Can a pharmacy technician become a pharmacist without starting from the first year? Sometimes: the university assesses the vocational education and checks which subjects correspond to its pharmacy programme. In our experience universities in Ukraine and Georgia admit such people, to pharmacy or to another medical programme. We describe the general rules for pharmacy in the article Graduate entry pharmacy abroad.
Key points
- In our experience a pharmacy technician starts pharmacy or another medical programme only in Ukraine and Georgia. The university decides from which year after comparing the documents; pharmacy is entered at the fourth year at the highest in our experience, and nobody can guarantee this.
- Pharmacy in Ukraine is an undivided master’s programme of 300 ECTS credits and five years. At Tbilisi State Medical University the programme in English is a four-year bachelor’s degree of 240 ECTS credits.
- The programme document in Tbilisi does not describe transfers or the recognition of prior learning, so we agree the rules of entry to a later year with the university.
- Start with your school diploma and the list of subjects with hours: send them to us and we will check where it makes sense.
What the university assesses in a pharmacy technician’s diploma
The university does not assess the profession, only the documents. The programme of a technician is shorter and different from the pharmacy programme, so the university checks which subjects of the school diploma correspond to its programme. Pharmacy in Ukraine is an undivided master’s programme of 300 ECTS credits and five years, with placements of at least 30 credits (we describe it in a separate article). Prepare:
- the diploma of the school you completed and the list of subjects with hours;
- descriptions of the subjects (syllabi), if the school issues them;
- translations of the documents: Tbilisi State Medical University writes on the page of required documents that all documents must be translated into Georgian and certified by a notary in two original copies.
What Tbilisi State Medical University publishes
Below is the pharmacy programme in English at Tbilisi State Medical University, a university in our offer in Georgia.
| University | What it publishes |
|---|---|
| Tbilisi State Medical University, pharmacy in English | The “Pharmacy Bachelor’s Program” is a bachelor’s degree (Bachelor of Pharmacy): four years (eight semesters), 240 ECTS credits, taught in English. Enrolment in the programme is carried out by the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia. The document does not describe transfers, the recognition of prior learning or admission to a later semester or year. A graduate can work in practical pharmacy or continue to a master’s degree. |
Since the document does not describe admission to a later semester or year, whether and from which year the university will admit a technician is agreed with it on the basis of your documents.
Ukraine and Georgia: our experience
In our experience a pharmacy technician can choose among universities in two countries: Ukraine and Georgia. These are not guarantees: the university decides on admission and on the year.
- Ukraine. A pharmacy technician starts pharmacy or another medical programme; the university decides after comparing the documents, and pharmacy is entered at the fourth year at the highest in our experience.
- Georgia. The same: pharmacy or another medical programme, the university decides after comparing the documents. Remember the translations into Georgian certified by a notary.
Tip
Ask your school for the list of subjects with hours and the descriptions of the subjects before you send the documents: they show the university which subjects correspond to its programme.
Step by step
- Send your documents Send us a scan of your school diploma, the list of subjects with hours and the descriptions of the subjects. The consultation and the assessment of documents are free.
- Choosing a university From the universities in Ukraine and Georgia we work with we choose those that can consider your diploma and tell you which year and which costs are realistic.
- Application We prepare the request for the recognition of subjects, the translations and the deadlines, and where needed also the entrance exam.
- The university’s decision The university recognises subjects and names the year of entry. It may also set additional subjects to catch up on.
- Departure We help with tuition, the visa where one is needed, accommodation and travel.
- Studies from a higher year Your adviser stays with you until graduation. This care is free for students because it is sponsored by the universities we have agreements with.
Pros and cons of a shortened route
Pros
- If the university recognises the subjects from the school you have fewer years to complete than on the full programme; how many is decided by the university.
- Subjects that the university recognises count as completed, so you do not repeat that material.
Cons
- You have no guarantee of the year or of admission: the university may recognise fewer subjects than you expect.
- A technician has fewer universities to choose from: in our experience only Ukraine and Georgia, and the programme in Tbilisi does not describe admission to a later year.
- Studies from a higher year still last several years, so you need to plan living costs and tuition for that time.
After graduation: the right to practise
Where you can work as a pharmacist depends on the country where you graduate and the country where you want to work. The pharmacy programme in Tbilisi says that a bachelor’s graduate can work in practical pharmacy or continue to a master’s degree. We check the rules of recognition of the diploma with you before you choose a university.
Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacy technician become a pharmacist?
Yes, through pharmacy studies. In our experience a technician starts pharmacy or another medical programme in Ukraine or Georgia; pharmacy is entered at the fourth year at the highest. The university decides on admission and on the year, and there is no guarantee.
From which year of pharmacy can I start?
The university sets this after comparing the documents. The programmes differ: pharmacy in Ukraine has 300 ECTS credits and five years, and the bachelor’s degree in Tbilisi 240 ECTS credits and four years. The programme in Tbilisi does not describe admission to a later semester or year, so we agree this with the university.
Can a pharmacy technician study in Poland or another EU country?
In our experience pharmacy technicians join pharmacy only in Ukraine and Georgia. On the pages of the EU universities in our offer that we read we did not find rules for technicians from a vocational school.
How many years of study will be left after joining a higher year?
As many as remain until the end of the programme. Pharmacy in Ukraine lasts five years, so after joining the fourth year you have two years ahead of you, but the university may add subjects to catch up on.
How much does your help with entering a higher year cost?
The consultation and the assessment of documents are free. We set the price of a transfer and of admission to a higher year individually because it depends on the case. Care during the studies is free for our students because it is sponsored by the universities we have agreements with.
Read also: graduate entry pharmacy abroad, pharmacy studies in Ukraine and from dental technician to dentist. You can find all the universities in the list of universities.
Official sources
Vragen over studeren in het buitenland?
Een adviseur van Edumetric beantwoordt je vragen en stelt een lijst met universiteiten en kosten voor je op. Het adviesgesprek is gratis.