BCPS Spring 2023 Exam Suggestions

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S_mitchh

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I’ve decided that I want to pursue becoming BCPS certified. For those that have taken it, I have a couple questions for you to decide the best way to study for it:
1) On a scale of 1-10, how hard is it?
2) What areas did you focus on the most and the least?
3) After the exam, what areas do you wish you focused on more or less, if any?
4) What resources did you use to prepare for the exam?
5) How long do you believe is an adequate time to study for before taking the exam, if not right out of residency? I have been a practicing pharmacist for 2.5 years in both retail and hospital.

I have the following resources: ASHP BCPS material, the ACCP Clinical Pharmacist’s Guide to Biostatistics and Literature Evaluation book, BCPS Bullets 2022 book, 2022-2023 BCPS Study Guide by RxPharmacist LLC book, and the online Med Ed 101 resources.

Your feedback is much appreciated ahead of time! Since I have a lot of resources, I want to spend my time wisely using the best materials and focusing on the most important areas to study. Also, if anyone else is studying for the Spring BCPS 2023 exam, we could potentially start a study group. Thank you, again!

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Hello fellow 3rd shifter!

1) 9.5
2)For me, I focused on biostats. Least? Oncology (and thankfully so...I only had 2 questions)
3)Idk how to answer this any other way...the test is all over the place. I felt like my exam had a theme... but who knows if it's the same theme as other folks?
4)I used HYMR, ACCP biostats
5)I studied for 6 months and took it in the fall of 2021 and made a 496. I was completely devastated and it really hurt my confidence. I'm no slouch when it comes to tests... 149 NAPLEX, 99 on NC law, 99%tile PCAT, 43 MCAT. I was 10 years retail, 2 years LTC, 4 years hospital. The one downside is the dang thing is curved (or 'scaled')...and when (I've read) that over 80% of folks taking it have residencies, it sucks for those of us who didn't have one. That being said, I earned that 496 score. I was considerably above average on biostats, slightly above average on regulatory, and average on meds. I had a 59% on the ACCP mock exam (before I really studied biostats) and 69 on the med 101 exam. I got 71% of the HYMR questions correct in the qbank.

Looking back (and I put this in a previous post somewhere)...I felt like I rushed at the end of the exam because I was simply tired of taking the exam. I also didn't use the full 30 minutes of the break....and I most certainly will this time around. Just prepare yourself to see laugh out loud easy questions and others that I've never seen the meds before. I retake mine in 3 weeks...then the long wait until July begins.

I went through all the material/questions again...and I really do not feel any more prepared than the first time. I just have to tell myself that they are trying to tell you the answer with how the question is worded. I felt like I did a good job knocking 2 of the answers out each time...maybe I was just unlucky when I narrowed it down to two?

Anyway, good luck studying! Hope this has helped some.
 
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I’ve decided that I want to pursue becoming BCPS certified. For those that have taken it, I have a couple questions for you to decide the best way to study for it:
1) On a scale of 1-10, how hard is it?
2) What areas did you focus on the most and the least?
3) After the exam, what areas do you wish you focused on more or less, if any?
4) What resources did you use to prepare for the exam?
5) How long do you believe is an adequate time to study for before taking the exam, if not right out of residency? I have been a practicing pharmacist for 2.5 years in both retail and hospital.

I have the following resources: ASHP BCPS material, the ACCP Clinical Pharmacist’s Guide to Biostatistics and Literature Evaluation book, BCPS Bullets 2022 book, 2022-2023 BCPS Study Guide by RxPharmacist LLC book, and the online Med Ed 101 resources.

Your feedback is much appreciated ahead of time! Since I have a lot of resources, I want to spend my time wisely using the best materials and focusing on the most important areas to study. Also, if anyone else is studying for the Fall BCPS 2022 exam, we could potentially start a study group. Thank you, again!
Hi! I’m taking my exam on May 13th! It seems like you have a lot of material to study from … I just have ASHP material and already they r a lot to go through … I don’t have any test Bank thou … not sure which one to purchase - any suggestions? Also I you wanna make a study group or something I’m in! Not sure about the logistics thou … lol
 
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Hi! I’m taking my exam on May 13th! It seems like you have a lot of material to study from … I just have ASHP material and already they r a lot to go through … I don’t have any test Bank thou … not sure which one to purchase - any suggestions? Also I you wanna make a study group or something I’m in! Not sure about the logistics thou … lol
The HYMR questions are great...over 2200 to get through...not sure if you'll have the time to do them?
 
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The HYMR questions are great...over 2200 to get through...not sure if you'll have the time to do them?
Just one thing about HYMR: I did all the HYMR questions (except onc/hep) in about 4 months. I'd suggest skipping/not selecting the oncology/hep questions. Too excessive for the BCPS.
 
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Hi! I’m taking my exam on May 13th! It seems like you have a lot of material to study from … I just have ASHP material and already they r a lot to go through … I don’t have any test Bank thou … not sure which one to purchase - any suggestions? Also I you wanna make a study group or something I’m in! Not sure about the logistics thou … lol

There is a slack group and Dropbox with materials. If you send me your email, I can add you to both. You’ll have to download the Slack app first.
 
There is a slack group and Dropbox with materials. If you send me your email, I can add you to both. You’ll have to download the Slack app first.
Hi, Im also looking into taking BCPS this fall and looking for any helpful advice or sources. Would you add my email as well? I'll dm my email address. Thanks in advance!


--- not sure you got my message. But I will leave my email here like others did. [email protected]
 
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There is a slack group and Dropbox with materials. If you send me your email, I can add you to both. You’ll have to download the Slack app first.
Hi can you add me to the group please - would love to be a part of it! My email address is [email protected]! Thank you!nDo I have to download the slack app first?
 
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so far, It doesn't seem like my email was added. Anyone got added to the group?
 
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Hi, Im also looking into taking BCPS this fall and looking for any helpful advice or sources. Would you add my email as well? I'll dm my email address. Thanks in advance!


--- not sure you got my message. But I will leave my email here like others did. [email protected]

Hi can you add me to the group please - would love to be a part of it! My email address is [email protected]! Thank you!nDo I have to download the slack app first?

Can you add me to the group [email protected]

Hi, is there any chance you can add me to this slack group?
[email protected]

Sorry for the delay! I have added you all to the Slack group!
 
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Is there anyone studying to take BCPS in Spring 2023 that would like to study together? I decided to change from fall to spring so I could enjoy my summer, even though I am already studying, just not at the rate I would be if I was taking it in the fall.
 
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1) On a scale of 1-10, how hard is it?
2) What areas did you focus on the most and the least?
3) After the exam, what areas do you wish you focused on more or less, if any?
4) What resources did you use to prepare for the exam?
5) How long do you believe is an adequate time to study for before taking the exam, if not right out of residency? I have been a practicing pharmacist for 2.5 years in both retail and hospital.
Hey best of luck in your endeavors! 4 years community turned 9 month inpatient pharmacist here that passed in 2021 fall.

1) 9
2) Clinically, definitely focus on more of the major disease states and things you'll see in common practice. You can use your inpatient experience to guide you here.
BIOSTATS BIOSTATS BIOSTATS. Low hanging fruit. Can make or break your final score.
3) I guess more clinical but that's a shot in the dark in the vast amount of information you're expected to memorize. Harder to retain things you don't apply in real time.
4) Pretty much everything you're using, plus googling flashcard sets, youtube videos, some guidelines here and there.
5) Unsure of your free time outside of work but I think 3-6 months is adequate. You can use theluxepharmacist's guide as a general template and form your own study methods around their schedule.

GOOD LUCK! Dm me for more questions!
 
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Is there anyone studying to take BCPS in Spring 2023 that would like to study together? I decided to change from fall to spring so I could enjoy my summer, even though I am already studying, just not at the rate I would be if I was taking it in the fall.

I would love that, my email is [email protected]

Thanks I’m advance, also aiming for spring ‘23.
 
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Hello there, would you be able to add me to the slack group/drop box as well? My email is [email protected]. Thank you!
 
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Hello,
I just took the BCPS and passed in fall 2022. If anyone needs guidance or advice on how to pass. Send me an email - [email protected]
zaf
 
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There is a slack group and Dropbox with materials. If you send me your email, I can add you to both. You’ll have to download the Slack app first.
Hi there, would you be able to add me to the slack group/drop box as well? I am studying for BCPS for this fall as well. It will be my second time taking it and am not sure what to do differently. More practice questions will definitely help! My email address is [email protected]. Thank you so much.
 
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I’ve decided that I want to pursue becoming BCPS certified. For those that have taken it, I have a couple questions for you to decide the best way to study for it:
1) On a scale of 1-10, how hard is it?
2) What areas did you focus on the most and the least?
3) After the exam, what areas do you wish you focused on more or less, if any?
4) What resources did you use to prepare for the exam?
5) How long do you believe is an adequate time to study for before taking the exam, if not right out of residency? I have been a practicing pharmacist for 2.5 years in both retail and hospital.

I have the following resources: ASHP BCPS material, the ACCP Clinical Pharmacist’s Guide to Biostatistics and Literature Evaluation book, BCPS Bullets 2022 book, 2022-2023 BCPS Study Guide by RxPharmacist LLC book, and the online Med Ed 101 resources.

Your feedback is much appreciated ahead of time! Since I have a lot of resources, I want to spend my time wisely using the best materials and focusing on the most important areas to study. Also, if anyone else is studying for the Spring BCPS 2023 exam, we could potentially start a study group. Thank you, again!
Hi! Love the questions and I think it's great that you're trying to be proactive :) I found posts like these extremely helpful while I was prepping for this exam and appreciate you asking so many insightful questions. I just took the BCPS this past testing cycle and passed. It was definitely a sigh of relief. Wishing you and everyone else studying good luck!

1) 9
2) Most --> Biostats!!! I can't highlight enough how important it is to start early with biostats. I would end each day of studying by reading more about biostats or practicing questions to solidify the concepts/calculations I was reviewing. I felt fairly confident about the biostats questions I came across during the exam and feel like that benefited me overall.
Least --> oncology...I did not spend very much time reviewing oncology. I don't think I got more than 2 questions about onc during the exam. Most questions had to do more with management of N/V or pre-treatment.
3) Honestly, this is a hard question to answer. I felt like the exam was so random, and I personally felt like I couldn't predict what was going to come next. The exam itself covers so much broad content. When I walked out, I felt like I couldn't gauge what I would've done differently because there was so much of the unexpected. What I can speak to is that it is soooo imperative to solidify biostats knowledge. I feel like that's what saved me in the end.
4) I used ACCP and attempted to read every single chapter. Sadly, that didn't happen because I ran out of study time (shocker lol). I referenced the following study schedule created by msrxgeek:
I followed it loosely and found that it helped me to stay determined and maintain a somewhat moderate study pace. In addition to ACCP, I used ASHP material. But I will say that I used the latter a lot more loosely. It's a bit more surface level in my opinion. Often, I would use ASHP for the lectures and would do a more thorough review using ACCP material.
For biostats, I highly highly highly recommend using tldrpharmacy, specifically the biostats/lit eval material they have available. It's separated into several parts and highlights the most important concepts/calculations to know. All parts are accessible for free on the site, and you can receive all parts combined in 1 pdf by paying a small amount.
5) Study timelines are going to differ for everyone and be highly dependent on personal circumstances. I personally completed residency and studied for about 2 months prior to sitting for this exam. This personally worked for me as I found a study schedule earlier on and mapped out what disease states I found to focus on daily. When speaking to my coworkers/friends who recently took the exam or took in the in the past, I would say the average study time probably ranges from 3-6 months.

Best of luck! You guys got this!!! Remember, you know a lot more than you think. It's easy to doubt yourself, but all you can do is try your best and give it your all. Rooting for everyone sitting for the exam in the near future!
 
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Is there anyone studying to take BCPS in Spring 2023 that would like to study together? I decided to change from fall to spring so I could enjoy my summer, even though I am already studying, just not at the rate I would be if I was taking it in the fall.
Hi S_mitchh, I am also preparing to take BCPS in Spring 2023 and I would love to be part of a study group. I am sure it will be very helpful.
Also, can you please also add me to the slack group and drop box? My email is [email protected] Thank you!
Please let me know about the study group, I would really benefit for interacting with people that is getting ready for the same exam.
Best regards,

Yuli
 
Ca
Is there anyone studying to take BCPS in Spring 2023 that would like to study together? I decided to change from fall to spring so I could enjoy my summer, even though I am already studying, just not at the rate I would be if I was taking it in the fall.
Hi, can you please add me too in the study group
 
Hi Zaf, i would be very grateful if you could share your experience and advice on the bcps preparation. Thank you
1) On a scale of 1-10, how hard is it? 8-9
2) What areas did you focus on the most and the least? Biostats + Regulatory (most) / Oncology, PK (Least)
3) After the exam, what areas do you wish you focused on more or less, if any? I would focus EVEN MORE than i already did on Biostats. In addition, I would do practice questions from EVERYWHERE - HYMR, med101, mock exams (ACCP, ASHP), ACCP etc
4) What resources did you use to prepare for the exam? Primarily used ACCP, HYMR and med101 for Biostats
5) How long do you believe is an adequate time to study before taking the exam, if not right out of residency? - 6 months at least especially if you are working FT, No residency, practiced in retail initially but now work in a hospital setting.

This exam is HARD, i came out of the exam feeling like crap... One thing, i recommend is to be OK with not knowing every SINGLE DETAIL because you will not since there is a lot of information and minutia that you won't remember. Focus on your weaknesses for ex- if your good at endocrinology, don't spend too much time on it rather focus on what your week in. I did the HYMR questions TWICE (2100qs- skip onc), I reviewed the ACCP book THRICE and i took 3 mock exams (ACCP, ASHP and ( 2 )med101 exams) TWICE-- i scored about a 60% in all of them :-(. As you can tell, REPETITION IS EVERYTHING because you will forget things...
Loved the med 101 biostats review booklet---> UNDERSTAND and MEMORIZE that book!!! (I felt that the ACCP book did not do justice to biostats)
I was lucky to be a part of a study group so I had a good thing going with the very smart folks in that group-- Guess I am saying is --be part of a group study at least once a week- u can bounce ideas off of each other.
I also listened to a lot of the HYMR lectures (not all of them) but the topics I was week in.
Also, learn to make EDUCATED guesses because you will be STUCK between 2 choices.
Lastly, don't lose hope whether it is your 1st, 2nd, or 3rd try- this exam can be crushed!
That's as real as I can get with you guys!!
Good Luck!!!
 
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Thanks alot, really appreciate your prompt sharings. I will try to follow your tips. Thanks again
 
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Hey there! May I be added to the group too?
[email protected]

Thank you in advance!!


Hello there, would you be able to add me to the slack group/drop box as well? My email is [email protected]. Thank you!

Hi there, would you be able to add me to the slack group/drop box as well? I am studying for BCPS for this fall as well. It will be my second time taking it and am not sure what to do differently. More practice questions will definitely help! My email address is [email protected]. Thank you so much.

Hi S_mitchh, I am also preparing to take BCPS in Spring 2023 and I would love to be part of a study group. I am sure it will be very helpful.
Also, can you please also add me to the slack group and drop box? My email is [email protected] Thank you!
Please let me know about the study group, I would really benefit for interacting with people that is getting ready for the same exam.
Best regards,

Yuli

Hey, can you please add me to the group as well. My email is [email protected].

Thank you!

hello could you also add me in? [email protected] Thanks a lot!

hi would you please add me the both [email protected]
Hello guys! I am sorry for the delay in adding you to the Slack group and dropbox. I was just on a 3.5 week vacation from work and have not checked anything, so I apologize for the inconvenience! All are now added! :)
 
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Hey best of luck in your endeavors! 4 years community turned 9 month inpatient pharmacist here that passed in 2021 fall.

1) 9
2) Clinically, definitely focus on more of the major disease states and things you'll see in common practice. You can use your inpatient experience to guide you here.
BIOSTATS BIOSTATS BIOSTATS. Low hanging fruit. Can make or break your final score.
3) I guess more clinical but that's a shot in the dark in the vast amount of information you're expected to memorize. Harder to retain things you don't apply in real time.
4) Pretty much everything you're using, plus googling flashcard sets, youtube videos, some guidelines here and there.
5) Unsure of your free time outside of work but I think 3-6 months is adequate. You can use theluxepharmacist's guide as a general template and form your own study methods around their schedule.

GOOD LUCK! Dm me for more questions!
Thank you so much for answering my questions and giving your feedback! I'm trying to be as prepared as possible for this exam, and not feel overwhelmed going in!
 
Hi! Love the questions and I think it's great that you're trying to be proactive :) I found posts like these extremely helpful while I was prepping for this exam and appreciate you asking so many insightful questions. I just took the BCPS this past testing cycle and passed. It was definitely a sigh of relief. Wishing you and everyone else studying good luck!

1) 9
2) Most --> Biostats!!! I can't highlight enough how important it is to start early with biostats. I would end each day of studying by reading more about biostats or practicing questions to solidify the concepts/calculations I was reviewing. I felt fairly confident about the biostats questions I came across during the exam and feel like that benefited me overall.
Least --> oncology...I did not spend very much time reviewing oncology. I don't think I got more than 2 questions about onc during the exam. Most questions had to do more with management of N/V or pre-treatment.
3) Honestly, this is a hard question to answer. I felt like the exam was so random, and I personally felt like I couldn't predict what was going to come next. The exam itself covers so much broad content. When I walked out, I felt like I couldn't gauge what I would've done differently because there was so much of the unexpected. What I can speak to is that it is soooo imperative to solidify biostats knowledge. I feel like that's what saved me in the end.
4) I used ACCP and attempted to read every single chapter. Sadly, that didn't happen because I ran out of study time (shocker lol). I referenced the following study schedule created by msrxgeek:
I followed it loosely and found that it helped me to stay determined and maintain a somewhat moderate study pace. In addition to ACCP, I used ASHP material. But I will say that I used the latter a lot more loosely. It's a bit more surface level in my opinion. Often, I would use ASHP for the lectures and would do a more thorough review using ACCP material.
For biostats, I highly highly highly recommend using tldrpharmacy, specifically the biostats/lit eval material they have available. It's separated into several parts and highlights the most important concepts/calculations to know. All parts are accessible for free on the site, and you can receive all parts combined in 1 pdf by paying a small amount.
5) Study timelines are going to differ for everyone and be highly dependent on personal circumstances. I personally completed residency and studied for about 2 months prior to sitting for this exam. This personally worked for me as I found a study schedule earlier on and mapped out what disease states I found to focus on daily. When speaking to my coworkers/friends who recently took the exam or took in the in the past, I would say the average study time probably ranges from 3-6 months.

Best of luck! You guys got this!!! Remember, you know a lot more than you think. It's easy to doubt yourself, but all you can do is try your best and give it your all. Rooting for everyone sitting for the exam in the near future!
Thank you SO much for your very detailed advice. It is much appreciated, as I want to be as prepared as I can, yet not feel completely flabergasted when I go in to take it! I will take all of this into consideration! I have the tldrpharmacy biostats handout, and the ACCP biostats book, as I've heard many times to know biostats like the back of your hand. Thanks so very much again!!!
 
1) On a scale of 1-10, how hard is it? 8-9
2) What areas did you focus on the most and the least? Biostats + Regulatory (most) / Oncology, PK (Least)
3) After the exam, what areas do you wish you focused on more or less, if any? I would focus EVEN MORE than i already did on Biostats. In addition, I would do practice questions from EVERYWHERE - HYMR, med101, mock exams (ACCP, ASHP), ACCP etc
4) What resources did you use to prepare for the exam? Primarily used ACCP, HYMR and med101 for Biostats
5) How long do you believe is an adequate time to study before taking the exam, if not right out of residency? - 6 months at least especially if you are working FT, No residency, practiced in retail initially but now work in a hospital setting.

This exam is HARD, i came out of the exam feeling like crap... One thing, i recommend is to be OK with not knowing every SINGLE DETAIL because you will not since there is a lot of information and minutia that you won't remember. Focus on your weaknesses for ex- if your good at endocrinology, don't spend too much time on it rather focus on what your week in. I did the HYMR questions TWICE (2100qs- skip onc), I reviewed the ACCP book THRICE and i took 3 mock exams (ACCP, ASHP and ( 2 )med101 exams) TWICE-- i scored about a 60% in all of them :-(. As you can tell, REPETITION IS EVERYTHING because you will forget things...
Loved the med 101 biostats review booklet---> UNDERSTAND and MEMORIZE that book!!! (I felt that the ACCP book did not do justice to biostats)
I was lucky to be a part of a study group so I had a good thing going with the very smart folks in that group-- Guess I am saying is --be part of a group study at least once a week- u can bounce ideas off of each other.
I also listened to a lot of the HYMR lectures (not all of them) but the topics I was week in.
Also, learn to make EDUCATED guesses because you will be STUCK between 2 choices.
Lastly, don't lose hope whether it is your 1st, 2nd, or 3rd try- this exam can be crushed!
That's as real as I can get with you guys!!
Good Luck!!!
Thank you for the detailed response and your personal opinions on the materials. Also with how you felt coming out of the exam. I felt that way coming out of NAPLEX, and passed with flying colors, but absolutely did not feel like I passed and was legit ready to start studying to take it again lol. Your input is very greatly appreciated! I am definitely one for doing practice questions as a huge aid in my studying, so I absolutely plan to do that. But again, thank you SO much for your suggestions and input!
 
There is a slack group and Dropbox with materials. If you send me your email, I can add you to both. You’ll have to download the Slack app first.
Hi, Would appreciate an invite to the slack and Dropbox! Looking to take the exam in the fall. [email protected]

Thank you so much
 
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There is a slack group and Dropbox with materials. If you send me your email, I can add you to both. You’ll have to download the Slack app first.
Hi! I plan to take the fall 2022 test. Is there any chance i could be added to the group as well please? [email protected]. thanks!! I'm so nervous lol
 
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Hello fellow 3rd shifter! I'm also looking to prepare for BCPS in Fall 2023. If you can please add me to your group as well? Thanks!
[email protected]
 
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