BPS certification in pharmacotherapy while working retail

[ethyl]

If I can't get into a hospital after graduation, I'll work community. If I find myself 2 years later and still no hospital job, I want to stay competitive somehow. Is it even possible to get certified in pharmacotherapy without hospital experience?

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[aboveliquidice]

If I can't get into a hospital after graduation, I'll work community. If I find myself 2 years later and still no hospital job, I want to stay competitive somehow. Is it even possible to get certified in pharmacotherapy without hospital experience?

Absolutely... once you qualify to sit the BPS cert exam, go do it. There are plenty of books to get you to the point where you are ready. I know of one pharmacist that has done it (working for Wags no less).

The bonus you get from working in the hospital is the "familiarity" boost. Studying hard can certainly make up for the lack of exposure on a daily basis.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Meh...maybe? You need to do a residency or have 3 years of experience doing what I'd call "50% clinical stuff." I'm not sure if they count retail. Generally, people in hospitals don't consider retail "clinical". Even though it is in many aspects...

Anyway, here are the actual requirements:

Eligibility Requirements
The minimum requirements for this specialty certification are:

* Graduation from a pharmacy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) or a program outside the U.S. that qualifies the individual to practice in the jurisdiction.

* Current, active license to practice pharmacy in the U.S. or another jurisdiction.

* Completion of three (3) years of practice experience with at least 50% of time spent in pharmacotherapy activities (as defined by the BPS Pharmacotherapy Content Outline)
OR
Completion of a PGY1 residency *.

*Effective January 1, 2013, only residencies accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists or other recognized bodies are creditable for this purpose.
* Achieving a passing score on the Pharmacotherapy Specialty Certification Examination

And, hey, what do you know. I just so happen to be in a 50:50 staff/clinical job. And I'll have 3 years experience in July 2011. Maybe I'll get one of those study guides and take the test for the hell of it.

I'd imagine that me getting BCPS certified would piss off someone in academia...which is enough incentive to get me to actually study my ass off and pass it for my own amusement...which has really only happened once in my life...back in high school I had straight Ds and Fs in AP Calculus...because I didn't care...I was kicked out of class for snoring a few times...I literally didn't even know what a derivative was. A friend told me that I was too stupid to get Calculus...so, naturally, I studied my ass off for three weeks at the end of April, registered for the AP exam, and resigned to completely immersing myself into all that is calculus...got a 4 on the AP test...friend, with As and Bs all year, got a 3...it's seriously the finest moment of my life...and, yes, I realize that the fact that the most impressive accomplishment of my life happening when I was 17 is exceedingly pathetic...but it was one of those weird "realizing your potential" moments that I rarely get to experience.

...but passing the BCPS test...hmm...that would be hilarious. And, further, what does it say about me that the only reason I'd want to ever pass any test...ever...is as an Andy Kaufman-esque joke that only I would find funny...

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Rambling aside...for those that have taken it...how hard is it exactly? I've always imagined that it's as difficult as the NAPLEX should be in and of itself...prolly a tad harder...

 

[njac]

I heard this year was broooootal from the friends who took it. Because the passing score changes year to year, no one is sure how they did. They're all thinking about 60-65% (the passing score is usually in that range, sometimes up to 70)

 

[ethyl]

Meh...maybe? You need to do a residency or have 3 years of experience doing what I'd call "50% clinical stuff." I'm not sure if they count retail. Generally, people in hospitals don't consider retail "clinical". Even though it is in many aspects...

Anyway, here are the actual requirements:





And, hey, what do you know. I just so happen to be in a 50:50 staff/clinical job. And I'll have 3 years experience in July 2011. Maybe I'll get one of those study guides and take the test for the hell of it.

I'd imagine that me getting BCPS certified would piss off someone in academia...which is enough incentive to get me to actually study my ass off and pass it for my own amusement...which has really only happened once in my life...back in high school I had straight Ds and Fs in AP Calculus...because I didn't care...I was kicked out of class for snoring a few times...I literally didn't even know what a derivative was. A friend told me that I was too stupid to get Calculus...so, naturally, I studied my ass off for three weeks at the end of April, registered for the AP exam, and resigned to completely immersing myself into all that is calculus...got a 4 on the AP test...friend, with As and Bs all year, got a 3...it's seriously the finest moment of my life...and, yes, I realize that the fact that the most impressive accomplishment of my life happening when I was 17 is exceedingly pathetic...but it was one of those weird "realizing your potential" moments that I rarely get to experience.

...but passing the BCPS test...hmm...that would be hilarious. And, further, what does it say about me that the only reason I'd want to ever pass any test...ever...is as an Andy Kaufman-esque joke that only I would find funny...

---

Rambling aside...for those that have taken it...how hard is it exactly? I've always imagined that it's as difficult as the NAPLEX should be in and of itself...prolly a tad harder...

I'd get to impress chicks with another set of initials after my name.

Damnit though, that 50/50 rule is going to screw me over if I get stuck full time in community. Although, a simple counseling or MTM session seems to fulfill most of those "clinical" requirements.

 

[ethyl]

Absolutely... once you qualify to sit the BPS cert exam, go do it. There are plenty of books to get you to the point where you are ready. I know of one pharmacist that has done it (working for Wags no less).

The bonus you get from working in the hospital is the "familiarity" boost. Studying hard can certainly make up for the lack of exposure on a daily basis.

Do you remember if the wags pharmacist worked part time at a hospital? 🙁

 

[spacecowgirl]

I'd get to impress chicks with another set of initials after my name.

All this time I just assumed you were a chick. Or maybe you are. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

 

[ethyl]

All this time I just assumed you were a chick. Or maybe you are. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

That'd be hot