Oman or Saudi Arabia Where Should You Move As A Foreign Pharmacist?

Exam And Eligibility Criteria 

Oman : 

Exam eligibility criteria :

 To be eligible for the OPE, you must meet the following criteria 

• You need to have a pharmacist degree - B.Pharm, M.Pharm or Pharm.D
• You must be a registered pharmacist in your own country 
• You must have a continuous 3 years of experience 

Exam format : 

The licensure exam is conducted in two steps one is the prometric exam and the other is a viva exam.

• The OPE has an MCQ format, with 150 questions to be solved in 3-hours of time.

For detailed information about becoming a pharmacist in Oman watch our video available on YouTube.

• The viva exam is conducted once you land in Oman.

Saudi Arabia : 

To become a licensed pharmacist in KSA, you need to pass the Saudi pharmacist licensure exam.

Exam eligibility criteria : 

The eligibility criteria to take SPLE and become a registered pharmacist you need to meet the following criteria 

• You must possess a pharm.D degree , if you have other degrees such as b.pharm,m.pharm and not pharm.D then watch our video on which country is best for pharmacists to get the right guidance and turn your dreams into reality. 
• You need to have 1 year experience.

Exam format : 

• Just like the OPE, SPLE also consists of MCQs, with a total of 210 questions 
• The exam is conducted in 2- sessions, each with a set of 105 questions to be answered in 2 hours. 
• For more information, check out our video about the SPLE exam format .

Licensing And Registration

Oman:

The following are all the  steps to follow for your licensure and registration in Oman 

• Personal source verification : In this step, your credentials and documents are validated by oman medical speciality board (OMSB) and the data flow group
• Oman prometric exam registration : After the psv you will be provided with an eligibility number , which you have to use to schedule your test through the official prometric website. There you can also select your preferred city for the exam.
• Visa filing : After successfully clearing the exam the next step is to find a job in Oman online,after that you need to get your documents attested by the oman embassy in your country and then you'll be provided with a visa. 
• Viva exam : After landing in Oman your employer will sponsor your accommodation and food while you prepare for the next step, the viva exam , passing which will get you registered as a pharmacist. Confused about where and how to study, worry not head on to  academically global’s official website where you'll find comprehensive courses , live lectures, study material and much more specific to OPE.
• Watch the detailed explanation on how to become a pharmacist and job opportunities for pharmacists in Oman .

Saudi Arabia: 

You can obtain your pharmacists licence in 3 easy steps 

• Data flow : Firstly you need to submit all the necessary documents for primary source verification .
• Classification: After data flow your documents are classified by SCFHS. This step determines your eligibility and here you are given an eligibility number through which you can register your exam.
• SPLE exam : finally you have to  reach the registered nearest prometric centre and attempt the exam. Watch our video on steps in becoming a registered pharmacist in Saudi Arabia.

Pay Scale And Lifestyle 

Oman  

• Pharmacists in Oman typically earn competitive salaries, but are generally lower than in Saudi Arabia.
• The average salary for pharmacists is around 600 to 1000 OMR per month.
• However Oman provides other benefits like free housing, and much more. The overall cost of living in Oman is relatively lower which makes it a good choice in terms of quality of life.

Saudi Arabia 

• Saudi Arabia offers higher salaries. A registered pharmacist may earn between 8000 to 11000 SAR per month.
• The cost of living here is quite high and has a tax over dependents, but it also comes with other benefits of housing, annual vacations, and good opportunities over time.

Cultural Considerations

Oman

Oman provides a friendly and relatively less conservative environment, providing freedom for dress code and social norms for an expat.

Saudi Arabia 

Saudi Arabia here is more conservative and has stricter social norms. However, with the 2030 vision, there is a hope for much lighter reforms. with some adjustment with the culture and rules an expat can still enjoy high standards of living in saudi Arabia.

Final Thoughts 

Both Oman and Saudi Arabia offer exciting opportunities for foreign-trained pharmacists,but the choice comes down to your personal lifestyle preferences and career goals. Oman is ideal if you hold any pharmacy degree ( B.pharm, M.pharm or D.pharm) with at least 3 years of work experience who likes a slow-paced life and relaxed work environment with lower cost of living. Saudi Arabia on the other hand accepts only pharm.D with at least 1 year of work experience but offers you higher salaries, high standards of living, and access to world-class amenities, though you need to adapt to strict social norms.

This blog provides you with proper insight into what the two countries have to offer you as pharmacist and help you with making a choice. For further assistance and guidance and to fasttrack your journey abroad, At Academically Global, you will find comprehensive courses, course materials and live lectures all under one roof.