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.
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 following:
- International Pharmacy Graduate (CPS 1 and 2) Program in Ontario (University of Toronto)
- Canadian Pharmacy Practice Program (CP3) in British Columbia (University of British Columbia)
- 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.
The following section 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 resources that are grouped by their relevance to the six main competency areas assessed in the exam. 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.
List of References and Learning Resources
The following sections provide information on available references and resources that may be helpful in addressing knowledge gaps and learning needs for candidates preparing for the exam. The resources are organized according to their relevance to the six main competency areas assessed by the exam.
1A. Providing Care: Clinical Care
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbooks are currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.
| Title | Author | Publisher |
| Applied Therapeutics, The Clinical Use of Drugs | ed. by Zeind et al | Wolters Kluwer |
| DePiro’s Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach | ed. by DiPiro et al | McGraw-Hill |
| Pharmacotherapy: Principles and Practice | Chisholm-Burns et al | McGraw-Hill |
| Basic Skills in Interpreting Laboratory Data | Lee | ASHP |
| Patient Assessment in Pharmacy Practice | Jones | Wolters Kluwer |
| Shargel and Yu’s Applied Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics | Ducharme et al | McGraw-Hill |
| Briggs Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation: A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk | Briggs et al | Wolters Kluwer |
| Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic Drugs | Procyshyn et al | Hogrefe |
Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines:
Several Canadian medical organizations publish evidence-based practice guidelines to assist in patient care decisions for the management of common disease states.
| Organization | Website URL | Guideline(s) |
| Canadian Association of Gastroenterology | www.cag-acg.org |
|
| Canadian Cardiovascular Society | www.ccs.ca |
|
| Canadian Society of Nephrology | www.csnscn.ca |
|
| Canadian Thoracic Society | www.cts-sct.ca |
|
| Diabetes Canada | www.diabetes.ca |
|
| Hypertension Canada | www.hypertension.ca |
|
| Thrombosis Canada | https://thrombosiscanada.ca |
|
Free Online Information Sources:
The following websites are published by reputable organizations and provide free information on a variety of topics.
| Organization | Website Name & URL | Content |
| Alberta Health Services
|
Bugs & Drugs |
|
| Arizona Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics | CredibleMeds |
|
| Canadian Medical Association and Unity Health | Choosing Wisely Canada |
|
| University of British Columbia | Therapeutics Initiative |
|
Learning Modules:
These learning modules are available at a cost for the series or individual modules.
| Organization | Website URL | Topics/Links of Interest |
| Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada | https://elearnhcp.ca/pharmacy |
|
Subscription-Based Resources:
The following information sources are available by subscription and are commonly used by pharmacists in practice.
| Publisher | Resource | Content |
| Canadian Pharmacists Association www.pharmacists.ca | CPS Drug Information |
|
| Canadian Pharmacists Association www.pharmacists.ca | CPS Full Access |
|
| EBSCO Information Services www.dynamed.com |
DynaMed |
|
| University of Saskatchewan https://www.rxfiles.ca/rxfiles/ |
RxFiles |
|
| TRC Healthcare www.trchealthcare.com/pharmacist |
Pharmacist’s Letter |
|
| Vigilance Santé https://www.vigilance.ca/drug-software-rxvigilance | RxVigilance Essential Version |
|
| Vigilance Santé https://www.vigilance.ca/drug-software-rxvigilance | RxVigilance Complete Version |
|
| Wolters Kluwer www.uptodate.com |
UpToDate |
|
1B. Providing Care: Distribution
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbooks are currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.
| Textbook | Author | Publisher |
| Stoklosa and Ansel’s Pharmaceutical Calculations | Stockton | Wolters Kluwer |
| Pharmacy Management in Canada | ed. by Hindmarsh et al | Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy |
Websites:
NAPRA develops key national model documents for use by the pharmacy regulatory authorities (PRAs) across Canada. The NAPRA website also provides links to the websites of the provincial and territorial PRAs where additional resources relevant to pharmacy practice can be found.
| Organization | Website URL | Topics/Links of Interest |
| National Association of Provincial Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) | www.napra.ca |
|
2. Knowledge and Expertise
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbooks are currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.
| Textbook | Author | Publisher |
| Drug Information: A Guide for Pharmacists | Malone et al | McGraw-Hill |
| How to Read a Paper: The Basics of Evidence-Based Medicine and Healthcare | Greenhalgh et al | Wiley-Blackwell |
| Users’ Guide to the Medical Literature: A Manual for Evidence-Based Clinical Practice, 3E | Guyatt | McGraw-Hill |
Websites:
Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA) publishes Drug Reimbursement Reviews that provide clinical, economic, patient, and clinician evidence on drugs as advice to public drug plans.
| Organization | Website URL | Topics/Links of Interest |
| Canada’s Drug Agency | www.cda-amc.ca |
|
3. Communication and Collaboration
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbooks are currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.
| Textbook | Author | Publisher |
| Communication Skills in Pharmacy Practice | Beardsley et al | Wolters Kluwer |
| Healthcare Communication | Hugman | Pharmaceutical Press |
4. Leadership and Stewardship
Websites:
The following websites are published by reputable organizations and provide free information on a variety of topics.
| Organization | Website URL | Topics/Links of Interest |
| Canadian Pharmacists Association | www.pharmacists.ca
|
Professional Practice & Advocacy
|
| Public Health Agency of Canada | www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html |
|
5. Professionalism
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbook is currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.
| Textbook | Author | Publisher |
| Ethics in Pharmacy Practice: A Practical Guide | Sullivan et al | Springer |
Learning Modules:
These learning modules are available at a cost for the series or individual modules.
| Organization | Website URL | Topics/Links of Interest |
| Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada | https://elearnhcp.ca/pharmacy |
|
Websites:
The following websites are published by reputable organizations and provide free information on a variety of topics.
| Organization | Website URL | Topics/Links of Interest |
| National Association of Provincial Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) | www.napra.ca |
|
| Health Canada | www.canada.ca/en/health-canada.html |
|
| Canadian Pharmacists Association | www.pharmacists.ca
|
Professional Practice & Advocacy
|
| Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada | https://priv.gc.ca/en/
|
|
| Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP Canada) | www.ismpcanada.ca |
|
| Healthcare Excellence Canada (formerly Canadian Patient Safety Institute and Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement) | www.healthcareexcellence.ca |
|
Continuing Education (CE)
Continuing Education in Pharmacy in Canada is accredited by CCCEP: the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy. CCCEP accredits the learning activities that are developed and delivered by approximately 100 continuing health education program providers. To register for a learning activity accredited by CCCEP you must contact the program provider.
Candidates can browse for acceptable continuing education learning activities on the CCCEP website.
Click ‘Filter’; for the ‘Target Audience’ field, select ‘Pharmacists’ and ‘Search’ to see the list of learning activities grouped by topic.
Once you have found a list of learning activities using the search function referenced above, click on the title of the learning activity you are interested in registering for to open the Learning Activity Information Form. This form provides a brief description of the learning activity and the contact information you will require to obtain more information about the activity or to register in the activity.
Most CE learning modules are designed to enhance individual knowledge in therapeutics and disease state management. When choosing to self-study with CCCEP-accredited CE learning modules, it is important for a candidate to self-assess the wide range of available topics and make selections to ensure that:
- individual gaps in knowledge will be addressed, and
- disease topics reflect those seen most frequently in patient care practice settings, as well as those where drug therapy plays an important and critical role in patient care outcomes.
-
1A. Providing Care: Clinical Care
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbooks are currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.Title Author Publisher Applied Therapeutics, The Clinical Use of Drugs ed. by Zeind et al Wolters Kluwer DePiro’s Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach ed. by DiPiro et al McGraw-Hill Pharmacotherapy: Principles and Practice Chisholm-Burns et al McGraw-Hill Basic Skills in Interpreting Laboratory Data Lee ASHP Patient Assessment in Pharmacy Practice Jones Wolters Kluwer Shargel and Yu’s Applied Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics Ducharme et al McGraw-Hill Briggs Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation: A Reference Guide to Fetal and Neonatal Risk Briggs et al Wolters Kluwer Clinical Handbook of Psychotropic Drugs Procyshyn et al Hogrefe Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines:
Several Canadian medical organizations publish evidence-based practice guidelines to assist in patient care decisions for the management of common disease states.Organization Website URL Guideline(s) Canadian Association of Gastroenterology www.cag-acg.org - Various gastrointestinal conditions
Canadian Cardiovascular Society www.ccs.ca - Various cardiovascular diseases
Canadian Society of Nephrology www.csnscn.ca - Dialysis and kidney related disorders
Canadian Thoracic Society www.cts-sct.ca - Respiratory disorders
Diabetes Canada www.diabetes.ca - Diabetes
Hypertension Canada www.hypertension.ca - Hypertension
Thrombosis Canada https://thrombosiscanada.ca - Anticoagulation and thrombotic disorders
Free Online Information Sources:
The following websites are published by reputable organizations and provide free information on a variety of topics.Organization Website Name & URL Content Alberta Health Services Bugs & Drugs - Information on appropriate antibiotic use and care of patients with infectious diseases
Arizona Center for Education and Research on Therapeutics CredibleMeds - Information on drugs that cause QT prolongation or torsades de pointes
Canadian Medical Association and Unity Health Choosing Wisely Canada - National guidelines for reducing unnecessary tests and treatments
University of British Columbia Therapeutics Initiative - Evidence-based information on healthcare interventions
Learning Modules:
These learning modules are available at a cost for the series or individual modules.Organization Website URL Topics/Links of Interest Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada https://elearnhcp.ca/pharmacy - Primary Care Skills Development Series for Pharmacists
Subscription-Based Resources:
The following information sources are available by subscription and are commonly used by pharmacists in practice.Publisher Resource Content Canadian Pharmacists Association www.pharmacists.ca CPS Drug Information - Contains drug monographs, Lexi-Interact drug interaction checker, critical updates, and clinical tools
Canadian Pharmacists Association www.pharmacists.ca CPS Full Access - In addition to CPS Drug Information, contains evidence-based therapeutic information for common conditions (Therapeutic Choices and Minor Ailments)
EBSCO Information Services
www.dynamed.comDynaMed - Evidence-based information and guidance intended to provide clinical decision support at the point of care
University of Saskatchewan
https://www.rxfiles.ca/rxfiles/RxFiles - Academic detailing program providing objective, comparative drug information
TRC Healthcare
www.trchealthcare.com/pharmacistPharmacist’s Letter - Evidence-based resources to help educate patients and make informed care decisions
Vigilance Santé https://www.vigilance.ca/drug-software-rxvigilance RxVigilance Essential Version - Contains monographs, comparative charts, antibiotic therapy guides, natural product sheets, and pediatric dose calculations
Vigilance Santé https://www.vigilance.ca/drug-software-rxvigilance RxVigilance Complete Version - In addition to the Essential version, contains calculation tools, Canadian professional documentation, compounding master formulas, provincial drug coverage, patient information sheets, and price comparison charts
Wolters Kluwer
www.uptodate.comUpToDate - Evidence-based information and guidance intended to provide clinical decision support at the point of care
-
1B. Providing Care: Distribution
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbooks are currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.Textbook Author Publisher Stoklosa and Ansel’s Pharmaceutical Calculations Stockton Wolters Kluwer Pharmacy Management in Canada ed. by Hindmarsh et al Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy Websites:
NAPRA develops key national model documents for use by the pharmacy regulatory authorities (PRAs) across Canada. The NAPRA website also provides links to the websites of the provincial and territorial PRAs where additional resources relevant to pharmacy practice can be found.Organization Website URL Topics/Links of Interest National Association of Provincial Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) www.napra.ca - Model Standards for Pharmacy Compounding
- Guidance Document for Pharmacy Compounding
- National Drug Schedules
-
2. Knowledge and Expertise
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbooks are currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.Textbook Author Publisher Drug Information: A Guide for Pharmacists Malone et al McGraw-Hill How to Read a Paper: The Basics of Evidence-Based Medicine and Healthcare Greenhalgh et al Wiley-Blackwell Users’ Guide to the Medical Literature: A Manual for Evidence-Based Clinical Practice, 3E Guyatt McGraw-Hill Websites:
Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA) publishes Drug Reimbursement Reviews that provide clinical, economic, patient, and clinician evidence on drugs as advice to public drug plans.Organization Website URL Topics/Links of Interest Canada’s Drug Agency www.cda-amc.ca - Drug Reimbursement Review Reports
-
3. Communication and Collaboration
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbooks are currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.Textbook Author Publisher Communication Skills in Pharmacy Practice Beardsley et al Wolters Kluwer Healthcare Communication Hugman Pharmaceutical Press -
4. Leadership and Stewardship
Websites:
The following websites are published by reputable organizations and provide free information on a variety of topics.Organization Website URL Topics/Links of Interest Canadian Pharmacists Association www.pharmacists.ca Professional Practice & Advocacy - Antimicrobial Stewardship
- Environmental Sustainability
- Opioid Stewardship
- Smoking Cessation
Public Health Agency of Canada www.canada.ca/en/public-health.html - Canadian Immunization Guide
-
5. Professionalism
Textbooks (current editions):
The following textbook is currently being used in some Canadian pharmacy education programs.Textbook Author Publisher Ethics in Pharmacy Practice: A Practical Guide Sullivan et al Springer Learning Modules:
These learning modules are available at a cost for the series or individual modules.Organization Website URL Topics/Links of Interest Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada https://elearnhcp.ca/pharmacy - Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Indigenous Training for Pharmacy Professionals
- Health Determinants for 2SLGBTQQIA+ Patients & Inclusive Pharmacy Practice
Websites:
The following websites are published by reputable organizations and provide free information on a variety of topics.Organization Website URL Topics/Links of Interest National Association of Provincial Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) www.napra.ca - Model Standards of Practice
- Model Standards of Practice for Continuous Quality Improvement and Medication Incident Reporting
- Principles of Professionalism
Health Canada www.canada.ca/en/health-canada.html - Canada Health Act
- Food & Drugs Act & Regulations
- Controlled Drugs & Substances Act & Regulations (including Precursor Control Regulation)
- Narcotic Control Regulations
- Benzodiazepines & Other Targeted Substances Regulations
- Cannabis for Medical Purposes under the Cannabis Act
- MedEffect
- Canada Vigilance Program
Canadian Pharmacists Association www.pharmacists.ca Professional Practice & Advocacy - Indigenous Patient Health
- 2SLGBTQI+ Patient Health
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada https://priv.gc.ca/en/ - Personal Information Protection & Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)
Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP Canada) www.ismpcanada.ca - Resources
- Safety Bulletins
Healthcare Excellence Canada (formerly Canadian Patient Safety Institute and Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement) www.healthcareexcellence.ca - Resources
-
Continuing Education (CE)
Continuing Education in Pharmacy in Canada is accredited by CCCEP: the Canadian Council on Continuing Education in Pharmacy. CCCEP accredits the learning activities that are developed and delivered by approximately 100 continuing health education program providers. To register for a learning activity accredited by CCCEP you must contact the program provider.
Candidates can browse for acceptable continuing education learning activities on the CCCEP website.
Click ‘Filter’; for the ‘Target Audience’ field, select ‘Pharmacists’ and ‘Search’ to see the list of learning activities grouped by topic.
Once you have found a list of learning activities using the search function referenced above, click on the title of the learning activity you are interested in registering for to open the Learning Activity Information Form. This form provides a brief description of the learning activity and the contact information you will require to obtain more information about the activity or to register in the activity.
Most CE learning modules are designed to enhance individual knowledge in therapeutics and disease state management. When choosing to self-study with CCCEP-accredited CE learning modules, it is important for a candidate to self-assess the wide range of available topics and make selections to ensure that:
- individual gaps in knowledge will be addressed, and
- disease topics reflect those seen most frequently in patient care practice settings, as well as those where drug therapy plays an important and critical role in patient care outcomes.