TEST OF ORAL ENGLISH COMPETENCY       

 

An applicant must pass an exam of oral English competency.  This exam is designed to demonstrate that an applicant speaks fluent English as proficiently as a typical U.S. native speaker and that the applicant can be easily understood by the average pharmacy customer. 

 

In order to meet the English competency requirement, an applicant may first take a Apre-screening@ English competency exam.  If the applicant passes the Apre-screening@ exam, the applicant meets the English competency requirement without further testing.  If the applicant fails the Apre-screening@ exam, the applicant must take and pass a more comprehensive test of oral English competency.  The pre-screening test and the comprehensive test of oral English competency will be given by Board approved vendors.  A list of such vendors is attached.

 

If an applicant believes that he/she will be unable to pass either the Apre-screening@ or more comprehensive test of oral English competency, or if the applicant has failed the comprehensive test of oral English competency, because of a speech impairment, the applicant may submit evidence of such an impairment to the Board.  To do so, the applicant must submit documentation of the impairment on a form provided by the Board.  The form must be completed by a Board approved licensed physician and a Board approved licensed speech-language pathologist, and returned to the Board.  This must be done either with the initial application or before the applicant’s second attempt at passing the comprehensive test.  

 

If an applicant fails the comprehensive test more than one time, the applicant may not submit documentation of a speech impairment unless an intervening surgical/medical event has caused the impairment and the documentation is submitted before a third attempt.

 

In order to take either the “pre-screening” test or the comprehensive test of oral English competency, the applicant must contact a Board approved vendor.

 

 

ORAL ENGLISH COMPETENCY VENDORS

 

The Berlitz Language Center                            

1413 Annapolis Road                                        

Baltimore, MD 21113                                       

Phone: 410-672-3410                                                    

(Centers Nationwide)

 

Nationwide Directory of Oral Competency Vendors

 

Results are automatically faxed to the Board from the vendors the same day as the test.