Specialty Certifications in Pharmacy Practice

Dmitry Kalinovsky/123RF.com

Pursuing a career in Pharmacy can be very rewarding, both monetarily and in having the satisfaction of helping others on a daily basis. Once you take care of your basic education and licensing requirements the next decision will be what specific area of pharmacy you want to pursue. There are many different employment opportunities available and one of the factors that will decide what is available to you is certification in a pharmacy specialty.

The BPS and Pharmacy Specialties

The BPS, Board of Pharmacy Specialties, administers programs that offer certification to pharmacists in an area of specialty. A certification is not technically a requirement for most pharmacy positions; however, it shows a pharmacist is capable and knowledgeable enough in a particular area to perform the required duties. Certifications can set you apart from others applying for the same position, or at least put you on a level playing field with other applicants.

Each certification has specific requirements that must be met in order to qualify for the program, including several years of pharmacy practice. It is important to read the exact requirements when you are charting your career course and trying to determine where and how you want your pharmacy career to develop. Below are the various certifications available by BPS along with the basic requirements needed to qualify for the program.

BPS Certifications Available

You can find details about the exact requirements and the different residency qualifiers on the BPS website.

Ambulatory Certification Requirements:

• Graduate from ACPE accredited pharmacy program
• Currently licensed to practice pharmacy
• Four years of practice experience or an equivalent residency program
• Pass certification exam

Nuclear Certification Requirements:

• Graduate from ACPE accredited pharmacy program
• Currently licensed to practice pharmacy
• 4,000 hrs. of nuclear pharmacy experience through training or actual practice
• Pass certification exam

Nutrition Certification Requirements:

• Graduate from ACPE accredited pharmacy program
• Currently licensed to practice pharmacy
• Three years of experience or equivalent residency program as determined by the BPS
• Pass certification exam

Oncology Certification Requirements:

• Graduate from ACPE accredited pharmacy program
• Currently licensed to practice pharmacy
• Four years of experience or equivalent residency program as determined by the BPS
• Pass certification exam

Pharmacotherapy Certification Requirements:

• Graduate from ACPE accredited pharmacy program
• Currently licensed to practice pharmacy
• Three years of experience or equivalent residency program as determined by the BPS
• Pass certification exam

Psychiatric Certification Requirements:

• Graduate from ACPE accredited pharmacy program
• Currently licensed to practice pharmacy
• Four years of experience or equivalent residency program as determined by the BPS
• Pass certification exam

New additions for 2015 certification programs:

Critical Care and Pediatric Pharmacy

Other Considerations

Beginning a career in pharmacy is exciting and full of choices. It is important to consider how you envision spending your days as a pharmacist. Do you want to be in a retail environment such as a drug store filling prescriptions, or perhaps working at a community clinic helping patients in a more hands on role? Matching your education level, certification level, and residency program with your ultimate career goals will be an important factor in ending up in a position where you are happy with your daily work.

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy gives some excellent information that is very detailed and covers many aspects of a pharmacy career. You can find an index of information here at the AACP.org website.

You are now well on your way to determining your exact career path in pharmacy and you will soon be joining the ranks of highly qualified and professional pharmacists around the globe. Good luck!