Just took the NAPLEX - is the exam the same every time? Also, possibly moving to Cali?

[Birdgofly]

EDIT: I passed! I only got an 85, but that's enough! Turns out the test really isn't as hard or scary as I thought it was. (Now I feel really silly for putting it off for a year...)

If I had to do it all again, I would...

• Definitely schedule it right away and only give myself a couple of weeks to study for it. The longer I put it off (to give myself time to study) the more impossible it felt.

• I would not have bought the RxPrep book. It is definitely a good, somewhat condensed resource of a ton pharmacy information, but it is still LENGTHY - too lengthy for studying for the NAPLEX. It has way more information than you need, with too much highlighted as important, and doesn't really explain any concepts. (Plus, too many spelling/grammar mistakes, and too many references to information in other chapters of the book that just doesn't exist.) That said, I did like the math section of the RxPrep, but you could get a really old, cheap copy if you wanted that.

• Instead, I would buy a practice exam or two as suggested on these forums (from MedEd101), using the internet or old class notes to look up questions I missed, and do the SDN 120 math questions. (I did do the SDN math questions before my exam, and they were far more complicated than anything I was asked on the NAPLEX, but they did get me really comfortable and quick with the math.)

It's like people always say - you passed pharmacy school, so you can pass the NAPLEX too! If you have a decent understanding of the concepts (cholinergic vs anticholinergic, lipophilic vs hyrophilic, etc.), and can at least vaguely recognize most drug names and do simple algebra fairly quickly, you'll do fine!

99.8% of my non-calculation questions were straight multiple choice format. You've seen these drugs a million times over the last 6-8 years. Do not overthink it - gather the appropriate information from the charts for the question and then just go with your gut. I took that test assuming that I was not well enough prepared to pass, so I knew that agonizing over each question wasn't going to help. Because of this, I went with my gut on the majority of the non-math questions, finished 2 hours early, and passed! There will be questions that you need to think through, and questions that you just have to know the answer to. The majority of the questions you have to think through are math questions. So don't let your thoughts get in the way of what you know.

That said,

• KNOW HOW TO CALCULATE BSA! I didn't 🙁 Also, calculations having to do with calcium, phenytoin, insulin vials & pens, and RR/RRR/ARR/NNT.

• As others have said, I was asked a LOT of questions about compounding, sterility (USP), TPNs, and information resources.

• I also had quite a few questions about vaccines (things you would need to know as a community pharmacist recommending and administering vaccines to certain common populations) and anticoagulants/antiplatelets (appropriate use and dosage).

• Try to know the brand names of popular combos of HIV, DM, and Asthma/COPD meds.

• As for ID - try to know at least the most common bugs and treatments ( shape, drug coverage, etc)

• I had some questions about HIV, COPD, diabetes, parkinsons, alzheimers, BPH, oncology.. but not a ton. So if you are super weak in some of these areas, I would probably not invest a bunch of time studying here and instead try to strengthen some of the areas from the points above.

Good luck everyone, you've got this!

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Hello! I just took the NAPLEX for the first time! I know everyone feels like they fail coming out of it, but I really did not study much beforehand... (I wrote out notes for like 80% of the RxPrep book over the course of several months, but I never actually looked back through those notes, and then I did the SDN 120 math questions and a few flashcards the day before.)

Can I expect the test to be comprised of the same questions the next time I take it, now that it is no longer adaptive? Or is that too much to hope for?

It's a weird test. The things I did study were much more difficult than what was asked on the test - I just didn't really study what was asked on the test (seriously, why so much compounding??). Like, I tried to cram the crap out of chemo right before and I got like one question about CINV.

Also, we found out recently that my partner and I may have to move to California this upcoming February for my partner's job promotion. I just took the NAPLEX in Ohio.. I am registered/paid to take the MPJE in Ohio but I haven't signed up for a date yet. We'll find out probably this week or next week if we're for sure moving to California, but there's like a 90% chance we are.

So, I'm not really sure how I go about doing this, especially if I have to retake the NAPLEX? I would retake it in Ohio, and request the score to be sent to California, too, right? Should I take the MPJE here in Ohio, or not? We'd like to move back to Ohio someday; so would it be easier to practice in Ohio later if I take the MPJE here now?

Any advice is appreciated! Thank you!

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[Maromei]

From what I understand, there is the option of score transfer or reciprocity and Naplex is not the same every time, but is the same across all states. Benefit of score transfer and taking MPJE and CPJE separately is that you have two separate independent licenses (that have to be either maintained or put on hold). Benefit of reciprocity is convenience, but the second license will be dependent on primary.

If you want both licenses now, you can take MPJE to get Ohio license --> pass Naplex --> transfer the score to California + apply for ATT to take CPJE.

If you don't need an Ohio license now and don't mind having Ohio license dependent on California license, I believe Ohio allows California pharmacists to obtain Ohio license through reciprocity http://www.pharmacy.ohio.gov/Docume...neral/Pharmacist Licensure by Reciprocity.pdf. In which case, you transfer the Naplex score to california, start application process, and apply for ATT to take CPJE. Once you get california license and say 2 years from now you hate California and wants to move back to Ohio, use the application from above link to apply for Ohio license.

This is just what I learned when trying to obtain dual license in California and Nevada. I haven't completed the whole process yet, so it'll be wise for you do some research too to double check what I said.

Also if you plan on moving to California, it would be a good idea to start application process early because the California BOP is notoriously slower than the other states.

 

[Birdgofly]

Thank you for the info! I did not realize the licenses could be independent of each other or dependent on the primary. That's really too bad about the NAPLEX questions not being the same every time, lol.