Students seeking provisional registration urged to apply online now

14 Oct 2016

Pharmacy students who will soon complete an approved program of study can go online now to apply for provisional registration before they graduate.

In addition to making an online application for provisional registration, graduates must lodge a separate application for approval of supervised practice. They cannot start supervised practice (internship) until both of these applications have been received and then approved by the Pharmacy Board of Australia (the Board) which can take place once the education provider has advised that the student is eligible to graduate.

Completion of a Board-approved period of supervised practice during provisional registration is one of the requirements that must be met in order to be eligible for general registration as a pharmacist in Australia at the end of the internship period.

After both applications have been lodged, graduates must check the national register of practitioners to confirm they hold provisional registration and that their supervised practice details have been recorded in the notations field on the register before undertaking any supervised practice.

Graduates must meet the Board’s registration requirements to be a registered pharmacist.

Registration standards that relate to the new graduate are:

• criminal history 
• English language skills 
• professional indemnity insurance, and 
• supervised practice arrangements.

The online graduate application service on the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) website helps to smooth the path from study to work by enabling students to apply for registration four to six weeks before completing their course.

All applicants for provisional registration must send some supporting documents to AHPRA by mail to complete their application as well as an application for approval of supervised practice. AHPRA sends applicants a Next steps checklist email to help with this step after an online application is received. If supporting documents are not supplied within 30 days of when a graduate applies online their application may be withdrawn.

A short, animated video for pharmacy graduates is published on the Board's website. It outlines the standards that must be met to become registered and also the professional standards expected of the pharmacy profession in order to stay registered.

Final-year students are encouraged to find out how to use the online graduate application service by accessing the information on the AHPRA website under Graduate applications.

How to apply for registration

There are three simple steps to registration for graduates:

1. Students fill out an online application for registration four to six weeks before completing their course. 
2. Students send supporting documents to AHPRA by mail within 30 days to complete their application, including an application for approval of supervised practice. 
3. Students wait to be contacted by AHPRA.

What happens next?

A student’s application for provisional registration and application for approval of supervised practice are assessed while AHPRA waits for the education provider to advise that the student is eligible to graduate. AHPRA contacts the student if more information is needed and/or to confirm that registration has been granted.

New graduates registered with the Board are eligible to start work as soon as their name is published on the national register and their supervised practice details have been recorded in the notations field on the register.

For more information

• Go to Graduate applications on the AHPRA website to apply online and for links to FAQ 
• For registration enquiries or difficulties in accessing the online application form: 1300 419 495 (within Australia) 
• For media enquiries: (03) 8708 9200