2.3 Pharmacy Interns & Preceptors

2.3 Pharmacy Interns & Preceptors

Interns bridge school and independent practice. The MPJE tests who can be an intern, what an intern may do, and how interns are supervised. Utah's rules are in § 58-17b-304, § 58-17b-308, and R156-17b-303a, 303b, 602, and 606.

Who may be licensed as an intern

Under § 58-17b-304, an intern applicant must apply, pay the fee, complete a criminal background check, have no disqualifying physical or mental condition, meet preliminary education requirements, and fall into one of these groups:

• a current pharmacy student, resident, or fellow in an approved program; or
• a foreign pharmacy graduate with a certification of equivalency from an approved credentialing agency.

R156-17b-303a(2) gives the details: a current student at an ACPE-accredited college (verified in writing by the dean), a foreign graduate with an FPGEC certificate, or a person accepted to an ACPE-accredited college who will begin coursework within 90 days of applying (verified by an acceptance letter).

Duration and status of the intern license

• The intern license cannot be renewed. DOPL, in collaboration with the board, may extend it, for example when the intern still lacks internship hours (§ 58-17b-308(3); R156-17b-308(5)).
• An intern who is suspended or dismissed from the college of pharmacy must notify DOPL within 15 days (R156-17b-303b(4)).
• An intern who no longer meets a licensing requirement must surrender the license within 60 days, unless DOPL grants an extension (R156-17b-303b(5)).
• If an intern under discipline qualifies for a pharmacist license, the pharmacist license may be issued under the same restrictions (R156-17b-401(1)).

Internship hours

A U.S. graduate needs 1,740 hours earned under ACPE's Standards 2016 (the IPPE/APPE curriculum). A foreign graduate needs 1,440 hours of supervised U.S. practice, and up to 500 hours of related experience may be credited (R156-17b-303b). The preceptor documents the hours and evaluates the intern's performance (R156-17b-606(4)). Failing to keep or report accurate training hours is unprofessional conduct (R156-17b-502(20)).

What an intern may do

Under R156-17b-602, an intern may provide services, including the practice of pharmacy, under a preceptor's supervision. Many Utah statutes name "pharmacist or pharmacy intern" together. Supervised interns may:

• receive and reduce to writing oral prescriptions (§ 58-17b-602(3); R156-17b-612(2));
• counsel patients and answer questions about prescription drugs (R156-17b-610(5));
• make generic substitutions (§ 58-17b-605) and emergency refills (§ 58-17b-608);
• transfer prescriptions (R156-17b-612(5));
• dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives under the statewide standing order after completing the required training (R156-17b-621b); and
• administer vaccines by delegation from a pharmacist who provides direct on-site supervision under the Vaccine Administration Protocol.

An intern may not be the pharmacist-in-charge. The PIC must be a Utah-licensed pharmacist (§ 58-17b-612(1)(a)). An intern may also not further delegate vaccine administration to anyone else.

Preceptors (R156-17b-606)

Qualifications

A pharmacist preceptor must:

1. hold an active, good-standing pharmacist license in the jurisdiction where precepting; and
2. have practiced actively as a licensed pharmacist for at least one year immediately before the internship, in any jurisdiction.

A pharmacist newly licensed in Utah who practiced for three years in Colorado can precept right away. A pharmacist in the first year after initial licensure cannot.

Supervision and ratios

• The preceptor provides general supervision for intern activities, but must ensure direct, on-site supervision whenever the intern administers vaccines under the Vaccine Administration Protocol.
• The preceptor must ensure the internship as a whole is safe and meets generally recognized standards.
• The preceptor is responsible for the intern's pharmacy-related actions while the intern practices under the preceptor's supervision.
• Practicing with an inappropriate intern ratio is unprofessional conduct for both the pharmacist and the pharmacy (R156-17b-502(12)).

Comparison: intern vs. technician vs. pharmacist

Exam strategy

When a question describes an intern, check three things. First, is the preceptor qualified (active license where precepting, plus one year of licensed practice anywhere)? Second, is the ratio right (two per shift, five at outreach events)? Third, is the supervision level right (general supervision, but direct on-site supervision for vaccine administration)? Finally, remember that the intern license is not renewable. It may only be extended, and it must be surrendered within 60 days once the intern no longer qualifies.