BCPS examination

[Cocogirl]

Just wondering if anyone has taken the BCPS exam and what they thought of it? Is there an emphasis on inpatient vs. outpatient? How long did you study for it? Did you attend the prep course in April (of the year you took it)? If you could include your practice setting and how long you've been practicing - that would be great!

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[kwizard]

Just wondering if anyone has taken the BCPS exam and what they thought of it? Is there an emphasis on inpatient vs. outpatient? How long did you study for it? Did you attend the prep course in April (of the year you took it)? If you could include your practice setting and how long you've been practicing - that would be great!

I took and passed the BCPS in 10/05. Practice setting is a hospital w/ inpt and outpt responsibilities (i.e. dosing antibx and/or antisz meds (general TDM, inpt/outpt anticoag, general consultation)

Yes you should definitely do the review course. If you don't have the money or time to go to Cali, just make sure that you register for the online course (it is same material you just get a chance to review lectures at your own time and/or have electronic access to PDFs). Honestly the course from '05 is still available for purchase and would provide you the same benefit (check out ACCP website and Educational Resources). I'd set aside a good 3 months of studying. The test really doesn't focus on inpt vs outpt and just covers the bulk of the various disciplines and is more focused on seeing if you can apply clinical priniciples and evaluate literature and then apply all of this to clinical practice. The test is difficult and covers a lot of information, but if you study you'll be fine.

 

[Cocogirl]

Thanks for the reply, kwizard. I'm doing kind of a non-traditional route into clinical pharmacy. I've been in the workforce for about 5 years and am starting a residency program in July. I was wondering if doing a residency at the same time as preparing for the BCPS would be too difficult.

Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[PharmD2MD]

Thanks for the reply, kwizard. I'm doing kind of a non-traditional route into clinical pharmacy. I've been in the workforce for about 5 years and am starting a residency program in July. I was wondering if doing a residency at the same time as preparing for the BCPS would be too difficult.

Any advice would be appreciated!

I passed the BCPS- here's what I did.

Get the study guide from ACCP. It's a big binder of notes from the review course with some great review questions. As you go through your residency, work through the applicable sections. Read the whole thing over again a few times at the end. The test is tough, but fair. There's some JCAHO stuff on there you'll be expected to know, so brush up on the medication management standards. Don't go over board on the statistics stuff- just do the review materials. The stat's questions are not difficult and don't require any complex calculations.

I didn't do the prep course. My method worked fine for me. The test is largely experience based in my opinion, so I'm not sure of the value of a weekend cram session in Monterey. Make the most of your residency and you'll be fine. Good luck.

 

[TotalKayOs]

what is the BCPS?

 

[ForgetMeNot]

Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist

 

[kwizard]

Thanks for the reply, kwizard. I'm doing kind of a non-traditional route into clinical pharmacy. I've been in the workforce for about 5 years and am starting a residency program in July. I was wondering if doing a residency at the same time as preparing for the BCPS would be too difficult.

Any advice would be appreciated!

I'd agree w/ the post from PharmD2MD that reviewing the notes via the ACCP review course. You can also purchase the online version of the review course in Monterrey, but from what I understand all they do is go through the aforementioned binder of review sections. Similar to PharmD2MD I didn't go to the "live" review course (didn't have the time or money). All I did was review the sections in the review binder. I'd also agree w/ the suggestion of studying the review binder periodically as you go through residency training as the residency experience would help you retain the information you are studying. Secondly obtaining BCPS during residency training would be quite admirable, but possibly wouldn't provide any other benefit. Most companies and/or hospitals either pay the ~$500 for the exam (some only if you pass the exam) or they give you a pay raise (positions in federal sector give pay raises for any Board Certification or CGP). Good Luck!!