Examination Subject Areas (Blueprint)
A revised blueprint for the Pharmacist Evaluating Examination has been approved and will be implemented for the June 2025 sitting of the exam.
Background
The blueprint for the Pharmacist Evaluating Examination was last revised in 2015. At that time, most Canadian, CCAPP-accredited pharmacy programs were offering a four-year Bachelor degree. Since that time, all faculties of pharmacy in Canada have transitioned to an entry-level PharmD program.
The revised blueprint was developed to accurately reflect the curriculum of the Canadian, CCAPP-accredited entry-level PharmD programs. As well, the revised blueprint is intended to better align the exam with the expectations of pharmacy practice, while still serving as an assessment distinct from the Pharmacist Qualifying Examination.
Revised Blueprint
A major change in the blueprint relates to the removal of Biomedical Sciences as a distinct subject area for evaluation. With the transition to the PharmD program, these subjects are not included in the pharmacy curriculum (i.e., they are prerequisites to admission).
With the elimination of Biomedical Sciences from the blueprint, the proportions of the exam devoted to Pharmacy Practice and the Behavioural, Social, and Administration (BSA) Pharmacy Sciences have been redistributed to better reflect their emphasis in the curriculum. In particular, the blueprint has been expanded to include some new subject areas in the curriculum (i.e., health equity, social determinants of health, Indigenous health, cultural diversity/safety).
The approximate percentage of questions for each of three major subject areas represented on an exam is shown in parentheses, along with the subcategories of knowledge tested in each area.
Since the revised blueprint predominantly represents a redistribution of subject areas traditionally included on the Pharmacist Evaluating Examination, its introduction is NOT anticipated to have an impact on pass rates.
Subject Areas
Pharmaceutical Sciences (25%)
Pharmaceutics and drug delivery systems
Pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics
Pharmacology
Toxicology
Biotechnology and pharmacogenetics
Pharmacy Practice (55%)
Pathophysiology
Clinical biochemistry and diagnostic testing (including point-of-care testing)
Pharmacotherapeutics (prescription, nonprescription, complementary, nutritional therapies)
Patient care process (assessment/intervention/monitoring/follow up/ documentation)
Special populations (geriatrics, pediatrics, pregnancy, lactation)
Prescription processing, product preparation (including nonsterile compounding)
Medication administration
Prescription calculations
Communication (patient/caregiver education)
Collaborative care (intra- and interprofessional)
Behavioural, Social, and Administrative Sciences (20%)
Health promotion and disease prevention
Literature evaluation (critical appraisal, research methods, evidence-based decision making, pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics, biostatistics)
Medication and patient safety practices
Professionalism and ethics
Pharmacy management(financial, personnel, marketing, quality improvement, risk management, workplace safety)
Canadian healthcare system, health equity and social determinants of health (Indigenous health, cultural diversity/safety)
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Pharmaceutical Sciences (25%)
Pharmaceutics and drug delivery systems
Pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics
Pharmacology
Toxicology
Biotechnology and pharmacogenetics -
Pharmacy Practice (55%)
Pathophysiology
Clinical biochemistry and diagnostic testing (including point-of-care testing)
Pharmacotherapeutics (prescription, nonprescription, complementary, nutritional therapies)
Patient care process (assessment/intervention/monitoring/follow up/ documentation)
Special populations (geriatrics, pediatrics, pregnancy, lactation)
Prescription processing, product preparation (including nonsterile compounding)
Medication administration
Prescription calculations
Communication (patient/caregiver education)
Collaborative care (intra- and interprofessional) -
Behavioural, Social, and Administrative Sciences (20%)
Health promotion and disease prevention
Literature evaluation (critical appraisal, research methods, evidence-based decision making, pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics, biostatistics)
Medication and patient safety practices
Professionalism and ethics
Pharmacy management(financial, personnel, marketing, quality improvement, risk management, workplace safety)
Canadian healthcare system, health equity and social determinants of health (Indigenous health, cultural diversity/safety)
Revised Length and Duration
When the revised blueprint is implemented for the June 2025 sitting of the exam, the number of items will be reduced to 140 in total (reduced from 150). This reduction in the length of the exam is possible as a result of the elimination of the subject area of Biomedical Sciences. The exam will still consist of two sections, with 90 minutes allocated to each section to complete 70 questions.