of questions asked in the exam from these important segment.

What is the passing rate for FPGEE ®?

· Passing rate for FPGEE ® is about 65%.

Do I need to study calculations?

· FPGEE ® contains a lot of questions on calculations, be familiar with pKa, milliequivalents, ratios, proportions, alligation, creatinine clearance, conversions, AUC, NaCl equivalents, body surface area and dose related questions. Calculations are the most time consuming and carry a lot of weightage. They can play a crucial role in passing the FPGEE ®.

Can we use our own calculator?

· No, calculators are not allowed during the test.

What constitutes most part of FPGEE ®?

· FPGEE ® tests your basic knowledge of pharmacy. The important topics are: Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics and Calculations. The area covered is very vast and you really have to sharpen your basics if you want to be among the 65% who pass the exam in first attempt.

Are there specific topics I should pay more attention to?

· Yes, calculations and pharmacology.

Do I need to know about OTCs?

· Not in our opinion.

How are the management questions in FPGEE ®?

· Very basic, and most of them can be answered if you are familiar with the kind of questions asked from this segment. A good management book might help you answer them right, PharmSuccess' Pharmacy Management program can help you in this area. Concentrate on insurance, medicare, clinical research studies and pricing/economics of drugs at the pharmacy level.

And medicinal chemistry or structures?

· The latest blue print allotted very few questions to this segment, not worth putting lot of time in. But, try to familiarize yourself with basic chemical classification of various categories of drugs.

I have been preparing for a while now but how can I find out how well I am prepared for the test?

· PharmSuccess' FPGEE® Practice Test is meant just for that.

But, how will I know if I am ready to take the test, or ready to score more than 75 on FPGEE ®?

· Try practice tests available at http://PharmSuccess.com and experience the test before you take the actual FPGEE ®. In our opinion, if you can score well on the practice test, you will score well in the actual FPGEE ®.

Any special instructions for the day of the exam?

· Yes, take it easy, if you have done your homework right, you will ace the exam. Relax, take the test with full stomach, cheerful face and confident mind. Take one of your friends or family members to accompany you to the test center, it helps. Good luck!

What happens after I have passed FPGEE ®?

· Once done, you must take and pass TSE® and TOEFL® (if not already done so) to get the certification. You must contact your state board for further instructions. Usually, you must register with your state board as an intern. Then you must start calling the pharmacy recruiters (District Managers/Supervisors of the chain pharmacies, professional recruiters, etc) and set up an interview (either over the phone or in person). Once hired (which is not tough considering the Pharmacist shortage in USA), your company will sponsor a work visa (H1B) for you which takes about 15 days by "premium processing" (if you already have green card or citizenship, you don't need a visa).

Every state requires certain minimum number of hours of internship where after you must take NAPLEX ® and MPJE ® and get licensed. Now you are a Pharmacist and should negotiate with your employer for a nice salary (currently starts at about $45-52/hr), a sign on bonus and if applicable, a relocation package!

A Day in a Pharmacist's Life

On a typical day a pharmacist will:

• advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications;
• monitor the health and progress of patients in response to drug therapy;
• advise patients and answer questions about prescription drugs, including questions about possible side effects and interactions among different drugs;
• provide information and make recommendations about over-the-counter drugs;

Pharmacists may also

• give advice about diet, exercise, or stress management;
• help patients manage conditions such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure;
• advise patients about durable medical equipment and home healthcare supplies;
• complete third-party insurance forms and other paperwork;

Pharmacists who own or manage drugstores may supervise personnel, as well as have other general managerial duties.

*This is the most recent year for which this information is available.

link:http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/p/pharmacist.htm