# U.S. Pharmacist in need of a favor......



## vaughndk (Sep 21, 2010)

Hello:

I have been a pharmacist in the United States for nearly 12 years. I've worked in the hospital setting but for the last several years I've worked in a community pharmacy. My wife and I travel to Europe twice a year and always go back to the same places (Barcelona, Marseilles, and Lucca (Italy)). It is our dream to move to Europe, even if it's for a short time and I've heard of how difficult it is to move there and gain citizenship status, but I feel anything good is worth a challenge. I've also heard that certain professions are 'in need' in foreign countries and sometimes gaining citizenship is easier based on your profession.

What I am trying to find out is what are the requirements for a pharmacist, from the United States, to work in Italy, Spain, or France. Here in the United States it's not all that difficult for a pharmacist from another country to work here. They basically have to show that they've attended a pharmacy program and take the state boards, and of course know English. I have searched everywhere online and cannot find what the requirements are for me to be able to work as a pharmacist in these countries. I am fairly fluent in Italian and Spanish so that wouldn't be an issue for me.

I need a favor from someone already living in Spain. Could someone please help me find out what the requirements are for a pharmacist from the United States to be able to work in Spain? I don't know if asking a local pharmacist/druggist would help, or if they would be able to provide some contact information to the department who handles pharmacist licenses.

If you need any information, please let me know and thank you in advance.

Sincerely
David


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## Alcalaina (Aug 6, 2010)

Hi David. I have found this site which appears to be the portal for Spanish 'farmaceuticos' :

Portalfarma.com. Portal de farmacia. Información para farmacéuticos

They might be able to give you the specific advice you need.


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## djfwells (Sep 28, 2009)

vaughndk said:


> Hello:
> 
> I have been a pharmacist in the United States for nearly 12 years. I've worked in the hospital setting but for the last several years I've worked in a community pharmacy. My wife and I travel to Europe twice a year and always go back to the same places (Barcelona, Marseilles, and Lucca (Italy)). It is our dream to move to Europe, even if it's for a short time and I've heard of how difficult it is to move there and gain citizenship status, but I feel anything good is worth a challenge. I've also heard that certain professions are 'in need' in foreign countries and sometimes gaining citizenship is easier based on your profession.
> 
> ...


As a qualified Pharmacist WITH EXPERIENCE of working in your country of qualification, you need to apply to have your qualification validated and recognised here in Spain.

For your particular industry you need to make contact with :

Ministerio de Educación y Cultura
Subdirección General de Títulos, Convalidaciones y Homologaciones
Paseo del Prado, 28. 4ª planta, 
28014 Madrid
Tel: 0034 917 018 500
E-mail : informació[email protected] 

You will also need to supply proof of nationality together with your professional qualification, officially translated into Spanish ( Contact your nearest Spanish Consular office for details of their approved sworn translators ).


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## vaughndk (Sep 21, 2010)

djfwells said:


> As a qualified Pharmacist WITH EXPERIENCE of working in your country of qualification, you need to apply to have your qualification validated and recognised here in Spain.
> 
> For your particular industry you need to make contact with :
> 
> ...


THANK YOU very much.

Sincerely
David


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## Guest (Sep 26, 2010)

vaughndk said:


> THANK YOU very much.
> 
> Sincerely
> David



David, 

Please note that the legalization of your degree (if it goes through) takes a long time. I've been waiting six months now for a very simple legalization of my bachelor's degree. 

Best of luck!


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## Farma10 (Jul 10, 2013)

*Praying you still check your messages*

Vaughndk,

I am in my 3rd year of pharmacy school and feel the exact same way as you in regards to Spain being awesome and the US being kind of boring. My wife and I also feel like we belong there. 

I am wondering what you were able to find out in regards to working in Spain as a pharmacist? I would literally do anything to be able to live in Spain and am not sure how to make it happen.

My wife is Mexican and fluent in Spanish and I am fluent-ish (a couple month brush-up and I should be good to go over there) so language wouldn't be a problem (except catalan, maybe). I am just praying that you still check this thing and can help me out.

Thanks!

Tyler


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Farma10 said:


> Vaughndk,
> 
> I am in my 3rd year of pharmacy school and feel the exact same way as you in regards to Spain being awesome and the US being kind of boring. My wife and I also feel like we belong there.
> 
> Tyler



I will tell you the same thing I tell my friends when they say Spain must be exciting:

Same s***, different country. 

This is especially true if you're young and must work. Except here, unemployment is through the roof and mortgages are tough to get. This is not the place to come if you think your home country is simply "boring." Of course the place you travel to is exciting when you're on vacation. However, from my point of view, if you have to work it's tougher here than back home because you earn less and work is very hard to find. 

That's imagining you can even get legal permission to live *AND* work in the country.


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## 213979 (Apr 11, 2013)

Since I can't edit my previous post I feel I should add that, if you're wondering, the only reason I am legally here and can work is that I'm married to a local. Otherwise, unless you can get an American company to hire you and bring you over OR you are independently wealthy, it's tough to get permission to live and work here. I have friends who have been here for three years on student visas who desperately want to live and work here but they can't find a legal way to stay.


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