Washington, D.C. – The Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) announces Veterinary Pharmacy as the 17th formally recognized specialty certification program and opens applications for specialty council positions and item writers.
“BPS values the time and expertise contributed by everyone involved in developing the veterinary pharmacy petition, as well as the public’s thoughtful feedback on this specialty. We look forward to launching this new certification program and working with the inaugural veterinary pharmacy specialty council,” said Anita Siu, PharmD, BCPPS, BPS Board of Directors Chair.
BPS received the petition to recognize Veterinary Pharmacy as a specialty certification and opened the public comment period in February 2026 via a press release.
More information about the Veterinary Pharmacy board certification, including when the first examination will be delivered, will be announced at a later date.
Call for Inaugural Specialty Council Members
Prior to submitting an application, carefully review and consider the qualifications, position duties, responsibilities, and required time commitments outlined in the Call for Applications Information Booklet and all applicable BPS policies (found on this webpage).
Applications for serving on the Inaugural Veterinary Pharmacy Specialty Council are due by September 21, 2026. and can be submitted here. Applicants will be informed of their selection decision for council service by the end of November 2026.
The expertise, experience, and practice setting of each applicant are carefully considered to ensure balanced representation across all BPS subject matter expert panels. BPS values diverse perspectives and welcomes all pharmacists working in Veterinary Pharmacy to apply.
BPS will select up to 12 subject matter experts in Veterinary Pharmacy to serve as inaugural specialty council members. Specialty council members will write examination items, provide feedback to other item writers, engage in the review and editing of examination items, assist in the assembly of an examination form, and advise BPS on matters relating to eligibility requirements and recertification.
Inaugural specialty council members will serve an initial term from 1/1/2027-12/31/2028. Council members are eligible for reappointment to additional terms, subject to a review of participation and completion of responsibilities in the first term. Individuals who serve on the Specialty Council are prohibited from taking the Veterinary Pharmacy examination for 2 years following the date of their last involvement on the council.
Call for Item Writers
Applications for Veterinary Pharmacy Item Writers are due by September 21, 2026. and can be submitted here.
BPS will select 20-30 subject matter experts in Veterinary Pharmacy to serve as examination item writers. Item writers will receive training on item writing for certification exams and will draft and submit 20 to 25 examination items. Item writers can expect to participate in item writing activities for around 6 months, starting in October 2026.
Participants will receive feedback from BPS staff and specialty council members during the course of the item writing campaign. Participation in examination item writing does not preclude participants from taking the Veterinary Pharmacy certification examination.
Individuals who are interested in both volunteer opportunities are encouraged to apply to both but will only be selected for one of the two. More information about each volunteer opportunity can be found here.
All questions can be directed to Sajel Lewis, BPS Senior Manager, Professional Engagement, at slewis@aphanet.org.
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 interprofessional 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. As of the end of 2025, BPS recognized more than 63,400 pharmacist certifications across 16 specialties.
BPS Media Contact
Alexander Jean-Baptiste
Associate Director, Digital Marketing and Communications
ajeanbaptiste@aphanet.org
(202) 760-3836