Pharmacy Organizations Launch New Certification Exam Prep Program

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 08 Jun 2010 - 0:00 PDT

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The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) are partnering to develop and deliver a certification exam preparation program to support pharmacists interested in taking the new Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Specialty Certification Examination. The prep program will encompass the knowledge domains covered in the exam that will be offered for the first time in the fall of 2011.

The BPS, an agency whose purpose is to recognize pharmacy specialties and certify pharmacists' knowledge and skills at the specialty practice level, announced the recognition of the specialty in Ambulatory Care Pharmacy Practice in June 2009, making it the first newly recognized specialty since 1996. The action followed the Board's receipt of a petition for the specialty in November 2008, jointly submitted by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), the American Pharmacists Association and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

A live version of the prep course will be offered in conjunction with the ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting in December 2010, in Anaheim, Calif., and at the APhA Annual meeting in March 2011 in Seattle, Wash. Plans for a central U.S. or east coast offering of the program will also be announced and an online version will be released during the first half of 2011.

"With the growing needs of complex ambulatory patients who are at risk for or have chronic diseases, this specialty will allow pharmacists working in or wishing to work in this specialized area to manage increasingly complex medication therapy and meet the growing demand for their specialized practice," said APhA Executive Vice President and CEO, Thomas E. Menighan, B.S.Pharm, M.B.A., ScD.

"A new specialty in ambulatory care is an important new credential for the profession of pharmacy," said ASHP Executive Vice President and CEO, Henri R. Manasse, Jr., Ph.D., Sc.D. "This training program will give pharmacists a unique opportunity for a valuable head start in preparing for certification and will help them better serve their patients."

The availability of an examination preparation program for the new certification exam will enable pharmacists wishing to sit for the exam to brush up on content areas in which they may need a refresher and build confidence in their body of knowledge. More information about the program will be available from the APhA and ASHP websites in the coming weeks.

About APhA

The American Pharmacists Association, founded in 1852 as the American Pharmaceutical Association, represents more than 62,000 practicing pharmacists, pharmaceutical scientists, student pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and others interested in advancing the profession. APhA, dedicated to helping all pharmacists improve medication use and advance patient care, is the first-established and largest association of pharmacists in the United States. APhA members provide care in all practice settings, including community pharmacies, health systems, long-term care facilities, managed care organizations, hospice settings, and the uniformed services.

Source
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

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