Pre-registration pharmacist training year

How is the practical training structured?

Under § 4 of the Pharmacists' Licensing Regulations the practical training lasts twelve months. Six months must be spent in a community pharmacy; the second six months may be completed in a further pharmacy, in a hospital pharmacy, in the pharmaceutical industry, at a university institute, or at a drug testing authority. Running in parallel is the accompanying instruction provided by the state pharmacists' chambers, which covers the subject areas specified in the annexes to the AAppO. It is usually organised as a block seminar and is a prerequisite for admission. At the end comes the Third Section of the Pharmacy State Examination.

What does a pharmacist in pre-registration training earn?

Remuneration is governed by collective agreement. In the area covered by the Employers' Association of German Pharmacies it has been €1,133 per month since 1 January 2026; individual chamber districts and collective bargaining areas may differ. Depending on the collective bargaining area, 33 to 35 days' annual leave on the basis of a six-day week and an annual special payment also apply. A written training contract is standard practice and the most important evidence in the event of a dispute. Places in hospital pharmacies are in high demand, and applications submitted a year in advance are not unusual. Anyone wishing to spend the second half in industry should also start early.

What applies to graduates from EU countries?

Degree programmes in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, or the Baltic states include at least six months of practical placement in a community or hospital pharmacy under Article 44 of Directive 2005/36/EC. This placement is part of the degree programme there and, together with the degree, provides the basis for automatic recognition; an additional German pre-registration year is not required in that case. The situation is different for a mid-programme transfer: the state examination office then decides on credit recognition under § 22 AAppO, and parts of the practical training will need to be completed in Germany. Language also plays a role, because patient counselling forms part of the role from the outset.

Common misconceptions

The Pharmaziepraktikum is not the Famulatur. The Famulatur lasts eight weeks and takes place before the First Section. And the pharmacist in pre-registration training is not yet a qualified pharmacist: they work under supervision and may not manage a pharmacy.