References and Learning Resources
General Information
The Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada does not endorse any preparatory course material of any kind, and any pretence by an individual or group in making such a claim is liable to legal prosecution.
It is the candidate’s responsibility to utilize suitable reference materials and other resources in preparation for taking the Pharmacist Qualifying Examination. It is important to identify personal learning needs in accordance with the exam blueprint (and consideration, if applicable, of feedback from any previous exam attempt).
It is important for practising pharmacists to continually stay up to date with therapeutics and clinical guidelines and other pharmacy practice issues. This includes staying current as new developments reach practice and the workplace. Compared to other references, one of the limitations of textbooks is the lag time before updated editions appear. It is important for candidates to use current information when preparing for the Qualifying Examination.
Pharmacists are expected to be familiar with the use of a variety of drug information resources and have a working knowledge of which references are useful in specific situations.
Information about pharmacy practice in Canada can be found on the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) website (www.napra.ca). The “NAPRA Model Standards of Practice” further explain and illustrate the NAPRA competencies, which are the basis of the PEBC Qualifying Examination blueprint.
In addition to a pharmacy university education and personal learning, the ideal tool for acquiring Canadian pharmacy practice skills is to undertake “hands on” practice experience working in a Canadian pharmacy setting with direct patient care services. Practice experience will offer insights into the role of the pharmacist in patient care; the Canadian health care system; legal, professional and ethical issues; drug information and critical review of the scientific literature; and commonly seen therapeutic, technical and other practice scenarios.
There are a number of structured, preparatory “bridging” programs currently available in Canada, including: the International Pharmacy Graduate (CPS1 and 2) Program in Ontario (University of Toronto); the Canadian Pharmacy Practice Program (CP3) in British Columbia (University of British Columbia) and the Certificate to Canadian Pharmacy Practice (CCPP) (University of Alberta). In other provinces, it may be helpful to contact the pharmacy regulatory authority for information regarding other assistance or programs for acquiring skills for practice as a pharmacist in Canada.
This link provides a list of references and resources that may be helpful in preparing to take the Qualifying Examination.
This list covers a wide variety of topics, but it is NOT intended to serve as a study guide for the exam, nor should it be assumed that these resources are the source of exam questions. Candidates are expected to self-assess their learning needs and seek out references/resources from this list that will address their specific knowledge gaps.
The content of the Qualifying Examination – Part I and Part II is not based on a particular reference textbook, but rather on the NAPRA competencies as indicated in the exam blueprint.