Bcps

[ngduocsi]

Hi there, anyone taking the BCPS this October 2010?

I am a pharm.D. grad but I have been out of pharmacy for a few years and worked in an unrelated industry for 4 years.

Now I am back in pharmacy, did retail for a bit which I didn't think that was where I want to be long term and I just got an inpatient job at a big teaching hospital and I would like to continue on to work as a hospital pharmacist in the clinical setting.

One of the things that would help me to advance my career would be to become a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist.

Any suggestions on what I need to do to move back into clinical pharmacy? Can I sit for the exam reading through Koda-Kimble without the review courses from AACP as I do not have a lot of money to pay for the course and materials.

Your advice is highly appreciated.

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[Dalteparin]

Before you can even sign up to take BCPS, you must have practiced for 3 years with at least 50% of your time in pharmacotherapy or finished a PGY-1 residency. From what you've told us, it doesn't sound like either of those things applies to you. Even if you do meet the criteria, the deadline to register for this year's exam was August 1. I suggest going to http://www.bpsweb.org/ to learn a little more.

Everyone I've talked to who's taken BCPS has said know your statistics forwards and backwards because the exam spends a great deal of time on stats. I think ACCP's books have been very helpful (although I haven't taken the test yet... I may feel differently when I walk out of there, lol). If you don't have the money for prep materials now, don't despair. Experience is probably the best way to prepare for the exam, and you'll get plenty of that at an academic teaching hospital.

Good luck!

 

[ngduocsi]

Hello Dalteparin,
Thanks for the reply, I will probably try to do it in October 2011 as I have forgotten a lot of the clinical aspect of pharmacy already.

To share with you guys, I actually got a chance to talk to the director, Richard Bertin, and he told me that the 3 years requirement and other requirements posted are based on the honor system but he also warned that without these backgrounds, the likelihood of passing is very slim.

The passing rate has been consistently 70% regardless of pharm.D. or BSPharm.

I will continue with my inpatient pharmacy job and learn as much as I can and also spend time reading Koda-Kimbel for the next 6 months.

Anyone has the BCPS prep course that you care to share? I can buy the older edition off you.

Good luck guys if you are taking the BCPS this October!

 

[Dalteparin]

You're welcome.

Forgot to mention this earlier: If you've been out of practice for a few years, I'm not sure reading Koda-Kimble is going to be enough preparation. Koda-Kimble may have helped on the NAPLEX, but this test is significantly harder than the NAPLEX. Find a way to go to ACCP's prep class this spring. Ask your employer if they can help financially as you will get CE from it regardless of whether or not you sign up for the test.

I hate to rain on your parade since you seem so enthusiastic. However, since you brought up the issue of the cost of study materials, I feel I should remind you that the cost of taking this test is $600 (plus traveling if the city where you live is not a test site). If you spend all that money, you're going to feel really foolish if you don't pass.

I'm sorry, I'm not trying be mean to you... I just worry that you're in for a rude awakening.

 

[ngduocsi]

Hi there, thanks a lot for your well-wishes and warnings, I appreciate them all. I will look into the AACP site. In the mean time, please keep me and us informed with your journey to the BCPS exam!

 

[spacecowgirl]

I haven't taken the exam yet (less than one month!) but I cannot imagine studying without having gone to the ACCP meeting in April and without the CD-ROM and books. We'll see what I say about all of that when I find out if I passed or not

 

[KARM12]

As the other posters mentioned, this exam is much more difficult than NAPLEX. I also agree that reading Koda-Kimble will not prepare you well enough for the exam. I would recommend buying a copy of the ACCP books. I used the books and did not go to the course. I passed the exam well above the "passing point." The price of the books is ~$150 and is worth it enough to prepare for an exam that costs $600.

 

[ngduocsi]

Hi Karm12,

Would you say that studying from AACP books alone was sufficient? What about the work experience(s) that you have? Did it help as well?

 

[Allure]

Don't quote me on this, but I've been told by someone with a BCPS, who is a coordinator for the residency program at a very large teaching university, that you can "request" to take the BCPS even if you don't meet the "requirements".

When his renewal for the BCPS was up, he didn't even renew it. He took the exam again just to see how it was and told me that he was disappointed on how easy it was (lots of statistics). But then again, this guy is one of the smartest pharmacists I know.

 

[BusyB01]

Hi ngduocsi,
I'm studying for the BCPS 2010 and will let you know how it goes since I think your situation is somewhat similar to mine. I have been practicing pediatric pharmacy for ~10 years and the last couple years have been heavily administration-focused. I'm going through the certification because I want to update my clinical knowledge and prepare myself for a possibility of a more teaching/education role in the future. As the exam date fast approaching, I'm totally stressed since I have to re-familiarize myself with about 70% of the review material. I did not attend the prep course but purchased the home-version with CD-rom. I find it helpful since I can listen to the topics while commuting from work...Will keep you posted

 

[KARM12]

Hi Karm12,

Would you say that studying from AACP books alone was sufficient? What about the work experience(s) that you have? Did it help as well?

I only used my ACCP books for a studying. I had just completed my PGY1 residency and was currently a PGY2 resident when I took the exam last yr.