Harder NAPLEX coming soon

[Leper Messiah]

Surprised I haven't seen this on here. http://www.nabp.net/news/nabp-and-m...nue-legacy-of-innovations-in-test-development

TLDR: Naplex going to 250 questions, broader topics, etc in 2016.

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[zelman]

Good. It's scary how many people can pass the Naplex but fail the Ny wet lab or CPJE.

 

[SClENCE]

I don't know... I could see them making the test more "in depth" but it sounds more like they are making it more clinically based - not necessarily more difficult. And adding a segment measuring communication skills... seems kind of elementary/insulting to someone with a doctorate. Maybe an English competency test would be a better route (in reality that's probably what this will be - just disguised as to not upset people).

 

[Leper Messiah]

Good. It's scary how many people can pass the Naplex but fail the Ny wet lab or CPJE.

Agreed. And the new grads need to be throttled somehow.

I don't know... I could see them making the test more "in depth" but it sounds more like they are making it more clinically based - not necessarily more difficult. And adding a segment measuring communication skills... seems kind of elementary/insulting to someone with a doctorate. Maybe an English competency test would be a better route (in reality that's probably what this will be - just disguised as to not upset people).

I would like to see more clinical and science related questions, but I'm afraid it's going to be more "cultural competence" and communication oriented here in the age of political correctness where people skills matter more than brain power.

 

[trailerpark]

I thought it was hard as hell with the most random ass questions. I thought I did lousy and wasn't tested on need to know stuff but then I got a wicked high score so whatever... Maybe the scoring needs work.

 

[BidingMyTime]

And adding a segment measuring communication skills... seems kind of elementary/insulting to someone with a doctorate. Maybe an English competency test would be a better route (in reality that's probably what this will be - just disguised as to not upset people).

Eh, truth is, many professionals have very poor communication skills (both oral and written.) I don't think English competency is the problem being addressed here (people already have to pass TOEFL if they didn't graduate in the US, and English isn't their first language). You are right, this *should* be elementary, but be honest, how many times have you been left thinking "what in the world is s/he talking about?" when you hear a co-worker or manger/director talking? I am by no means the best communicator myself, so I know when I cringe at grammar/irregular word usage/extremely disorganized written communications that I have seen from some of my past managers/directors/co-workers, its bad, really bad for me to notice & cringe at it. And yeah, the examples I'm picture right now, are not about someone struggling because English is their 2nd language, its about people who can not figure out how to simply, completely, and coherently state what they are thinking.

 

[Dred Pirate]

I thought it was hard as hell with the most random ass questions. I thought I did lousy and wasn't tested on need to know stuff but then I got a wicked high score so whatever... Maybe the scoring needs work.

me to - I dropped a 131 but came out of it thinking I failed. So we THOUGHT it was hard, but in essence it wasn't. That being said, I am for making it more difficult, putting the initial pass rate around 75% - will weed out those that should have never gotten into school and hopefully discouraging those that are not competant from applying in the first place.

 

[gwarm01]

The Naplex is already a weird exam. I felt like half of the questions were on HIV and chemo drugs, with barely anything about managing disease states. It didn't seem weighted appropriately with regard to topics and how often one would deal with them.

 

[PharmdA07]

Sorry to say this (I've had a long day) but they need to masculinize the Naplex ASAP!!! I did a transfer today with a "pharmacist" who can not pronounce Ranitidine... Basically it went like this

Me: Hello, I'm calling from ....for a transfer please!
Other end: Please hold for the pharmacist!
[Holding....]
Other end: This is the pharmacist, do you have my Rx number?
Me: Unfortunately, I do not but I have the DOB, patient name and she mentions it's a new Rx for her heartburn called in today...[went on to give the pt's infos]
Other end: Oh ok I see it here, is it Provida OB? That's for heartburn right?
Me: No, it's a prenatal vitamin!
Other end: Oh ok, it's the hm... hm... RAaaahhh... let me give your my Rx number first [s/he went on with all the technical infos]
Me: Can you please repeat the drug name and strength?
Other end: let me spell it for you R-A-N-.... 150 mg [then s/he literally spelled out B- I- D on the phone!!!!]
Me: So it's twice a day?
Other end: Yes! There is one plus one coming to you.
[...continued with all technical infos]
Me: Thank you, I got it! Sorry but are you the pharmacist?
Other end: Who do you think I am that can do the transfer! yes I am the pharmacist! [then s/he hang up!]

I need a drink ASAP after this work day!!!!!!

 

[Digsbe]

I think it's fine to make it harder, and I'm a 2016 grad. I just hope there are adequate objectives and study materials to use for the new exam.

 

[genesis09]

How many of the questions will actually count? Also, how long will it now be? The first few months will be interesting. With the last major change, there was a drop in passing but by the following year, the rate had recovered.

 

[fullmoonday]

Surprised I haven't seen this on here. http://www.nabp.net/news/nabp-and-m...nue-legacy-of-innovations-in-test-development

TLDR: Naplex going to 250 questions, broader topics, etc in 2016.

I think from they will implementing in 2018 not '16.

 

[UofK]

Sounds good to me! Word on the street is there is a "local" COP that is going to lose accredidation status if their NAPLEX pass rate decreases below a certian threshold this year. Not sure if that's part of the accredidation standards or if this is specific to this school because they are in general just horrible, but...looking forward to a harder NAPLEX.

I think from they will implementing in 2018 not '16.

We were told November 2016 by our COP last thursday.

 

[genesis09]

The question increase will start November 1, 2016. In 2018, the new section will be added.

 

[BenJammin]

Sorry to say this (I've had a long day) but they need to masculinize the Naplex ASAP!!! I did a transfer today with a "pharmacist" who can not pronounce Ranitidine... Basically it went like this

Me: Hello, I'm calling from ....for a transfer please!
Other end: Please hold for the pharmacist!
[Holding....]
Other end: This is the pharmacist, do you have my Rx number?
Me: Unfortunately, I do not but I have the DOB, patient name and she mentions it's a new Rx for her heartburn called in today...[went on to give the pt's infos]
Other end: Oh ok I see it here, is it Provida OB? That's for heartburn right?
Me: No, it's a prenatal vitamin!
Other end: Oh ok, it's the hm... hm... RAaaahhh... let me give your my Rx number first [s/he went on with all the technical infos]
Me: Can you please repeat the drug name and strength?
Other end: let me spell it for you R-A-N-.... 150 mg [then s/he literally spelled out B- I- D on the phone!!!!]
Me: So it's twice a day?
Other end: Yes! There is one plus one coming to you.
[...continued with all technical infos]
Me: Thank you, I got it! Sorry but are you the pharmacist?
Other end: Who do you think I am that can do the transfer! yes I am the pharmacist! [then s/he hang up!]

I need a drink ASAP after this work day!!!!!!

I don't mean to come across as hateful but when I work in our outpatient pharmacy I dread doing transfers with Indian pharmacists. Their accents can be very thick and hard to understand, sometimes I have them repeat information 2 or 3 times. Communication is a big deal in pharmacy. How did they get past their pharmacy school interview? I shouldn't have to request a pharmacist spell out every word that comes out of their mouth.

 

[TheBlaah]

From what I heard, they had actually increased the NAPLEX difficulty during the winter of this year. But then it was too difficult (or at least the pass rate was too low?) and they reverted it to its original form to tweak further later.

 

[297point1]

From what I heard, they had actually increased the NAPLEX difficulty during the winter of this year. But then it was too difficult (or at least the pass rate was too low?) and they reverted it to its original form to tweak further later.

Everything I was told and read in 2015 said the new exam format was supposed to begin in Feburary 2016.
The NABP site is still listing an 185 question exam, which was the old format.

Something is up.

 

[lane one]

Everything I was told and read in 2015 said the new exam format was supposed to begin in Feburary 2016.
The NABP site is still listing an 185 question exam, which was the old format.

Something is up.

The chains paid them off

 

[Pharmd = Phake Doctor]

Doesn't matter how many questions they add. It doesn't even test the most important subject area: metrics.

 

[genesis09]

The blueprint changed last November. They cannot change it back to the old one without announcing it. They are in the middle of a three step change to the exam.

 

[ZakMeister]

I don't mean to come across as hateful but when I work in our outpatient pharmacy I dread doing transfers with Indian pharmacists. Their accents can be very thick and hard to understand, sometimes I have them repeat information 2 or 3 times. Communication is a big deal in pharmacy. How did they get past their pharmacy school interview? I shouldn't have to request a pharmacist spell out every word that comes out of their mouth.

Lol majority of the Indian pharmacists aren't PharmD graduates. They go through an articulation examination called FPGEE after 2/3 years of schooling and training.


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[BenJammin]

Lol majority of the Indian pharmacists aren't PharmD graduates. They go through an articulation examination called FPGEE after 2/3 years of schooling and training.


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Here in Texas I can look up a pharmacy and see every pharmacist who works there along with their alma mater. Very few of them are listed as "other" which is what they list when they go through the process you mentioned.

 

[ZakMeister]

The majority might be new immigrants or come from a household where they don't speak English at all.


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[Pharmd = Phake Doctor]

The AACP administers the PCAT and the NABP administers the NAPLEX. You have one exam to get in, and one exam to get out. One tests undergraduate (more like high school) level material, while the other is supposed to test PharmD/Doctorate level material.

The PCAT is a f-ing joke. Just a bunch of random do-you-know-this-fact questions pertaining to science and math. A lot of people can only get scores of 20-30% and still the pharmacy schools let them in.

The NAPLEX comes at the end of a four-year pharmacy education. However, I hear it's so easy, people can cram for it within a span of a few months.

Yeah, I think these exams have failed to stem the tide of illiterate criminals that seem to get in and out of pharmacy schools these days.

Furthermore, the ASHP believes that making residency mandatory for hospital pharmacists is the way to go with filtering out the incompetent students. It's made pharmacy a less attractive field because the pharmacy residency pay blows and the majority of these clinical pharmacy residents end up only doing staffing (which is more important than playing pretend-doctor) or begging the red devil or Waggys for a PRN job.

Why doesn't the AACP or the NABP take a stand and implement tough-as-nails national examinations after each year or two (like the Medical USMLE and Dental NBDE.) This would be a better way to kick out the trash that is filling our schools and shut down those diploma mills.

 

[Rukn]

The AACP administers the PCAT and the NABP administers the NAPLEX. You have one exam to get in, and one exam to get out. One tests undergraduate (more like high school) level material, while the other is supposed to test PharmD/Doctorate level material.

The PCAT is a f-ing joke. Just a bunch of random do-you-know-this-fact questions pertaining to science and math. A lot of people can only get scores of 20-30% and still the pharmacy schools let them in.

The NAPLEX comes at the end of a four-year pharmacy education. However, I hear it's so easy, people can cram for it within a span of a few months.

Yeah, I think these exams have failed to stem the tide of illiterate criminals that seem to get in and out of pharmacy schools these days.

Furthermore, the ASHP believes that making residency mandatory for hospital pharmacists is the way to go with filtering out the incompetent students. It's made pharmacy a less attractive field because the pharmacy residency pay blows and the majority of these clinical pharmacy residents end up only doing staffing (which is more important than playing pretend-doctor) or begging the red devil or Waggys for a PRN job.

Why doesn't the AACP or the NABP take a stand and implement tough-as-nails national examinations after each year or two (like the Medical USMLE and Dental NBDE.) This would be a better way to kick out the trash that is filling our schools and shut down those diploma mills.

NAPLEX is a stupid exam

Any decent graduate of a decent school can pass with only a couple of weeks of studying

 

[apex8]

the problem with the new exam is the length. 250 questions over 6 hours.... that's almost of full day of work. without any significant break or food. It's mentally exhausting (as if 4.5 wasn't long enough).

it's going to be a marathon for brains

 

[pinksparkly]

NAPLEX is a stupid exam

Any decent graduate of a decent school can pass with only a couple of weeks of studying

I didn't study at all. Passed with no problem whatsoever, even with doing eenie-meenie-miney-mo on the HIV med questions.

 

[Rukn]

I didn't study at all. Passed with no problem whatsoever, even with doing eenie-meenie-miney-mo on the HIV med questions.

If you are fresh on calculations you can pass without issue

 

[gwarm01]

I didn't study at all. Passed with no problem whatsoever, even with doing eenie-meenie-miney-mo on the HIV med questions.

Yep. If you passed pharmacy school you should be able to pass the Naplex without studying. I was a middle of the road student and passed it on my first attempt without studying.

 

[zelman]

the problem with the new exam is the length. 250 questions over 6 hours.... that's almost of full day of work. without any significant break or food. It's mentally exhausting (as if 4.5 wasn't long enough).

it's going to be a marathon for brains

To simulate a retail shift, it should be 12 hours with no breaks. Also you should have to answer questions both on screen and from a randomly ringing phone.

 

[genesis09]

The person on the phone should also be on speaker and so it echoes.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Furthermore, the ASHP believes that making residency mandatory for hospital pharmacists is the way to go with filtering out the incompetent students. It's made pharmacy a less attractive field because the pharmacy residency pay blows and the majority of these clinical pharmacy residents end up only doing staffing (which is more important than playing pretend-doctor) or begging the red devil or Waggys for a PRN job.

6 years is long enough, if I were starting out today and knew I needed 6 - 8 years college + 1 - 2 years residency to practice as a hospital pharmacist, well I wouldn't do it. I would go MD/DO, 7 - 10 years total compared to 11 years (for the most common specialties, anyone who can do basic math will see the MD/DO is a far better deal. Which means future pharmacists will be people who can't do math.....which is really bad.

 

[lane one]

the problem with the new exam is the length. 250 questions over 6 hours.... that's almost of full day of work. without any significant break or food. It's mentally exhausting (as if 4.5 wasn't long enough).

it's going to be a marathon for brains

How many people spend 4.5hours in there though? I'm pretty sure I was out in 3

 

[apex8]

Idk about everyone else, but many people I know took close to 4 hrs to complete the exam. But aside from time length, the shear # of questions is a lot. When we took the PCOA which had 225 questions you were so drained by the end you just didn't care anymore

 

[knight on horse]

Good. It's scary how many people can pass the Naplex but fail the Ny wet lab or CPJE.

lol it is shocking how terribly they do and I was a deliberately bad student

Indeed. :seriousface: it is troubling