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Pharmacotherapy Specialty Certification Examination (BCPS)
The Board of Pharmacy Specialties' Pharmacotherapy specialty certification examination: a single continuous, computer-based exam of 150 items (125 scored, 25 unscored pretest) in 3 hours 45 minutes, covering three weighted domains (Patient Care Specialty Areas 36%, Therapeutics and Patient Management 36%, Professional Practice 28%). Passing requires a scaled score of at least 500 on a 200-800 scale set by criterion-referenced standard setting; passers earn the Board-Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist (BCPS) designation. Delivered under continuous testing (scheduling within 90 days of application approval) primarily at Pearson test centers, with online/remote delivery only by case-by-case exception in the US, Australia, and Canada. First-time fee USD 600; discounted retake USD 300.
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Questions150 items (125 scored, 25 unscored pretest items embedded in the test)
Testing time3 hours 45 minutes (covers exam introduction, tutorial, and the 150 items; no scheduled breaks — one optional 10-minute unscheduled break, deducted from the candidate's existing time)
ScoringCriterion-referenced passing standard set per specialty; minimum passing score is 500 on the 200-800 scale, and pass/fail decisions are based exclusively on the total score. Successful candidates receive no numerical score feedback
Exam feeUSD 600 first-time applicant fee; USD 300 discounted retake fee; after passing, a USD 125 Annual Certification Maintenance fee each year for years one through six plus a USD 400 recertification fee in year seven. Pearson-collected cancellation/reschedule fees: none at 30+ days out, USD 60 at 5-29 days, no change and full fee retained under 5 days. Complete applications are processed within 30 calendar days
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Exam overview
What to know before choosing your prep
- Who runs it
- BPS
- Category
- Pharmacist Specialty Certification
- Current version
- BCPS Examination Specifications effective September 2024 (eligibility/content outline for 2025 administrations and onward)
- Where it applies
- Global
- Exam languages
- English
- Score scale
- 200-800 (500 = passing point)
- Testing provider
- Pearson (Pearson VUE, branded 'Pearson Professional Assessments (formerly Pearson VUE)'), BPS's exam delivery partner
- Format
- Computer-based, delivered primarily at Pearson test centers; no scheduled breaks (one optional 10-minute unscheduled break deducted from exam time); online/remote testing is not a standard option and is approved only case-by-case for eligible candidates in the United States, Australia, and Canada with advance BPS approval
- Availability
- Continuous testing: candidates may register throughout the year and take the exam at any point in their eligibility period; from the date of application approval the session may be scheduled any time within the following 90 calendar days; complete applications are processed within 30 calendar days
- Results
- Beginning January 2026, an immediate preliminary pass/fail score report is shown on screen at completion, with the official score report available in the candidate's MyBPS account within 45 calendar days of the test session
- Remote testing
- Varies by jurisdiction
Exam structure
One continuous computer-based exam of 150 items (125 scored, 25 pretest) across three weighted domains: 1. Patient Care Specialty Areas 36% (Primary Pharmacotherapy Specialty Areas 14%, Secondary 13%, Tertiary 9%), 2. Therapeutics and Patient Management 36% (Treatment Planning 10%, Therapeutic Implementation 13%, Treatment Outcomes and Monitoring 13%), 3. Professional Practice 28% (Quality of Care 13%, Evidence-Based Practice 7%, Practice Management 8%). Items are predominantly four-option multiple choice
Where rules vary
Open to pharmacists licensed/registered in the U.S. or another jurisdiction and delivered at Pearson test centers internationally; the certifying body is U.S.-based but the examination is not restricted to one country. BPS notes case-by-case remote approval limited to the United States, Australia, and Canada.
Eligibility
Graduation from an ACPE-accredited pharmacy program (or a non-U.S. program that qualifies the individual to practice in that jurisdiction); a current, active pharmacist license/registration in the U.S. or another jurisdiction; and, within the past 7 years, either at least 3 years of pharmacotherapy practice experience with at least 50% of time in the exam scope, or successful completion of a PGY1 pharmacy residency. A PDF/JPG of the current license must be uploaded with the application, with documentation submitted in English
Retake policy
Three total attempts (first attempt plus two retakes); a mandatory 90-calendar-day washout period between the last session and the scheduled retake; if a passing score is not achieved after the third attempt, the examinee must wait 12 months from the final attempt before submitting a new application with the $600 fee