Pharmacy Board Certifications: What You Need to Know
Whether you just completed your residency or if you’re already a practicing pharmacist, becoming certified can be an important step for your career. Deciding to take that important step begins with registering for the exam and beginning your preparations as soon as you’re able. But what, exactly, can being certified do for you?
Why Certify?
The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) was founded in 1976 in order to establish a systemized and universal method of recognizing pharmacists in their specialized fields. The board’s goal is to provide quality pharmacists to protect the consumer by allowing them to choose safe and certified pharmacists for their medication needs.
The rewards of being a BPS certified pharmacist are beneficial to you, your patients, and the healthcare system as a whole. Being board certified means you have the documentation to prove you’re capable of providing exceptional care, and it gives patients the peace of mind that they’re choosing correctly. It also can help you advance your career, and it makes you a more desirable job candidate or more likely to receive a promotion. Being a certified pharmacist improves the marketability of your practice while improving the overall quality of the entire healthcare industry.
What is the Certification Process?
Registration for the fall exam is from Thursday, September 18th, 2014 to Saturday, October 4th, 2014. The fee for certification is $600 and $300 for the retake. You must have completed all coursework and your residencies by the date of the exam, or have relevant experience.
On the date of the exam, you must present a valid ID and a printout of your registration confirmation. The computer-based exam itself consists of 200 multiple-choice questions, each with only one correct answer, and it’s divided into 2 parts, each with 2.5 hours of testing time and an optional break in between. The test is designed by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties and experts in the field, and answers are supported by literature and references. The pass rate is typically around 70%, depending on the specialty. For more information on dates, deadlines, and fees, check the BPS website here.
Tips for Maximizing Your Exam Results
The exam is designed to allow only the best and most well-prepared candidates achieve certification, and it can therefore be a rigorous process. The rewards are worth the hard work, however, so make sure you’re putting the maximum amount of effort into passing the test. Below are some tips to help you prepare:
- Take continuing education courses, join study groups, and read scholarly articles and other literature about your pharmacy specialty.
- Familiarize yourself with Castle’s online examination delivery tool and their Testing Instructions so you’re aware of the test layout and are able to use the computer calculator.
Becoming certified can put you on the path you need to achieve stronger patient relations and better marketability for yourself and your pharmacy. It isn’t just an exam, it’s a certificate of your qualifications and proof of your accelerated level of knowledge. The certification is a valuable tool that gives you the edge in a competitive job market and recognizes you for all the hard work you put into obtaining it. Start early and study diligently to make the most of your experience.
Sources:
No comments:
Post a Comment