Pharmacy is the course in which you learn so much about traditional compounding services, clinical services, providing drug information, health care services, efficacy, and much more. After Pharmacy, you can select from numerous available ways. For a clear idea, it is essential to have proper knowledge regarding what you will do after the completion of the course. There are various duties and responsibilities of a pharmacist. Some of the responsibilities of pharmacists are: dispensing medicines, considering safety for the prescribed therapy, monitoring patient health, collaborating with physicians/nurse/health care, and many others.
Pharmacy is a long journey. Depending upon your skills, interests, career goals, and expectations, your pathway in pharmacy career may vary from your friends or peers. After the completion of pharmacy school, you need to take an exam for licensure. In this article, we have shared a complete guide on a pharmacy licensure examination.
What Is The NAPLEX?
This question is popular among students who are in pharmacy school. NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) is a standard examination created by the National Association Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). The exam is created to help individual state boards of pharmacy to evaluate the knowledge of candidates.
The knowledge and competency of candidates are being examined, so that ideal candidates are being licensed as a pharmacist. To become a licensed pharmacist, you must take NAPLEX and pass it. NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) is a computer-based examination conducted for the applicants who want to get licensure for pharmacists. To obtain licensure, you must take this exam.
NAPLEX is a 250-question multiple-choice, computer-based examination. The main motive of the exam is to test three crucial areas – management of drug therapy, safely preparing & dispensing medications, and providing drug information. To complete the 250-question examination, you will be given 6 hours. And, there will be two optional ten minute scheduled breaks.
To register for the NAPLEX, you will need to contact the board of pharmacy in the state where you want licensure. After you contact the board of pharmacy in the state you want a license, you will be provided some paperwork and instructions. Before registering you as an applicant for the upcoming NAPLEX, your state board will determine whether you are eligible for the exam or not. Then, your state board will notify this to the NABP. Then, you will be issued an Authorization to Test.
NAPLEX Length & Duration
Before you create a study plan and start studying for the NAPLEX, you must be clear about the exam format and its length. It is a computer-based online licensing exam for pharmacy students to test out their knowledge on what they have learned in their school.
The exam was used to be of 185 multiple choice questions, and earlier, the time for seating in the exam was 4 hours and 15 minutes. At present, there are a total number of 250 questions are being asked and you will be given 6 hours to complete the exam. Out of the 250 total questions, only 200 questions will be used to determine the score. Remaining 50 questions will be of “trial balloon” questions that will be considered for inclusion on future NAPLEX tests. Earlier, the NAPLEX exam fee was used to be $505, but now it has been increased to $575.
You need to improve your speed and efficiency so that you can attempt all the questions correctly. Many students fail to attempt all the questions in the exam. The reason behind failing to attempt all the questions within the given timeframe is the lack of practice. By practicing, you would improve your efficiency and speed and able to attempt all questions within 6 hours.
How is the NAPLEX Score Calculated?
The score in NAPLEX is based on a scale of 0 to 150. If you want to pass the exam, you must achieve a minimum of 75 scores. Students often confuse 75 as percentage marks, but you need to achieve 75 marks, not the percentage. The exam is based on scores and not on percentage.
The score of the NAPLEX is calculated using an algorithm based on the rolling average of test results from among other applicants. If we convert 75 scores into the percentage, it comes down to 60 percent of test questions correct. In short, you need to pass a minimum of 60 percent of questions in your NAPLEX exam. However, it is not official by the NABP that applicants must have 60% questions correct to pass the exam.
The score calculation in the exam is also based on whether you get easy questions or hard questions because they are weighted differently. In the NAPLEX examination, all the questions will not be weighted equally. Some questions may be 1/2 points, some may be of 1 or 2; this is based on the type of question.
How Long Do I Need To Study For NAPLEX?
NAPLEX is a 250-question multiple-choice examination for licensure. The main question students often ask is, “How long do I need to study for NAPLEX?” There is no clear cut answer to this question. Depending upon your knowledge, you can study for 4, 6, or 8 weeks. How long you should study for the NAPLEX is based on so many factors. Generally, you can prepare for NAPLEX in 4 to 8 weeks. The preparation in 4 to 8 weeks is achievable when you have prepared a study schedule and follow it properly. However, it may vary from one student to another. It is highly based on your study style.
Depending upon your study style, you may be able to prepare for the NAPLEX in less than 4 weeks, or it may take you more than 4 weeks to study. Apart from study style, it is also based on how much you already know. The preparation becomes easy when all the concepts, calculations, and topics are clear in your mind. To pass the NAPLEX in a single try, it is advisable to study and revise until you feel over-prepared.
How Many Questions Do You Need To Pass The NAPLEX?
NAPLEX is designed to check whether a particular applicant is capable of the pharmacist licensure or not. Before NAPLEX, the students must have completed the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) program. After PharmD, the students need to get licensure for pharmacy. To license the skilled and knowledgeable students, NAPLEX is conducted.
The NAPLEX consists of a total of 250 multiple-choice questions. Out of these 250 questions, 200 questions will be used to calculate the applicant’s test score. The remaining 50 questions will be experimental questions, and they do not affect the applicant’s test score.
The score of the NAPLEX is calculated using an algorithm based on the rolling average of test results from among other applicants. To pass the NAPLEX, you must get at least 75 scores. The total score of the NAPLEX could range from 0 to 150. If you do not achieve a minimum of 75 score, you will be provided the performance profile. In the performance profile, there will be an explanation of the areas in which you should improve your performance. Also, after you take NAPLEX and if you do not pass, you must wait for a minimum of 45 days to re-take the NAPLEX.
As we have seen, basically, you can be prepared for the NAPLEX in 4 to 8 weeks. On average, if you study for 4 to 8 weeks, you can pass the exam. However, it may differ from student to student. Depending on your study style, it may take more or less. The essential thing for passing the exam by scoring a minimum of 75 is preparing perfectly.
How Preparing NAPLEX Study Schedule Can Help?
After the completion of pharmacy school, students start looking for NAPLEX. Without NAPLEX, students will not be provided licensure of becoming a pharmacist. As we have seen, the preparation time is highly based on your study style. But, in general, studying for 4 to 8 weeks is enough to get passed.
To study effectively and get the best results, you will need to prepare a study schedule for your NAPLEX. Preparing a study schedule will keep your study go consistent. On the other hand, if you do not prepare a plan or a schedule for the exam, you will find difficulty in maintaining consistency. Proper planning is essential if you want to pass your NAPLEX on the first try. Having a study schedule helps you to maintain consistency and focus on the study.
Generally, if you will study for approximate 4 to 8 weeks before your NAPLEX, you would be able to pass it. This may differ from one student to another, as different students have different studying styles. Depending upon your study style, you can prepare a study schedule for 3 or 4 weeks before the NAPLEX. In the study schedule, you can list down different subjects or chapters you are going to cover each day. This way, preparing a study schedule for your NAPLEX licensure examination can help you.
Having a study schedule for your upcoming NAPLEX exam allows you to maintain consistency in the study. You can include how much time you are going to devote a particular subject/topic and during what time you will study it. If you want, you can prepare the schedule through any application or website. There are various websites and apps out there in the market that can make your study schedule task easy.
How to Study For NAPLEX?
If you are searching for how to study for NAPLEX, you must have cleared your pharmacy graduation and now looking for tips and techniques on how to study for the licensure exam (NAPLEX) and pass it. You have to give your best to pass the NAPLEX in one try because the exam will cost you money, your time, your energy, and most importantly, you have five attempts available. Five attempts available means if you fail the NAPLEX, you just have four more attempts available to re-take the exam again.
Before you start studying for the NAPLEX, you need to understand its examination pattern properly. The exam will have 250-multiple choice questions, and you will be given 6 hours to complete the exam. Here are some tips to study for the NAPLEX effectively:
1. Practice with Pre-NAPLEX
Pre-NAPLEX is an online examination that can help you to study effectively for the NAPLEX. In the pre-NAPLEX, there will be 100 questions. The questions you will see in the pre-exam will be taken from the past exams. To complete the pre-NAPLEX, you will be given 140 minutes, and after you start the exam, you cannot pause it or exit it. You have to complete the exam in just one sitting. Once you complete the pre-NAPLEX, you will get a report. Through the report, you will get an idea about which areas you need more study.
2. Study with Portable devices
Sometimes, studying from books can be really boring. The best way you can study is with a portable device such as a mobile phone, tablet, laptop, etc. When you are out, or you are traveling somewhere, this method of studying can be really useful. When you head over to the Android Playstore or Apple Appstore, you will find numerous apps helping you with the NAPLEX. Apart from this, there are so many blog websites out there on the web for your NAPLEX study.
3. Follow Best Preparation Books
As there are so many books out there for NAPLEX preparation, students often get confused about which book they should choose for the study. You need to choose the latest book and make sure the book is from a well-known author.
NAPLEX Study Guide
After the completion of pharmacy school, the biggest challenge comes in the students’ life is to clear NAPLEX. It is an exam designed to examine and test the skills and knowledge of students. The reason why NAPLEX haunts students is that the exam decides whether a particular student will get the pharmacy licensure or not.
NAPLEX seems tough for many students, but it should not be because students have already spent 3 to 4 years in learning the same thing that will be asked in the NAPLEX. Here are some study guide tips for NAPLEX:
1. Start Early
The number one thing that comes before you start studying for your licensure exam is to make sure you have enough time to study. Instead of hustling in the last few days, it is always better to start the preparation early. By preparing in the last few days, you are not going to learn properly. The last few days are for retaining the information that you have already studied. Hence, make sure you have enough time to get started with your NAPLEX preparation.
2. Study the right materials
Another crucial thing you need to make sure is whether you are studying the right materials or not. NAPLEX has a specific blueprint or syllabus for the exam that defines what information is going to ask in the examination. You can study from the question bank that aligns the most recent blueprint of the exam.
3. Create a Study Plan
It doesn’t matter what exam you are going to take, if have not created a study plan, you are most likely no to going to achieve desired results. The creation of the study plan ensures you maintain self-discipline during the study. In your study plan, you need to add all the important topics/subjects for your NAPLEX. For example, you can create a study schedule or plan which states how much time you will dedicate to math calculations, clinical topics, etc. You need to prepare the study plan 1 or 2 months before your NAPLEX. After creating the study plan or schedule, you will be clear about what you will study on what day.
4. Practice questions in detail
The important thing is whether you know the answers to various questions in detail or not. To check out whether your concepts are clear and you know the answers in detail, you can take test items similar to the exam. When you give answers to the practice questions, you need to write answers in detail explanations so that you can get an idea about how in-depth you can go.
5. Take Pre-NAPLEX
Pre-NAPLEX is an online examination that can help you to study effectively for the NAPLEX. In the pre-NAPLEX, there will be 100 questions. The questions you will see in the pre-exam will be taken from the past exams. To complete the pre-NAPLEX, you will be given 140 minutes, and after you start the exam, you cannot pause it or exit it. You have to complete the exam in just one sitting. Pre-NAPLEX can be really helpful for your NAPLEX study preparation. Taking the Pre-NAPLEX gives you an idea about what type of questions you can expect in the mains examination.
So, these are the five tips for the NAPLEX licensing exam study. With this study guide tips, you would be able to pass your NAPLEX exam in the first attempt.
How to Study for the NAPLEX in 2 Weeks?
You are here; it means you have completed your pharmacy school graduation and now applying for the licensing exam. If your NAPLEX examination is just 2 weeks away, you must be worried about whether you would be able to make it or not. We often get asked by students, “Can I study and pass the NAPLEX in just 2 weeks?” The answer to this question is – YES, you can pass the NAPLEX if you only have 2 weeks for the study.
But, you need to work hard and study as per your plan, if you want to make it in just 2 weeks. We do not recommend you to mess up everything in your last days for the exam. Here’s how to study for the NAPLEX in 2 weeks:
1. Go with a Study Plan
A study plan is really important if you want to achieve a targeted score in any type of exam. This becomes more important when you have very little time. Generally, studying most in the morning is the best idea because we are the most productive in the mornings.
2. Find a study partner
It is a good idea to find a study partner if possible. You must not be spending whole days studying with your study partner, because you will be more likely to get distracted when you do group study. You can find a study partner and spend around 1 or 2 hours per day studying together.
3. Get enough sleep
To cover each and everything, you must not be sleeping day and night. Getting enough sleep is very important to have the next day productive.
4. Avoid using large books
2 weeks a little time to cover the details of each topic. If you just have 2 weeks for your NAPLEX, it is advisable to avoid large books like APHA, RxPrep, DiPiro’s Pharmacotherapy, etc.
5. Focus on your weaknesses
There must be some topics chapters you are weak in. All you have to do is to identify your weak points and focus on them.
6. Use Class notes
Another effective thing you can do is use your class notes. Class notes are important because you will find the information provided by your professors.
7. Practice
Practicing is the best way to know your performance. For practicing, you can use previous years’ questions. Pre-NAPLEX is also a good way to practice and test your knowledge about the NAPLEX exam.
These are the factors you need to consider if you want to study for your NAPLEX exam in 2 weeks. It is advisable to prepare a plan and studying for the exam early so that you can study in detail. But, if you do not have more than 2 weeks, you can follow the guide given above.
NAPLEX Re-Take Policy
Many students can’t pass the NAPLEX in the first attempt. If you are one of those students who failed in the first attempt, you must be wanted to know how many more attempts you are allowed to give. Applicants are allowed to give a maximum of attempts to pass the NAPLEX.
And, if you failed the NAPLEX, you must wait for 45 days to give the next attempt. 45 days is a great amount of time to study for the NAPLEX again for those who failed. If you want to pass in the next attempt, you must properly utilize your 45 days for the next attempt. Having a study plan created improves productivity.
NAPLEX vs USMLE
There are various types of exams in medical. Two of the popular exams are – NAPLEX and USMLE. Here we will distinguish between NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) and USMLE (The United States Medical Licensing Examination). Let’s take a look at both the exams in detail:
NAPLEX:
NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) is a standard examination created by the National Association Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). The exam is created to help individual state boards of pharmacy to evaluate the knowledge of candidates.
The knowledge and competency of candidates are being examined, so that ideal candidates are being licensed as a pharmacist. To become a licensed pharmacist, you must take NAPLEX and pass it. NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) is a computer-based examination conducted for the applicants who want to get licensure for pharmacists. To obtain licensure, you must take this exam.
In the NAPLEX exam, there are 250 multiple-choice questions. To complete the exam, you will be given 6 hours. Out of the 250 total questions, only 200 questions will be used to determine the score. Remaining 50 questions will be of “trial balloon” questions that will be considered for inclusion on future NAPLEX tests. The score in NAPLEX is based on a scale of 0 to 150. If you want to pass the exam, you must achieve a minimum of 75 scores.
USMLE:
USMLE (The United States Medical Licensing Examination) is a three-step examination for medical licensure in the United States. The motive of the exam is to check how well you can apply your values, skills, and attitudes to real-life patients. The sponsors of USMLE are the Federation of State Medical Boards and the National Board of Medical Examiners. USMLE exam not just helps you to practice, but it also shows licensing authorities about how the way you can operate the job.
USMLE is an exam conducted for medical school graduates only. The exam covers topics such as basic biomedical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, clinical sciences, and social, behavioral, administrative pharmacy sciences. Here are the three steps of USMLE:
Step 1:
USMLE Step 1 is a one day computer exam taken by most of the medical students at the end of the second year in their medical school. In the step of USMLE, it includes 280 multiple choice questions, and students are given 8 hours of time to complete the exam. It is broken down into 1-hour blocks per 40 questions.
Step 2 CK:
USMLE Step 2 CK is the multiple-choice questions test designed to examine how much knowledge does the applicant posses regarding medical and clinical sciences. There are around 318 questions in the Step 2 CK exam, and students are provided 9 hours for completing it. Again, it is broken down into 1-hours blocks per 40 questions.
Step 2 CS:
USMLE Step 2 CS exam is designed to increase the importance of communication skills. The exam focuses on communication skills, maintaining the doctor-patient relationship, and created a more patient-centered approach. Step 2 CS examined through – fostering the relationship, gathering information, making decisions, information provision, supporting emotions and enabling patient behaviors.
Step 3
Step 3 of USMLE is a 2-day computerized examination with around 500 multiple choice questions and computer-based case simulation. Computer-based Case Simulation (CCS) helps you to history and physical information, order diagnostic tests, select initial therapies, and manage the patient. The main focus of USMLE is on patient management, and it includes around 45% to 50% of patient management questions.
So, here we have seen the difference between two popular medical exams – NAPLEX and USMLE. NAPLEX is a standard exam created for licensure, while USMLE is a 3-step exam that is focused on patient management.
NAPLEX or MPJE First?
Students often get confused about whether they should take NAPLEX first or MPJE. MPJE (Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination) is an exam created by the National Association Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). This exam is designed by NABP to help state boards of pharmacy to assess the knowledge of pharmacy law.
MPJE is a bit harder than NAPLEX, hence it is advisable to first take the examination which is hard one. NAPLEX has also become harder over time, but MPJE is much more difficult. If you are confused about which exam you should take first, we recommend you to take MPJE first. The reason why we recommend this is because it is harder. By taking the MPJE first, you will get enough time to study for the complex exam. You want to keep both the exams separate, so you have to decide which exam you want to take first.
Final Thoughts
NAPLEX (North American Pharmacy Licensure Examination) is designed to test whether the applicant is eligible to get the pharmacy licensure or not. In order to get the licensure of becoming a pharmacist, you must pass the NAPLEX. The exam contains 250 multiple choice questions, and out of them, 200 will be used to determine the applicants’ score, the rest of them will be “trial balloon” questions.
The main question pharmacy school students always look for the answer is “How to Pass NAPLEX in First Attempt?” If you want to pass the exam in the first attempt, you need to start studying early and maintain your study schedule. Starting early is essential because this will allow you to learn all the stuff in more detail and thoroughly. So in this guide, we have tried to answer all the common questions of the popular pharmacy licensing exam – NAPLEX.