1. (a)

   1. (1) Any extern or intern receiving internship training practice or experience in the State of Arkansas must be licensed as an intern with the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy.
   2. (2) No credit for internship training will be allowed prior to licensure as an intern.
   3. (3) The intern license application can be obtained from the office of the board.
   4. (4) The intern license fee is specified in 17 CAR § 160-107(a)(10).

2. (b) An applicant for an intern license shall:

   1. (1) Submit an application on a form provided by the board; and

   2. (2) Have the following qualifications:

      1. (A) Be enrolled as a student in a college of pharmacy accredited by ACPE and approved by the board; or
      2. (B) Be a graduate of a foreign college of pharmacy who has obtained Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) Certification from NABP.
3. (c) All students enrolled in any college of pharmacy shall be licensed as interns by the board prior to any participation in the practice of pharmacy as defined in Arkansas Code §§ 17-92-101, 17-92-301, and 17-92-307 in Arkansas.

4. (d)

   1. (1) The intern license remains valid:

      1. (A) As long as the intern maintains active student status in a board-approved college of pharmacy; and
      2. (B) For up to six (6) months after graduation from a college of pharmacy or completion of foreign pharmacist requirements as set forth in 17 CAR § 160-401(1) upon request.
   2. (2) At this time, the intern license becomes void.
5. (e) An intern may not practice pharmacy as a graduate intern until they have met all criteria for graduate intern status.

6. (f)

   1. (1) The licensed intern’s certificate must be displayed in the drugstore or pharmacy in which the intern is being trained.
   2. (2) Licensed interns shall not be left in sole charge of the prescription department at any time.

   3. (3) Violation of this rule may result in:

      1. (A) A cancellation of any and all internship hours toward licensure that may be accrued by the pharmacy intern; and
      2. (B) Suspension, revocation, or other penalties of the:

7. (i) Pharmacist-in-charge;

   1. (ii) Supervising pharmacist; and/or

      1. (iii) Pharmacy permit.

8. (g)

   1. (1) For graduates of a foreign college of pharmacy, the first five hundred (500) hours of pharmacy practice as a pharmacy intern, for each pharmacy setting where an intern practices pharmacy, the intern shall complete and file with the board office, prior to any practice, a "Training Plan" that is signed by the pharmacist-in-charge for that particular work situation.
   2. (2) Prior to completion of the first five hundred (500) hours of practical experience, the pharmacy intern may only work under the direct supervision of a certified preceptor.

   3. (3) Hours of practical experience:

      1. (A) Include only those hours worked under the direct supervision of a preceptor; and
      2. (B) May not exceed forty (40) hours per week.
   4. (4) The pharmacist-in-charge must approve and verify, by signing the affidavit of experience, that the intern has earned their hours of practical experience under the direct supervision of a certified preceptor.
   5. (5) Training plans shall expire on May 31 of each year.
   6. (6) Interns must file affidavits of experience prior to the expiration date of their training plan to get credit for these hours with the board.

9. (h)

   1. (1) An intern may practice pharmacy in any Class A pharmacy under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist provided that the intern notifies the board:

      1. (A) In writing of his or her employment as a pharmacy intern within five (5) days of starting to work in any pharmacy; and
      2. (B) Of any change in his or her employment for any reason within five (5) days of the change.

   2. (2)

      1. (A) Notification:

         1. (i) Is made in writing by letter, fax, email, or through the board website; and
         2. (ii) Must contain the:
10. (a) (a) Name of the intern;

11. (b) (b) Name and address of the pharmacy; and

    1. (c) (c) Date of hire or date of change in employment.

       1. (B) It is the intern’s responsibility to verify that the notification has been received and processed by the board.

          1. (i) Participation in a school or college of pharmacy curriculum extern or clerkship program, approved by the board, will be credited week-for-week as training.
12. (j) The board will not approve applicants for the NAPLEX until the applicant has provided proof of graduation from a college of pharmacy approved by the board or proof of completion of foreign pharmacist requirements as set forth in 17 CAR § 160-304(b).

13. (k)

    1. (1) A graduate intern:

       1. (A) May practice pharmacy in the State of Arkansas under the supervision of a pharmacist in a Class A pharmacy; and
       2. (B) Will not count in the pharmacist-to-support staff ratio.
    2. (2) A graduate intern must sit for the NAPLEX within six (6) months of the date of graduation.

    3. (3) If a graduate intern sits for the NAPLEX and does not make a passing grade, the graduate intern will:

       1. (A) Be reduced to intern status; and

       2. (B) Once again count in the pharmacist-to-support staff ratio.

          1. (l) After presenting satisfactory proof of either graduation and receipt of the first professional undergraduate degree from an ACPE-accredited college of pharmacy approved by the board or Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee (FPGEC) Certification from NABP and submitting an affidavit of two thousand (2,000) hours of practical experience or training under board-approved conditions, the intern may be designated as a candidate suitable for full licensure if other conditions have been met.
          2. (m)
    4. (1) If the pharmacy intern is suspected to have, or evidence exists that a pharmacy intern may have violated any law or rule regarding the practice of pharmacy, legend drugs, or controlled substances, the preceptor shall notify the board in writing, within ten (10) days or immediately, if any danger to the public health or safety may exist.
    5. (2) Any other pharmacist, whether or not practicing in the same pharmacy, who has such knowledge or suspicion shall notify the board in a like manner.

14. (n)

    1. (1) The board may revoke, suspend, or refuse to issue a license, or impose other appropriate penalties pursuant to Arkansas Code § 17-92-315 against an intern for any of the acts or offenses set forth in Arkansas Code § 17-92-311.
    2. (2) The provisions of 17 CAR § 160-601 regarding unprofessional or dishonorable conduct shall be applicable to interns, and all references therein to “pharmacist” shall be construed as “intern” for purposes of this subsection.
    3. (3) The procedures set forth in Arkansas Code § 17-92-313 and board rules applicable to disciplinary proceedings against pharmacists shall be applicable to any proceeding against an intern in this subsection.

Codification Notes: This section as promulgated prior to codification into the Code of Arkansas Rules provided as follows: “(Revised 6/22/84, 4/07/89, 6/20/91, 4/10/92, 10/2004, 11/13/2006, 11/1/2007, 7/10/2009, 8/31/2011, and 8/1/2020)" "ACPE" means the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education. "NABP" means the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. "NAPLEX" means the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination.