What is the role of the pharmacist qualification certificate?

1. It is an essential magic weapon for the survival and long-term development of pharmacies

According to the "Notice of the State Council on Issuing the National Drug Safety "Twelfth Five-Year Plan"" (Guofa [2012] 5), the implementation of the licensed pharmacist system will be accelerated. Licensed pharmacists refer to pharmaceutical technicians who have passed the national unified examination, obtained the "Licensing Pharmacist Qualification Certificate", and been registered to practice in drug production, operation, and user units. In order to strengthen the guidance on the rational use of drugs by the public, the "Plan" clearly puts forward the rigid requirements for the staffing of licensed pharmacists in pharmacies and hospital pharmacies for the first time. That is, starting from 2012, newly opened retail pharmacies must be equipped with licensed pharmacists; by the end of the "Twelfth Five-Year Plan" (end of 2015), all legal persons or main managers of retail pharmacies must have licensed pharmacist qualifications, and all retail pharmacies and hospital pharmacies must be equipped with licensed pharmacists. Licensed pharmacists are available to provide guidance on rational use of medications. Those who fail to meet the requirements within the time limit will be disqualified from selling drugs. The plan has repeatedly emphasized that the entire process of drug development, production, circulation, and use is in line with international standards. This is the general trend.

2. The shortage of talents has led to an increase in the salary of practicing pharmacists

Compared with planning requirements, there is still a gap in the number of practicing pharmacists in pharmacies in my country.

Currently, licensed pharmacists are scarce, and the actual number of licensed pharmacists in some cities only accounts for one-third of the number needed. The current status quo has become a bottleneck for the further development of pharmaceutical operations. As the country further regulates the pharmaceutical industry, the salary of practicing pharmacists will also soar. On pharmaceutical professional recruitment websites, the number of recruitments of licensed pharmacists has also been at the forefront. Due to the insufficient number of practicing pharmacists and the fact that many practicing pharmacists are on-the-job employees of hospitals, it is impossible for them to give up the favorable conditions of their career establishment and work in retail pharmacies, so the phenomenon of affiliated pharmacies is very serious. Experts say that more than 70% of licensed pharmacists may be employed on a temporary basis. Although affiliation is not allowed, because the punishment is not strict, it is banned repeatedly. The affiliated prices of a large number of retail pharmacies have doubled in 2013. The current annual affiliated prices are generally more than 20,000 yuan, and even as high as 60,000 yuan in coastal cities.

3. Although there is currently a shortage of licensed pharmacists, the employment prospects are bright. However, it is not that easy to pass the licensed pharmacist examination by reviewing on your own. The licensed pharmacist qualification examination is relatively difficult and has a low passing rate. Before the launch of the 12th Five-Year Plan, licensed pharmacists were not used in retail pharmacies across my country to varying degrees, and hospital pharmacies have not yet implemented a licensed pharmacist system. Therefore, the training of licensed pharmacists is not taken seriously. According to statistics from the National Examination Center of the Ministry of Personnel in recent years, the passing rate of the examination is around 20.

Before the end of 2015 will be the best time to take the exam for the Licensed Pharmacist Certificate. Although it is difficult, it is relatively easy to pass as long as you go through formal training and devote more time and energy to review. It will only get harder and harder after 15 years, so take the exam as soon as possible.