Certificate training for hospital pharmacist

[all4rx]

I'm starting my work as a hospital pharmacist fresh out of school without a residency background. I still want to get more credentials while I'm at work. I'm willing to purse further training to obtain certifications which I know will be great addition to my resume/CV for future reference.

I think about taking BCPS exam, but I don't know if it's common thing to do for hospital pharmacists without residency training like me. How are you qualified to sit for BCPS without residency? What about other certification/programs that I can obtain as a hospital pharmacist? I looked into APhA and ASHP but haven't found anything, at least anything that's relevant for hospital pharmacist (MTM, Immunization are more for retail & community, I guess)....I heard about Certification for Anticoagulation offered online, is this good?

Please share if you have more info about this topic!
Thanks!

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[BenJammin]

Congrats on the job! Welcome to the club of hospital pharmacists without a residency. I don't think a residency is required for those exams but I know it is definitely suggested.

 

[mustang sally]

Well, don't quote me on this since I'm a new grad too but you can still get any BCPS for which you have experience, it will just take you longer without the residency. For instance, you have to work for three years before you can sit for the pharmacotherapy BCPS whereas residents can take it after their residency year.

 

[pharm B]

http://www.bpsweb.org/specialties/pharmacotherapy.cfm


From the site, requirements for BCPS:

• 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 are creditable for this purpose.
• Achieving a passing score on the Pharmacotherapy Specialty Certification Examination

 

[Indypharm]

The pharmacist I work with sat for the exam without a residency. It's doable.

 

[psychoandy]

I was in your shoes last year. BCPS is IMO THE certification for clinical hospital pharmacists. I would love to take it now, but alas, now 2 more years before I can prove myself. Based on what I've seen in the BPS review materials, anyone who did well on rotations and keeps up to date with practice guidelines and new lit should be able to ace it.

The main reason I want to sit for BCPS, outside of giving me a challenge, is that if I ever want another job, I feel like I need some objective evidence that I just don't sit around and staff all day, and went the extra mile to show how qualified I am as a clinical pharmacist.I know a couple of pharmacists that are ridiculously awesome and refuse to support the BPS and think it's a scam, but in the absence of other good certification or great work experience I can't really think of anything else that would objectively show that you know what's up.

I have gotten emails from ASHP regarding management and clinical type certificate programs specifically targeted to schmucks like me who didn't match, but they seem really lame (since if you were really serious about, say, management you'd just get an MBA).

You could try getting other credentials like CDE or flu shots though! Even though that's not really directly relevant to hospital practice I think it's good to know and would definitely boost a CV.

 

[all4rx]

Thanks everyone! I googled a bit and found this link...thought it presented pretty much all the certifications/programs out there for pharmacist.

http://www.michiganpharmacists.org/education/continuingEducation/advanced/

@psychoandy: yeah, I do think BCPS is THE ultimate certification that I need to get, but in addition to that 3-year requirement, how do you verify your work (at least 50% providing pharmacotherapy services)? I have a hybrid position right now and it does allow me to do some clinical work even rounding with the team if I want, but I don't know if saying this is like 50% of my work ... the rest I do is mainly distributive tasks i.e. staffing.

 

[psychoandy]

@psychoandy: yeah, I do think BCPS is THE ultimate certification that I need to get, but in addition to that 3-year requirement, how do you verify your work (at least 50% providing pharmacotherapy services)? I have a hybrid position right now and it does allow me to do some clinical work even rounding with the team if I want, but I don't know if saying this is like 50% of my work ... the rest I do is mainly distributive tasks i.e. staffing.

I didn't know that you had to prove that you do more than 50% clinical; I just assumed you had to have some sort of hospital job or something. In any case, if someone's ordered for cefepime and I make sure there aren't allergies, it's properly dosed, and appropriate coverage/indication, that's essentially clinical. Just because I'm stuck in a basement punching in orders or checking meds doesn't mean I don't provide patient specific pharmacotherapy care...same with retail RPhs.

Or you could just lie...if you can pass the test and have no disciplinary record IMO you should be qualified for BCPS. I disagree with some of their stupid rules like not counting unaccredited residency programs as practice experience; that's kind of an f-you to people who didn't match or chose to do harder unaccredited programs.

 

[StevePerry]

The pharmacist I work with sat for the exam without a residency. It's doable.

This is true, the passing rate is much lower for people without the residency, especially if you haven't been doing pure clinical work in the meantime, although it is doable. I passed it without a residency, but then again there really wasn't much of a point in doing a residency until recently...