These standards set out the knowledge, skills, understanding and professional behaviours a student and/or trainee pharmacist must demonstrate to pass their initial education and training and to join the professional register.
Being a pharmacist is a rewarding career that helps to make a positive difference to the lives of patients. To qualify as a pharmacist, it takes a minimum of five years and combines study and paid employment.
If you want to become a pharmacist, there are a series of steps you must take:
- Successful completion of an accredited Master of Pharmacy degree (MPharm) , which is a full-time course, normally over four years.
- Successful completion of the foundation training year, in one or more sectors.
- Successful completion of our registration assessment.
- Meeting our criteria for registration as a pharmacist in Great Britain.
If you follow education and training which meets the 2021 IETP standards below, you will become an independent prescriber when you register.
If you want to become an independent prescriber and have not followed this route, you must take an accredited independent prescribing course - find out more below.
Standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists
Criteria for registration
The criteria sets out the steps you must take to be eligible to register as a pharmacist in Great Britain, once you have completed your initial education and training.
Reporting concerns about education and training
Anyone can raise a concern about the quality of GPhC-approved pharmacy education and training.
Courses and qualifications
Find out more about and search for MPharm and OSPAP accredited courses.
Registration assessment
All you need to know about the registration assessment.
Foundation training
Find out all about the foundation year - information for applicants and current trainees.
Independent prescribing
Find out more about becoming an independent prescriber (IP) after registering as a pharmacist.
More information
You can find out more about a career in pharmacy from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
Royal Pharmaceutical Society website
British Pharmaceutical Students' Association is the student association which promotes the interests and welfare of pharmacy students and trainees.
Notify us of a concern about a trainee
We have created an online form for you to notify us of serious concerns about Foundation trainees or Pharmacy Technician trainees.