| (a) Goals and competency objectives of internship.
(1) The goal of internship is for the pharmacist-intern
to attain the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely, efficiently,
and effectively provide pharmacist-delivered patient care to a diverse
patient population and practice pharmacy under the laws and regulations
of the State of Texas.
(2) The following competency objectives are necessary
to accomplish the goal of internship in paragraph (1) of this subsection.
(A) Provides drug products. The pharmacist-intern shall
demonstrate competence in determining the appropriateness of prescription
drug orders and medication orders; evaluating and selecting products;
and assuring the accuracy of the product/prescription dispensing process.
(B) Communicates with patients and/or patients' agents
about prescription drugs. The pharmacist-intern shall demonstrate
competence in interviewing and counseling patients, and/or the patients'
agents, on drug usage, dosage, packaging, routes of administration,
intended drug use, and storage; discussing drug cautions, adverse
effects, and patient conditions; explaining policies on fees and services;
relating to patients in a professional manner; and interacting to
confirm patient understanding.
(C) Communicates with patients and/or patients' agents
about nonprescription products, devices, dietary supplements, diet,
nutrition, traditional nondrug therapies, complementary and alternative
therapies, and diagnostic aids. The pharmacist-intern shall demonstrate
competence in interviewing and counseling patients and/or patients'
agents on conditions, intended drug use, and adverse effects; assisting
in and recommending drug selection; triaging and assessing the need
for treatment or referral, including referral for a patient seeking
pharmacist-guided self-care; providing information on medical/surgical
devices and home diagnostic products; and providing poison control
treatment information and referral.
(D) Communicates with healthcare professionals and
patients and/or patients' agents. The pharmacist-intern shall demonstrate
competence in obtaining and providing accurate and concise information
in a professional manner and using appropriate oral, written, and
nonverbal language.
(E) Practices as a member of the patient's interdisciplinary
healthcare team. The pharmacist-intern shall demonstrate competence
in collaborating with physicians, other healthcare professionals,
patients, and/or patients' agents to formulate a therapeutic plan.
The pharmacist-intern shall demonstrate competence in establishing
and interpreting data-bases, identifying drug-related problems and
recommending appropriate pharmacotherapy specific to patient needs,
monitoring and evaluating patient outcomes, and devising follow-up
plans.
(F) Maintains professional-ethical standards. The pharmacist-intern
is required to comply with laws and regulations pertaining to pharmacy
practice; to apply professional judgment; to exhibit reliability and
credibility in dealing with others; to deal professionally and ethically
with colleagues and patients; to demonstrate sensitivity and empathy
for patients/care givers; and to maintain confidentiality.
(G) Compounds. The pharmacist-intern shall demonstrate
competence in using acceptable professional procedures; selecting
appropriate equipment and containers; appropriately preparing compounded
non-sterile and sterile preparations; and documenting calculations
and procedures. Pharmacist-interns engaged in compounding non-sterile
preparations shall meet the training requirements for pharmacists
specified in §291.131 of this title (relating to Pharmacies Compounding
Non-sterile Preparations). Pharmacist-interns engaged in compounding
sterile preparations shall meet the training requirements for pharmacists
specified in §291.133 of this title (relating to Pharmacies Compounding
Sterile Preparations).
(H) Retrieves and evaluates drug information. The pharmacist-intern
shall demonstrate competence in retrieving, evaluating, managing,
and using the best available clinical and scientific publications
for answering a drug-related request in a timely fashion and assessing,
evaluating, and applying evidence based information to promote optimal
health care. The pharmacist-intern shall perform investigations on
relevant topics in order to promote inquiry and problem-solving with
dissemination of findings to the healthcare community and/or the public.
(I) Manages general pharmacy operations. The pharmacist-intern
shall develop a general understanding of planning, personnel and fiscal
management, leadership skills, and policy development. The pharmacist-intern
shall have an understanding of drug security, storage and control
procedures and the regulatory requirements associated with these procedures,
and maintaining quality assurance and performance improvement. The
pharmacist-intern shall observe and document discrepancies and irregularities,
keep accurate records and document actions. The pharmacist-intern
shall attend meetings requiring pharmacy representation.
(J) Participates in public health, community service
or professional activities. The pharmacist-intern shall develop basic
knowledge and skills needed to become an effective healthcare educator
and a responsible participant in civic and professional organizations.
(K) Demonstrates scientific inquiry. The pharmacist-intern
shall develop skills to expand and/or refine knowledge in the areas
of pharmaceutical and medical sciences or pharmaceutical services.
This may include data analysis of scientific, clinical, sociological,
and/or economic impacts of pharmaceuticals (including investigational
drugs), pharmaceutical care, and patient behaviors, with dissemination
of findings to the scientific community and/or the public.
(b) Hours requirement.
(1) The board requires 1,500 hours of internship for
licensure. These hours may be obtained through one or more of the
following methods:
(A) in a board approved student internship program,
as specified in subsection (c) of this section;
(B) in a board-approved extended-internship program
as specified in subsection (d) of this section; and/or
(C) graduation from a college/school of pharmacy after
July 1, 2007. Persons graduating from such programs shall be credited
1,500 hours or the number of hours actually obtained and reported
by the college; and/or
(D) internship hours approved and certified to the
board by another state board of pharmacy.
(2) Pharmacist-interns participating in an internship
may be credited no more than 50 hours per week of internship experience.
(3) Internship hours may be used for the purpose of
licensure for no longer than two years from the date the internship
is completed.
(c) College-/School-Based Internship Programs.
(1) Internship experience acquired by student-interns.
(A) An individual may be designated a student-intern
provided he/she:
(i) submits an application to the board that includes
the following information:
(I) name;
(II) addresses, phone numbers, date of birth, and social
security number; however, if an individual is unable to obtain a social
security number, an individual taxpayer identification number may
be provided in lieu of a social security number along with documentation
indicating why the individual is unable to obtain a social security
number;
(III) college of pharmacy and expected graduation date;
and
(IV) any other information requested on the application.
(ii) is enrolled in the professional sequence of a
college/school of pharmacy;
(iii) has successfully completed the first professional
year and obtained a minimum of 30 credit hours of work towards a professional
degree in pharmacy; and
(iv) has met all requirements necessary for the board
to access the criminal history records information, including submitting
fingerprint information and being responsible for all associated costs.
(B) The terms of the student internship shall be as
follows.
(i) The student internship shall be gained concurrent
with college attendance, which may include:
(I) partial semester breaks such as spring breaks;
(II) between semester breaks; and
(III) whole semester breaks provided the student-intern
attended the college/school in the immediate preceding semester and
is scheduled with the college/school to attend in the immediate subsequent
semester.
(ii) The student internship shall be obtained in pharmacies
licensed by the board, federal government pharmacies, or in a board-approved
program.
(iii) The student internship shall be in the presence
of and under the supervision of a healthcare professional preceptor
or a pharmacist preceptor.
(C) None of the internship hours acquired outside of
a school-based program may be substituted for any of the hours required
in a college/school of pharmacy internship program.
(2) Expiration date for student-intern designation.
(A) The student-internship expires:
(i) if the student-intern voluntarily or involuntarily
ceases enrollment, including suspension, in a college/school of pharmacy;
(ii) the student-intern fails either the NAPLEX or
Texas Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examinations specified in this section;
or
(iii) the student-intern fails to take either the NAPLEX
or Texas Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examinations or both within six calendar
months after graduation.
(B) The executive director of the board, in his/her
discretion may extend the term of the student internship if administration
of the NAPLEX or Texas Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examinations is suspended
or delayed.
(3) Texas colleges/schools of pharmacy internship programs.
(A) Intern-trainees and student-interns completing
a board-approved Texas college/school-based structured internship
shall be credited the number of hours actually obtained and reported
by the college. No credit shall be awarded for didactic experience.
(B) No more than 600 hours of the required 1,500 hours
may be obtained under a healthcare professional preceptor except when
a pharmacist-intern is working in a federal government pharmacy.
(C) Individuals enrolled in the professional sequence
of a Texas college/school of pharmacy may be designated as a intern-trainee
provided he/she:
(i) submits an application to the board that includes
the following information:
(I) name;
(II) addresses, phone numbers, date of birth, and social
security number; however, if an individual is unable to obtain a social
security number, an individual taxpayer identification number may
be provided in lieu of a social security number along with documentation
indicating why the individual is unable to obtain a social security
number;
(III) college of pharmacy and expected graduation date;
and
(IV) any other information requested on the application.
(ii) is enrolled in the professional sequence of a
college/school of pharmacy; and
(iii) has met all requirements necessary for the board
to access the criminal history records information, including submitting
fingerprint information and being responsible for all associated costs.
Such internship shall remain in effect during the time the intern-trainee
is enrolled in the first year of the professional sequence and shall
expire upon completion of the first year of the professional sequence
or upon separation from the professional sequence.
(d) Extended-internship program.
(1) A person may be designated an extended-intern provided
he/she has met one of the following requirements:
(A) passed NAPLEX and the Texas Pharmacy Jurisprudence
Examinations but lacks the required number of internship hours for
licensure;
(B) applied to the board to take the NAPLEX and Texas
Jurisprudence Examinations within six calendar months after graduation
and has:
(i) graduated and received a professional degree from
a college/school of pharmacy; or
(ii) completed all of the requirements for graduation
and receipt of a professional degree from a college/school of pharmacy;
(C) applied to the board to take the NAPLEX and Texas
Jurisprudence Examinations within six calendar months after obtaining
full certification from the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency
Commission;
(D) applied to the board for re-issuance of a pharmacist
license which has expired for more than two years but less than ten
years and has successfully passed the Texas Pharmacy Jurisprudence
Examination, but lacks the required number of hours of internship
or continuing education required for licensure;
(E) is a resident in a residency program accredited
by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists in the state
of Texas; or
(F) been ordered by the Board to complete an internship.
(2) In addition to meeting one of the requirements
in paragraph (1) of this subsection, an applicant for an extended-internship
must:
(A) submit an application to the board that includes
the following information:
(i) name;
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