The practice of pharmacy is more than just counting out the right amount of a drug for a prescription. The Texas Pharmacy Act governs the practice of pharmacy and defines it as:

(a) providing an act or service necessary to provide pharmaceutical care;

(b) interpreting or evaluating a prescription drug order or medication order;

(c) participating in drug or device selection as authorized by law, and participating in drug administration, drug regimen review, or drug or drug-related research;

(d) providing patient counseling;

(e) being responsible for:

(i) dispensing a prescription drug order or distributing a medication order;

(ii) compounding or labeling a drug and device other than by a manufacturer, repackager, or distributor of a nonprescription drug or commercially packaged prescription drug or device;

(iii) properly and safely storing a drug or device; or

(iv) maintaining proper records for a drug or device;

(f) performing for a patient a specific act of drug therapy management delegated to a pharmacist by a written protocol from a physician licensed in this state in compliance with Subtitle B; or

(g) administering an immunization or vaccination under a physician’s written protocol.

Pharmaceutical Care is defined as the provision of drug therapy and other pharmaceutical services defined by board rule and intended to assist in curing or preventing a disease, eliminating or reducing a patient's symptoms, or arresting or slowing a disease process.

How does a person become a licensed pharmacist in Texas?

A person must:

(a) graduate from a college of pharmacy with an accredited Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy (BS) or Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) degree (note: a minimum of five years is required to receive the BS degree and usually six years for the Pharm D). Graduates of a foreign college of pharmacy must show that their pharmacy education meets U.S. standards by passing the foreign pharmacy graduate equivalency exam;

(b) complete an internship of 1,500 hours; and

(c) pass a licensure examination given by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, which includes the subjects of chemistry, mathematics, pharmacy, pharmacology, practice of pharmacy, and pharmacy law.

An applicant for licensure must also be at least 18 years of age and of good moral character.

What does R.Ph. mean?

R.Ph. is an abbreviation for registered pharmacist and means that the person is registered or licensed by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy and is authorized to practice pharmacy in Texas. The pharmacist must be currently registered by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to practice pharmacy in the state of Texas.

Is a pharmacist required to take continuing education courses after becoming licensed?

Yes. A pharmacist is required to complete 30 hours of pharmacy continuing education courses every two years in order to renew the pharmacist license.

Can a pharmacist from another state practice pharmacy in Texas?

No. The pharmacist must first obtain a license to practice pharmacy in Texas. Pharmacists may transfer their license from another state to Texas through a process called reciprocity.

The reciprocity applicant must meet the same age, educational, and examination requirements that are met by Texas pharmacists. In addition, the reciprocity applicant must pass an examination on Texas pharmacy law.