Recognition of Third Country Pharmacist Qualification as a Qualification Appropriate for Practice in Ireland

A person holding a pharmacist qualification from a country outside of the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA) regardless of their nationality, are required to first apply to the PSI for qualification recognition. The person may then be entitled to register as a pharmacist in Ireland if he/she satisfies a number of criteria. These criteria are set out in the Pharmacy Act 2007.

The PSI is obliged to satisfy itself that a person’s education, training and qualifications are of a standard not lower than the standard of those necessary to practice in Ireland. In order for the PSI to determine whether a person with a Third Country qualification holds a qualification appropriate for practice in Ireland, a four stage process is in place, known as the “Recognition of a Third Country qualification as a qualification appropriate for practice in Ireland”.

The Third Country Qualification Recognition process is for Non-EU qualified pharmacists who have obtained a qualification as a pharmacist from a Non-EU/EEA country, regardless of their nationality.

Please be aware that a 5 year bachelor degree program is the minimum requirement of education and training in order to apply for registration with the PSI.  In order to be eligible to apply for registration with the PSI as a non-EU/EEA trained pharmacist, the 5 year course must comprise of at least one of the following.

1.     4 years academic + 1 year practical training

You can apply for registration if you have four years of full-time theoretical and practical training at a university or at a higher institute of a level recognised as equivalent, or under the supervision of a university. You must also have carried out a 12 month traineeship under the direct supervision of a tutor pharmacist in a community pharmacy which is open to the public or in a pharmacy department of a hospital.

Or

2.     4 ½ years academic + 6 months practical training

You can apply for registration if you have a six month traineeship which must have been completed under the direct supervision of a tutor pharmacist, in a community pharmacy business open to the public or in a pharmacy department of a hospital. This must be in conjunction with at least 4.5 years of full-time theoretical and practical training at a university or recognised equivalent.

One year or 6 month training must have been undertaken as part of your qualification that entitles you to practice as a qualified pharmacist and prior to you being entitled to practice in an independent and unsupervised capacity. It must have included the specified amount of time dealing with patients in either a community or hospital pharmacy setting. Any other setting will not be accepted for the third country qualification recognition process.

Please contact the Registration Unit by email or phone (+353) (0)1 2184000 with any queries you may have.

Additional Information