Washington, D.C. – The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS), the post-licensure certification organization serving the pharmacy profession, issues a call for petition in pharmacogenomics. In January 2025, the BPS Board of Directors reviewed a job analysis (JA; also known as role delineation study) in pharmacogenomics and determined the results support further consideration of this new specialty certification.
For a new specialty to be recognized by BPS and established as a certification program, the petition must address, in detail, each of the following criteria: need, demand, number, time, specialized knowledge, specialized functions, education, training, and transmission of knowledge.
“This call for petition highlights an ongoing commitment by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties to explore areas of specialized training, knowledge, and skills within pharmacy. The board looks forward to reviewing the petition and evaluating pharmacogenomics as a pharmacy specialty,” said Gary C. Yee, PharmD, FCCP, FAPhA, BPS Board of Directors Chair.
“The role of the pharmacogenomic specialist has evolved for pharmacists who combine knowledge of clinical pharmacology and genomics to provide personalized patient care. BPS would like to express its appreciation to the Pharmacogenomics job analysis panelists and validation survey respondents who contributed time and expertise to this process,” said Brian Lawson, PharmD, ICE-CCP, BPS Interim Executive Director.
If BPS receives a petition to recognize pharmacogenomics as a BPS specialty, BPS will review the petition and open the period for public comment. After this period, the BPS Board of Directors will review the petition and public comments and render a decision within six months. If approved as a specialty, a Pharmacogenomics Specialty Council would be established to work with BPS and its highly qualified psychometric staff to establish eligibility criteria and develop a bank of items for the certification examination.
For more information on the necessary criteria and other factors for consideration of a new pharmacy specialty, individuals should review the BPS Petitioner’s Guide for Recognition of a Pharmacy Practice Specialty document.
About the Board of Pharmacy Specialties
The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) was established in 1976 as an autonomous division of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). The mission of BPS is to improve patient care by positioning BPS Board-Certified Pharmacist Specialists as integral members of multidisciplinary healthcare teams, through recognition and promotion of specialized training, knowledge, and skills for pharmacists in the United States and internationally. Board certification is a recognized credential for determining which pharmacists are qualified to contribute at advanced practice levels given the rigorous standards mandated by BPS board certification and recertification. BPS has currently issued more than 62,250 certifications held by pharmacists across 15 specialties.
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