Experiential education comprises approximately one-third of the curriculum at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (the School). Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences (IPPEs) and Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) require students to be actively involved in patient care and to perform the duties of a pharmacist in a variety of environments.
California Pharmacy Law (California Code of Regulations [CCR] Title 16, Section 1793.1) states that only a pharmacist, or an intern pharmacist under the supervision of a pharmacist, may perform the duties of a pharmacist. There is no allowance made in the law for student pharmacists who are not properly licensed with the California State Board of Pharmacy (the Board) to perform these functions.
In accordance with the California Business and Professions Code and the California Code of Regulations, the following policy is placed into effect.
Pre-Matriculation Requirements:
All students upon matriculation to the School must have successfully obtained an Intern Pharmacist License from the Board. The Intern Pharmacist License applications will be submitted in bulk to the Board by the School on a schedule provided to all incoming students during their pre-matriculation onboarding process. It is the student’s responsibility to complete the application as directed and follow up with any subsequent requirements issued by the School and/or the Board to ensure successful licensure. Upon receipt of the Intern Pharmacist License from the Board, students must provide a copy of the license to the School as directed during their pre-matriculation onboarding process. The license will be maintained in the student’s official file.
Students who fail to apply to the Board for an Intern Pharmacist License in a timely manner and/or are not licensed before matriculation may be considered in violation of the School’s Guidelines on the Evaluation of Professionalism. This determination will depend on the specific circumstances, which should be clearly communicated by the student to the School as early as possible. Following a review of the circumstances, the student’s offer of admission may be deferred or rescinded. If the student is permitted to matriculate without successful licensure, their placement into IPPEs may be delayed until licensure is complete, which may delay their progression in the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum.
Students who are denied an Intern Pharmacist License by the Board are unable to meet the requirements for completion of the Doctor of Pharmacy degree and will have their offer of admission to the School rescinded. This admissions decision will remain in effect even if the student chooses to appeal the Board’s denial and is ultimately successful. Students whose appeals are successful may be eligible to reapply to the School during a future application cycle. The School reserves the right to evaluate individual cases and consider exceptions at its discretion, in accordance with applicable laws and institutional policies.
Post-Matriculation Requirements:
Students whose licenses have been suspended or revoked by the Board are unable to meet the requirements for completion of the Doctor of Pharmacy degree and are subject to disciplinary action, which may include dismissal. Upon notification of suspension or revocation of an Intern Pharmacist License, the School will contact the Board and request the cause for the action. The student will not be permitted to begin IPPEs/APPEs. If a student is currently at an experiential training site, they will be removed from participation in IPPE or APPE activities until the School is notified by the Board that the Intern Pharmacist License is active and in good standing. Additionally, students with a suspended or revoked license will not be permitted to participate in any activities that require an active Intern Pharmacist License, such as Service-Learning IPPEs or community outreach events involving direct patient care.
The School’s Academic Oversight Committee (the Committee) will then convene to review the circumstances surrounding the Board’s decision to suspend or revoke the student’s license in accordance with the Policy on Student Academic Probation and Dismissal to determine appropriate next steps. If, in the opinion of the Committee, the action of the Board is without adequate cause, the School will support the student in an appeal to the Board. If the Committee determines that there is adequate cause for the Board action, the student will be subject to disciplinary action by the School depending on which action the Board has taken. If the Board has suspended the license, the student will be suspended until such time as the Board reinstates the license, subject to the School’s Time Limits, Leaves, Withdrawals, Dismissals, Readmission and Transfer Policy. If the Board has revoked the license, the student will be dismissed. The student will be notified in writing within 5 business days of the decision of the Committee. Within 5 business days of reception of a notification, the student may appeal, in writing, to the Dean. The only basis of appeal is the provision of additional information, not previously provided, that may support an appeal to the Board. The Dean will render a decision, in writing, within 10 business days of receipt from the student of the written appeal. The decision of the Dean will be final.
If an appeal of suspension or revocation of a license has been submitted and considered by the Board and denied, the student will accordingly be suspended or dismissed from the School. There will be no appeal for this decision.
Updated 12/19/2025