Hi Guys,
I am a Pharmacist. I recently cleared all my exams of PEBC and am officially a licensed pharmacist in Canada now.
I have been observing this forum, and specifically this very post since over 2 years. And I specifically want to explain what I felt, what this post did to me, what this post helped me with, and what this post didn't help me with.
Dear Akrum66,
I can understand how hard and difficult it must have been for you. We all are in this together.
You said this exam is tough, I agreed.
You said this exam is very very tough, I agreed.
But when you said we need to raise voice against PEBC etc, I ignored the comment believing that you are in anger right now. Maybe you are hurt and you needed to ventilate yourself.
Comes today, 2016 and we sit in July. I saw your last comment in April 2016. and I had to change my opinion.
You were not angry in 2013. If it was, it would have withered away by now.
Dear Akrum66. Please, please, please stop spreading word of hatred. Stop spreading the word of double standards, stop spreading the word of racism. When you say "skilled and well-educated immigrants typically underemployed in their professions and earn less than equally educated Canadians", this is blatant blaming and mug slinging bro.
I am an immigrant too. I landed here last year, in 2015 may. Before coming down here, I have been reading all forums online and I came across this post several times. (as it is one of the first page google search results). Believe me, if you may, this post did nothing more than discouraging, planting seed of hatred in my heart, absorb negative thoughts and feelings.
Canada is a beautiful country, with loving people. Good and bad are everywhere. I faced hardships with people too, calling me a terrorist only because of my religion, even though I have never hurt an insect in my life. The point I am coming to is, absorb the love here, and ignore the hatred. The glaring example of love of Canadians is the open arms with which they have always allowed immigration policies to be so soft compared to many other countries. In just one year of mine here, I have noticed that unlike many other countries, Canada is trying their utmost best to maintain the quality of not only education, but healthcare beyond your imagination. (The two professions which relate to our topic of discussion here).
Your original complaint was valid to an extent that the exam is too tough and one feels that there is a lack of proper guidance as to what is needed to be done to meet Canadian standards. I agree. But our incompetence cannot be mistaken as brutality by people trying to maintain Canadian standards. But as I read in your April 2016 comment, your basic and genuine complaint as turned into a tragedy of racism, then please my friend, you need to change your thinking now.
PEBC exams are tough, as they should be. I am an IPG (international pharmacy graduate) just like you are. I found that there is not way around all three PEBC exams, and I learnt it the hard way, just like many of us. Don't blame PEBC for maintaining their high standards. Blame if you have to, our previous educational systems we come from.
Yes you are right, many of people failing left right and middle are those who are PhDs also, are teachers back home. That doesn't necessarily mean that their knowledge is going to help them get through a Canadian Exam. PEBC expects of you a certain way of applying knowledge. Every single one of their MCQ or OSCE case is taken from a real life situation in a real pharmacy in Canada. If you say that's tough and unfair, yes bro, life is tough and unfair since these cases happen in everyday real pharmacies. All they want from you is to make sure you are ready for that.
Who cares, brother, who cares if people like us are ready for it or not, if people like us got to know about the depth of the water after immigrating here or before. And why should anyone be. Canada needs experts in their fields, not half experts, or those who are experts elsewhere. I might be a pharmacist in my home country, but I am not until Iam licensed here. and it makes perfect sense, no ifs and buts. If Iam not licensed here, I have to find my own living, be it sweeping floors, be it a diaper cleaner. Thats life. Thats life indeed with its own harsh truth of so called toughness and unfairness.
I cleared my EE in first attempt, I cleared my OSCE in first attempt, and it took me 3 tries to clear the MCQ exam. I am proud of the fact that I NEVER TOUCHED ANY OLD PEBC EXAMS which I know many people do. And here is what I have learnt. "There is not shortcut".
Please please please, to all out there reading this post. This exam indeed looks like a mountain to cross, but it isn't impossible. All you need is dedication and honest sincere effort. I studied 3 months for EE in my home country. I came on a visit visa to give the exam. I refered to CPR for EE. I migrated here. I studied 1 month for OSCE and MCQ (attempted together). I cleared OSCE somehow and failed mcq exam. Then I got busy with internship, jurisprudence, first aid, injection training, etc etc. I was over confident. I studied for Nov-15 exam only one month. I failed again.
I realized there is no short cut. You have to, have to, have to sit down for it, make a plan and follow it. I sat down for 3 continous months, left nothing to chance, and I cleared my exam of May this year. I used TC, CTMA and CPS as my initial resources and then I used lots of primary literature of real clinical trials etc.
If you are a pharmacist, aspiring to get Canadian license, its not going to happen through a magic wand, or a magic book (I have heard people call Misbah's book as the magic book, its utter bullshit, with not disrespect to Dr Misbah, he is a learned scholar, his intention is helping, unfortunately people misuse his notes). So, there is no magic book.
The most intriguing fact of the matter is, once you get the license, you feel like "Phew, I have done it." entirely oblivious to the fact that it isn't the end. It is just the beginning my friend, just the beginning. If you have your mindset offset to negative mode from the EE stage itself, then what about MCQs, OSCE, juri, first aid, inj training, clinical review courses, lab work courses, smoking cessation courses, and ABOVE ALL, WHAT ABOUT YOUR DAY TO DAY PHARMACY ACTIVITIES!!!!
Do you actually plan to live in a country where you feel you are being wrongly done, hate their nationals since you think they get better wages than you even though they are lesser qualified than you are??!?!?
It is an entirely wrong approach. It is an entirely false claim of racism. You are in a country, better than millions inflicted with war and what not, you are in a fair country where your hard work does pay you back. There will always be people luckier than you in life, who gets things easier than you in life, but dont let those facts discourage others out there.
I hope some of my tips or methods might help you guys.
P.S: Please dont ask me for old pebc exams coz I dont have any, coz I usually avoid filth. You should too. Thank you.
and Dear Akrum66, No offense meant, none taken. Please forgive me if I might have hurt you by saying something I shouldnt have.