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California State Board of Pharmacy

Advanced Practice Pharmacist Information

An advanced practice pharmacist is a licensed pharmacist who has been recognized by the board, pursuant to Section 4210. A board-recognized advanced practice pharmacist is entitled to practice advanced practice pharmacy, as described in Section 4052.6, within or outside of a licensed pharmacy. The advanced practice pharmacist license shall be coterminous with the licensee’s pharmacist license.

To be licensed as an Advanced Practice Pharmacist in California, you must satisfy the requirements under Business and Professions Code section 4210 and Title 16, California Code of Regulations section 1730.1.

4210. Advanced Practice Pharmacist License
(a) A person who seeks recognition as an advanced practice pharmacist shall meet all of the following requirements:
(1) Hold an active license to practice pharmacy issued pursuant to this chapter that is in good standing.
(2)(A) Satisfy any two of the following criteria: 2022 Summary of Law Changes 11/5/2021 Page 51 of 77 (i) Earn certification in a relevant area of practice, including, but not limited to, ambulatory care, critical care, geriatric pharmacy, nuclear pharmacy, nutrition support pharmacy, oncology pharmacy, pediatric pharmacy, pharmacotherapy, or psychiatric pharmacy, from an organization recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education or another entity recognized by the board.
(ii) Complete a postgraduate residency through an accredited postgraduate institution where at least 50 percent of the experience includes the provision of direct patient care services with interdisciplinary teams.
(iii) Have provided clinical services to patients for at least one year under a collaborative practice agreement or protocol with a physician, advanced practice pharmacist, pharmacist practicing collaborative drug therapy management, or health system.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, if, as a condition of completion of one of the required criteria fulfillment of a second criterion is also required, that completion shall be deemed to satisfy this paragraph.
(3) File an application with the board for recognition as an advanced practice pharmacist.
(4) Pay the applicable fee to the board.
(b) An advanced practice pharmacist recognition issued pursuant to this section shall be valid for two years, coterminous with the certificate holder’s license to practice pharmacy.
(c) The board shall adopt regulations establishing the means of documenting completion of the requirements in this section.
(d) The board shall, by regulation, set the fee for the issuance and renewal of advanced practice pharmacist recognition at the reasonable cost of regulating advanced practice pharmacists pursuant to this chapter. The fee shall not exceed three hundred dollars ($300).

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