Pediatric Pharmacy

Pediatric Pharmacy Specialty Certification (BCPPS)

Target Population: Pharmacists who have met the eligibility criteria and who design, implement, monitor, and modify pharmacotherapeutic treatments for pediatric patients.

Program Purpose: To validate that the pharmacist has the advanced knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to optimize safety and outcomes for the pediatric patient population.

Currently there are more than 1,780 BPS Board-Certified Pediatric Pharmacy Specialists.

Pediatric Pharmacy Specialty Council Members

The purpose of the BPS Specialty Councils is to develop standards and eligibility requirements for board certification, develop examinations and passing standards for certification, and review and approve professional development programs for recertification of board-certified pharmacists. Specialty council members are at the heart of the peer-reviewed and peer-developed nature of BPS Board Certification.

Elizabeth Beckman, [Chair]PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, BCCCP

Beckman is a Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist at Kentucky Children’s Hospital at UK HealthCare in Lexington, Kentucky, and adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. She provides pharmacy support to the joint pediatric heart care program, serves as the pediatric cardiac ICU pharmacist, and precepts pharmacy residents and students on cardiology, CICU, and PICU rotations. Beckman received her PharmD from Butler University, completed a PGY1 and PGY2 pediatric pharmacy residency at Indiana University Health, and is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy, Pediatrics, and Critical Care Pharmacy. She previously practiced as a PICU clinical pharmacy specialist at University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health.

John "Brock" Harris
John “Brock” Harris, [Vice Chair]PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, FCCP

Harris is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy at Wingate University School of Pharmacy and works as an inpatient clinical practice faculty member in pediatrics and neonatology at Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering concentrating in Biosciences from North Carolina State University and his Doctorate of Pharmacy from The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, School of Pharmacy. He completed his first year post-graduate education at New Hanover Regional Medical Center followed by second year post-graduate education specializing in pediatrics at Monroe Carell, Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.

Kelly Bobo, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCPPS

Bobo is the Clinical Pharmacy Manager at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital and serves as the PGY1 and PGY2 Residency Program Director. She precepts students on the pediatric general medicine rotation and facilitates small group case presentations. Bobo received her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of South Carolina and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Memphis. Bobo completed a residency in Pediatric Pharmacotherapy and Home Infusion Therapy at Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center, the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and PharmaThera, Inc. She is actively engaged in quality improvement initiatives and practice standardization within the hospital.

Sabrina Boehme, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCPPS

Boehme is currently the Medication Safety Specialist at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. She precepts students as well as local and visiting residents on a pediatric medication safety rotation. Sabrina has managerial oversight of the hospital’s pharmacists in ambulatory care clinics and the Emergency Department. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Idaho State University School of Pharmacy and a Master of Business Administration from Western Governors University. Sabrina is Board Certified in Pediatrics and Pharmacotherapy. Her areas of interest/past practice include pediatric medication safety, pediatric solid organ transplant and general pediatrics.

Monica C. Bogenschutz, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS

Bogenschutz is a Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist and PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency program director at UW Health – American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, WI. Her primary clinical practice areas include the pediatric and neonatal intensive care units. She is a member of the Pediatric Antimicrobial Stewardship Team and provides support and coordination for pediatric practice standardization, advancement, and quality improvement initiatives. She serves as a preceptor for pharmacy students, PGY1 Pharmacy Practice, PGY2 Critical Care, and PGY2 Emergency Medicine Residents on pediatric/neonatal intensive care rotations. Bogenschutz received her Bachelor of Science in Biology and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, completed a PGY1 pediatric pharmacy practice residency at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, and is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy and Pediatrics.

Kristen Nichols, PharmD, BCPPS, BCIDP, BCPS

Nichols is a Senior Clinical Content Consultant for the Clinical Drug Information division at Wolters Kluwer Health. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. She then completed a PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at Indiana University Health and a PGY2 Pediatric Pharmacy Residency at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. Prior to transitioning to Wolters Kluwer, Nichols was a tenured Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at Butler University and practiced in Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Antimicrobial Stewardship at Riley Hospital for Children and in Antimicrobial Stewardship and research at Franciscan Health Indianapolis.

Anita Siu, PharmD, BCPPS

Dr. Siu is a Clinical Professor and Director of Faculty Mentoring at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She practices at the K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Member of the Hackensack Meridian Health System. She implemented therapeutic guidelines in neonates/pediatrics and is an advocate for pediatric medication safety and contributes to the literature with her research. She earned her BS and Pharm.D. plus completed her residency training at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. She served two terms as Chair of the Specialty Council for Pediatric Pharmacy for BPS.

Mary Subramanian, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS

Subramanian is the Pediatric Pharmacy Practice Lead at Brenner Children’s Hospital, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and serves as the PGY2 Pediatric Residency Program Director. She precepts students and residents on a PICU rotation. Subramanian received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of University of Kansas. She completed a PGY1 residency at Wesley Medical Center and a PGY2 pediatric residency at Wake Forest Baptist. Subramanian is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy and Pediatrics. She is actively engaged in quality improvement initiatives and practice optimization within the health system.

Patty Taddei-Allen, PharmD, MBA, BCACP, BCGP

Taddei-Allen received her BS from the University of South Florida and her PharmD and MBA from the University of Florida, and holds (BCACP) and (BCGP) credentials. She is the Senior Director of Clinical Analytics and runs the Managed Care Residency at WellDyneRx. She lectures as a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy. She serves on the JMCP Editorial Advisory Board, Pharmacy Health Information Technology (HIT) Collaborative Value Set Committee, and American Society of Pharmacovigilance Public Affairs committee. Her professional interests include managed care and specialty pharmacy, ambulatory care, geriatrics, diabetes management, and health technology.

Susan C. Villegas, PharmD, BCPPS

Villegas is an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at Long Island University and a Pediatric Clinical Pharmacist at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore in the Bronx. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from West Virginia University and completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency with an emphasis in Pediatrics at the Children’s Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her areas of interest/past practice include general pediatrics, infectious disease, sedation and pain control, and medication safety.

Eligibility Requirements

An applicant for board certification in Pediatric Pharmacy must demonstrate all of the eligibility requirements listed below prior to sitting for the initial certification examination. Once all of the requirements below are met, an applicant will be deemed eligible to sit for the Pediatric Pharmacy specialty certification examination. If an applicant achieves a passing score on the Pediatric Pharmacy specialty certification examination, they may use the designation Board-Certified Pediatric Pharmacy Specialist, or BCPPS.
  • Graduation from a pharmacy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) or a program outside the U.S. that qualifies the individual to practice in the jurisdiction.
  • A current, active license/registration to practice pharmacy in the U.S. or another jurisdiction.
  • Demonstration of practice experience1 in one of three ways:
    • At least four years of Pediatric Pharmacy practice experience1 within the past seven years, with at least 50% of time spent in the scope defined by the exam content outline; or
    • Successful completion of PGY1 pharmacy residency2 within the past seven years, plus at least two years of Pediatric Pharmacy practice experience1 with at least 50% of time spent in the scope defined by the exam content outline; or
    • Successful completion of PGY2 pharmacy residency in Pediatric Pharmacy within the past seven years.

1All practice experience must be completed post-licensure/registration as a pharmacist. All applicants intending to demonstrate eligibility for any BPS certification examination utilizing the practice experience pathway must provide an attestation from their employer, on company letterhead, that verifies this experience accurately represents at least 50% of time spent in some or all of the activities defined by the applicable certification content outline. In addition, this practice experience must have occurred within the seven years immediately preceding the application. For more information, click here. A sample employer verification letter is available here.

2American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)-accredited/candidate status PGY1 pharmacy residency, residencies accredited under the ASHP Accreditation Standard for International Pharmacy Practice Residency Programs, or Canadian Pharmacy Residency Board (CPRB)-accredited Year 1 pharmacy residency.

The rationale for the appropriateness of the requirements for BPS certification programs are based upon the following:

  • BPS recognizes individuals who graduate from a recognized school or college of pharmacy within the candidate’s jurisdiction. Those jurisdictions recognize and evaluate programs on the extent to which it accomplishes its stated goals and is consistent with the concept that pharmacy is a unique, personal service profession in the health science field. In the United States, the responsibility for recognizing schools and colleges of pharmacy falls to the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
  • The rationale for requiring licensure or registration of pharmacists within their jurisdiction is based upon the fact that for public protection, all pharmacists must be licensed or registered. This is considered a baseline requirement to be a pharmacist specialist. In the United States, BPS recognizes the licensure process administered by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) aims to ensure the public’s health and safety through its pharmacist license transfer and pharmacist competence assessment programs. NABP’s member boards of pharmacy are grouped into eight districts that include all 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Bahamas, and all 10 Canadian provinces.
  • The experiential component is required to help assure practical application of components of the specialty knowledge being certified. There are multiple pathways to meet the practice experience requirement. The faster eligibility pathways recognize accredited residencies through the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP). The ASHP residency accreditation program identifies and grants public recognition to practice sites having pharmacy residency training programs that have been evaluated and found to meet the qualifications of one of the ASHP’s residency accreditations standards. Thus, accreditation of a pharmacy residency program provides a means of assurance to residency applicants that a program meets certain basic requirements and is, therefore, an acceptable site for postgraduate training in pharmacy practice in organized health care.
  • Passing the BPS pharmacy specialty examination helps assure knowledge consistent with the validated content outline for the BPS specialty.

The appropriateness of the BPS program requirements are consistent with the Council on Credentialing in Pharmacy’s Resource Paper titled: Scope of Contemporary Pharmacy Practice: Roles, Responsibilities, and Functions of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians.

Upcoming Deadlines

Individuals who meet the eligibility requirements for the BCPPS examination can find more information about examination dates and fees for certification examinations here

Candidate's Guide

The Candidate’s Guide is intended for use by pharmacists who are interested in becoming certified as specialists by BPS in any of the BPS-recognized specialty practice areas. To review critical information for BPS Certification Examinations, visit this page.

Content Outline for BCPPS

For the Fall 2023 Examination, refer to the Pediatric Pharmacy Content Outline found in the BCPPS Examination Specification document for details.

For the 2024 Examinations and forward, please refer to the Pediatric Pharmacy Content Outline found here for details.

Important Resources

Preparatory Courses for BCPPS Examinations

Certification is a significant differentiator, and the rigorous exam process requires concentrated study. Successful candidates are well prepared, and a number of available resources can assist pre-qualified applicants.

Suggested preparation for the examination might include:

  • The study of journal articles, textbooks or other publications related to the Content Outline.
  • Attendance at continuing education programs and courses in specialized pharmacy practice.
  • Participation in study groups and examination preparation courses.
  • Reviewing the sample examination items provided in order for candidates to familiarize themselves with the various item formats which are presented on the exam. Sample question performance should not be interpreted as an indicator of exam performance.

To maintain its strict, independent standards for certification, BPS does NOT provide review information, preparatory courses, or study guides. However, such materials are available from outside organizations, state or local professional associations and colleges of pharmacy. Potential applicants may contact the professional associations noted below for additional study resources.

The Board of Pharmacy Specialties provides the following program listing for informational purposes. This list is not an exhaustive list of options available for examination preparation. BPS does not endorse or provide preparatory courses for Board Certification Examinations.

 
Pediatric Pharmacy

BPS partners with Prometric to provide the examination. BPS does not have any other partnerships for the certification or recertification application process. BPS partners with professional development program (PDP) providers to provide continuing education (CE) for recertification and the relationship is noted here. Any organization claiming a relationship with BPS for the application process or providing CE labeled ‘BPS-approved’ outside of the organizations listed should be reported to BPS immediately.

Certification for Applicants Outside the U.S.

BPS would like to offer some helpful tips to candidates outside of the United States in order to make their application experience easier. To learn more about applying for board certification as a pharmacist outside of the U.S., visit this page.

Apply for ADA Accomodations

BPS complies with the relevant provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For applicants looking to request special accommodations in their application process, more instructions can be found on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

After review of the BPS Candidates Guide and specialty certification page, some applicants may still have questions. Visit this page to see frequently asked questions from pharmacists pursuing board certification like you!

Sample Examination Items

Sample Items for BCPPS Examinations

The sample examination items for BCPPS examinations are made available by BPS for the purposes of familiarizing certification candidates and other stakeholders with the structure and format of BPS Certification Examinations. This is not meant for use as a self-assessment. Performance on any of these items does not correlate with performance on the actual examination.

The content of these examples is meant to be illustrative of actual examination items, but these items do not appear on the certification examination and are not meant to identify the scope of the examination. For a more comprehensive indication of the scope of the certification examination, please refer to the BCPPS Exam Content Outline.

Examination items are in multiple-choice format. The great majority of examination items are multiple-choice with a single response from among four options. Some examinations may include a small percentage of items that require selection of multiple (three or four) responses from among a larger set of available (up to eight) options. Examinations items may also be supplemented by an image.

View the examination items down below.

Using the Mosteller equation, what is the estimated body surface area of a 6-year-old patient who is 122 cm tall and weighs 24 kg?

0.7 m2
0.8 m2
0.9 m2
1.0 m2

Correct!

Incorrect!

A 10-month-old infant who weighs 8 kg is admitted to the pediatric ICU after a cardiac surgical procedure. The physician orders the fluids to run at 50% maintenance. At which rate should the infant's intravenous fluids be infused?
8 mL/hr
17 mL/hr
24 mL/hr
33 mL/hr

Correct!

Incorrect!

A 3-year-old child presents to a pediatrician with a 4-day history of an upper respiratory tract infection. During the past 24 hours, the child has a worsening cough and increased nasal discharge. The child has a fever of 39.5°C and a respiratory rate of 38 bpm. The child is healthy otherwise and has no known drug allergies. Which treatment is most appropriate for this child?
Amoxicillin
Azithromycin
Cefdinir
Oseltamivir

Correct!

Incorrect!

A patient with asthma in the emergency department is still in distress after receiving three treatments of albuterol/ipratropium and methylprednisolone 1 mg/kg. Which adjunctive therapy would be most appropriate?

Aminophylline 1 mg/kg/hr continuous intravenous infusion
Dornase alfa 2.5 mg nebulized
Magnesium sulfate 50 mg/kg intravenously over 20 minutes
Terbutaline 0.1 mcg/kg/min continuous intravenous infusion

Correct!

Incorrect!

A 4-year-old child presents to the emergency department with altered mental status, a 2-week history of weight loss, and abdominal pain with vomiting. Initial laboratory results include:



































Na 150 mEq/L
K 4.1 mEq/L
Cl 100 mEq/L
HCO3- 4 mEq/L
BUN 25 mg/dL
SCr 1.2 mg/dL
Glucose 459 mg/dL
Venous pH 6.9

Which treatment should be initiated first to treat this child's underlying illness?

0.9% sodium chloride bolus of 20 mL/kg over one hour
Insulin lispro subcutaneously at 0.2 units/kg
Regular insulin intravenously at 0.1 units/kg/hr
Sodium bicarbonate bolus 2 mEq/kg

Correct!

Incorrect!

An 8-year-old child reports leg swelling and decreased urine output. Urinalysis is significant for 500 ng/dL protein and positive for nitrite. A renal biopsy shows focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Which initial treatment is most appropriate for this child?

Cyclophosphamide
Plasmapheresis
Prednisone
Tacrolimus

Correct!

Incorrect!

Which is the most appropriate first-line treatment for functional constipation in a 1-year-old child?

Magnesium hydroxide
Mineral oil
Polyethylene glycol (PEG)
Sodium phosphate enema

Correct!

Incorrect!

A 16-day-old full-term neonate presents to the emergency department with seizures. Sepsis and meningitis are suspected, and cultures are obtained. Which antibiotic regimen is most appropriate for this neonate?

Cefotaxime and ampicillin
Cefotaxime and gentamicin
Ceftriaxone and ampicillin
Clindamycin and gentamicin

Correct!

Incorrect!

Which alternative therapy has shown effectiveness in treating irritable bowel syndrome in pediatric patients?

Oral tea tree oil
Sucrose and lactose restriction
Dietary avoidance of dyes, preservatives, and gluten
Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet

Correct!

Incorrect!

Which category is described as "Error, Death" by the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP)?

Category D
Category E
Category F
Category I

Correct!

Incorrect!

Which is an accurate statement regarding permission for patient participation in a study?

A patient can give assent only if he or she is at least 16 years old.
A patient could be enrolled in the study if at least one parent gives assent.
Consent is required from both parents if the patient does not give assent and the study is considered to have minimal risk.
Consent from one or both parents is required depending on the risk involved in the study, and assent is required from patients old enough to understand the study.

Correct!

Incorrect!

A new diagnostic test to be used in children has been developed. The clinical testing reveals the following:






















True positive 145
False positive 30
True negative 50
False negative 5

What is the positive predictive value for this test?

33%
83%
91%
97%

Correct!

Incorrect!

Share the quiz to show your results !

Subscribe to see your results

Pediatric Pharmacy Sample Questions

I got %%score%% of %%total%% right

%%description%%

%%description%%

Loading...

Recertification Requirements for BCPPS

Pharmacists who earn the designation Board-Certified Pediatric Pharmacy Specialist® (BCPPS) are required to maintain their certification over a seven-year period by completing one of the following recertification pathways:  

Option One: Recertification Examination

  • For BCPPS with certification beginning January 1, 2023 or earlier: Achieve a passing score on the recertification examination administered by BPS.
  • For BCPPS with certification beginning January 1, 2024 or later: Achieve a passing score on the recertification examination administered by BPS and self-report 20 completed units of continuing professional development (CPD) in MyBPS. For more information on CPD, review the FAQ. To maintain an active certification in good standing, a minimum of two units of BPS-approved, assessed CPE or self-reported CPD must be reported each year.

OR

Option Two: Professional Development Program

  • For BCPPS with certification beginning January 1, 2023 or earlier: recertification via professional development program requires 100 units of assessed CPE from BPS-approved professional development programs offered by:
  • For BCPPS with certification beginning January 1, 2024 or later: recertification via professional development program requires 100 units, comprised of 80 units of assessed CPE from BPS-approved professional development programs offered by:
    • The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) in collaboration with the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), and/or
    • The Pediatric Pharmacy Association (PPA).
    • Additionally, 20 units of continuing professional development (CPD) must be completed and self-reported in MyBPS. For more information on CPD, review the FAQ. To maintain an active certification in good standing, a minimum of two units of assessed CPE from BPS-approved professional development programs or self-reported CPD must be reported each year.
    • BCPPS may participate in recertification from any of the BPS-approved BCPPS programs. The Pediatric Pharmacy Preparatory Review and Recertification Course offered by any of the approved providers may only be completed for recertification credit up to two times, in nonconsecutive years, during the seven-year certification cycle.

 

Year certified/recertified

New cycle start

(begin earning recert units)

Cycle expiration

(deadline to meet recert reqs)

Units required 

(PDP = professional development program)

20161/1/201712/31/2023100 units assessed CPE via BPS-approved PDP
20171/1/201812/31/2024100 units assessed CPE via BPS-approved PDP
20181/1/201912/31/2025100 units assessed CPE via BPS-approved PDP
20191/1/202012/31/2026100 units assessed CPE via BPS-approved PDP
20201/1/202112/31/2027100 units assessed CPE via BPS-approved PDP
20211/1/202212/31/2028100 units assessed CPE via BPS-approved PDP
20221/1/202312/31/2029100 units assessed CPE via BPS-approved PDP
20231/1/202412/31/2030100 units (80 units assessed CPE via BPS-approved PDP + 20 units CPD)
2024 onward1/1/2025 onward12/31/2031 onward100 units (80 units assessed CPE via BPS-approved PDP + 20 units CPD)

For full details regarding recertification, please refer to the BPS Recertification Guide.

Board-Certified Pediatric Pharmacy Specialists® are required to pay the BPS Annual Certification Maintenance fee of $125 each year for years one through six and the $400 recertification fee in year seven. Individuals with more than one BPS certification are assessed one BPS Annual Certification Maintenance Fee each year. 

Upcoming Deadlines

Candidates are required to recertify every 7 years. Certificants must submit their recertification application no later than the deadline of August 4. BPS encourages candidates to submit their recertification application as early as January 1 of their recertification year.

Candidates who intend to recertify via examination should note the availability of the recertification examination and related application deadlines. Candidates recertifying their BCPPS credential by examination can find more information about examination dates and fees here

Candidates who intend to recertify via continuing education (CE) MUST submit their recertification application by the deadline date of August 4 even if they have not completed their CE requirements.

The deadline to complete the required CE for recertification is December 31 for all specialties. The board-certified pharmacist is responsible for submitting an application that is completely and accurately filled out. Incomplete and/or unpaid applications will not be processed.

Recertification Guide

The Recertification Guide is intended for use by candidates renewing their certification. To review critical information for recertifying with the Board of Pharmacy Specialties, visit this page.

CPE Providers

BCPPS with certification beginning January 1, 2023 or earlier: recertification via professional development program requires 100 units of assessed CPE from BPS-approved professional development programs offered by:

BCPPS may participate in recertification from any BPS-approved BCPPS programs. The Pediatric Pharmacy Preparatory Review and Recertification Course offered by any of the approved providers may only be completed for recertification credit up to two times, in nonconsecutive years, during the seven-year certification cycle.

BCPPS with certification beginning January 1, 2024 or later: recertification via professional development program requires 100 units, comprised of 80 units of assessed CPE from BPS-approved professional development programs offered by:

Additionally, 20 units of continuing professional development (CPD) must be completed and self-reported in MyBPS. For more information on CPD, review the FAQ. To maintain an active certification in good standing, a minimum of two units of assessed CPE from BPS-approved professional development programs or self-reported CPD must be reported each year.

BCPPS may participate in recertification from any BPS-approved BCPPS programs. The Pediatric Pharmacy Preparatory Review and Recertification Course offered by any of the approved providers may only be completed for recertification credit up to two times, in nonconsecutive years, during the seven-year certification cycle.

Content Outline for BCPPS

For the Fall 2023 Examination, refer to the Pediatric Pharmacy Content Outline found in the BCPPS Examination Specification document for details.

For the 2024 Examinations and forward, please refer to the Pediatric Pharmacy Content Outline found here for details.

Important Resources

Apply for ADA Accomodations

BPS complies with the relevant provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For applicants looking to request special accommodations in their application process, more instructions can be found on this page.

Frequently Asked Questions

After review of the BPS Recertification Guide and specialty certification page, some applicants may still have questions. Visit this page to see frequently asked questions from pharmacists pursuing board certification like you!

Sample Examination Items

Sample Items for BCPPS Examinations

The sample examination items for BCPPS examinations are made available by BPS for the purposes of familiarizing certification candidates and other stakeholders with the structure and format of BPS certification examinations. This is not meant for use as a self-assessment. Performance on any of these items does not correlate with performance on the actual examination.

The content of these examples is meant to be illustrative of actual examination items, but these items do not appear on the certification examination and are not meant to identify the scope of the examination. For a more comprehensive indication of the scope of the certification examination, please refer to the BCPPS Exam Content Outline.

Examination items are in multiple-choice format. The great majority of examination items are multiple-choice with a single response from among four options. Some examinations may include a small percentage of items that require selection of multiple (three or four) responses from among a larger set of available (up to eight) options. Examinations items may also be supplemented by an image.

View the examination items down below.

Using the Mosteller equation, what is the estimated body surface area of a 6-year-old patient who is 122 cm tall and weighs 24 kg?

0.7 m2
0.8 m2
0.9 m2
1.0 m2

Correct!

Incorrect!

A 10-month-old infant who weighs 8 kg is admitted to the pediatric ICU after a cardiac surgical procedure. The physician orders the fluids to run at 50% maintenance. At which rate should the infant's intravenous fluids be infused?
8 mL/hr
17 mL/hr
24 mL/hr
33 mL/hr

Correct!

Incorrect!

A 3-year-old child presents to a pediatrician with a 4-day history of an upper respiratory tract infection. During the past 24 hours, the child has a worsening cough and increased nasal discharge. The child has a fever of 39.5°C and a respiratory rate of 38 bpm. The child is healthy otherwise and has no known drug allergies. Which treatment is most appropriate for this child?
Amoxicillin
Azithromycin
Cefdinir
Oseltamivir

Correct!

Incorrect!

A patient with asthma in the emergency department is still in distress after receiving three treatments of albuterol/ipratropium and methylprednisolone 1 mg/kg. Which adjunctive therapy would be most appropriate?

Aminophylline 1 mg/kg/hr continuous intravenous infusion
Dornase alfa 2.5 mg nebulized
Magnesium sulfate 50 mg/kg intravenously over 20 minutes
Terbutaline 0.1 mcg/kg/min continuous intravenous infusion

Correct!

Incorrect!

A 4-year-old child presents to the emergency department with altered mental status, a 2-week history of weight loss, and abdominal pain with vomiting. Initial laboratory results include:



































Na 150 mEq/L
K 4.1 mEq/L
Cl 100 mEq/L
HCO3- 4 mEq/L
BUN 25 mg/dL
SCr 1.2 mg/dL
Glucose 459 mg/dL
Venous pH 6.9

Which treatment should be initiated first to treat this child's underlying illness?

0.9% sodium chloride bolus of 20 mL/kg over one hour
Insulin lispro subcutaneously at 0.2 units/kg
Regular insulin intravenously at 0.1 units/kg/hr
Sodium bicarbonate bolus 2 mEq/kg

Correct!

Incorrect!

An 8-year-old child reports leg swelling and decreased urine output. Urinalysis is significant for 500 ng/dL protein and positive for nitrite. A renal biopsy shows focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. Which initial treatment is most appropriate for this child?

Cyclophosphamide
Plasmapheresis
Prednisone
Tacrolimus

Correct!

Incorrect!

Which is the most appropriate first-line treatment for functional constipation in a 1-year-old child?

Magnesium hydroxide
Mineral oil
Polyethylene glycol (PEG)
Sodium phosphate enema

Correct!

Incorrect!

A 16-day-old full-term neonate presents to the emergency department with seizures. Sepsis and meningitis are suspected, and cultures are obtained. Which antibiotic regimen is most appropriate for this neonate?

Cefotaxime and ampicillin
Cefotaxime and gentamicin
Ceftriaxone and ampicillin
Clindamycin and gentamicin

Correct!

Incorrect!

Which alternative therapy has shown effectiveness in treating irritable bowel syndrome in pediatric patients?

Oral tea tree oil
Sucrose and lactose restriction
Dietary avoidance of dyes, preservatives, and gluten
Fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAP) diet

Correct!

Incorrect!

Which category is described as "Error, Death" by the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP)?

Category D
Category E
Category F
Category I

Correct!

Incorrect!

Which is an accurate statement regarding permission for patient participation in a study?

A patient can give assent only if he or she is at least 16 years old.
A patient could be enrolled in the study if at least one parent gives assent.
Consent is required from both parents if the patient does not give assent and the study is considered to have minimal risk.
Consent from one or both parents is required depending on the risk involved in the study, and assent is required from patients old enough to understand the study.

Correct!

Incorrect!

A new diagnostic test to be used in children has been developed. The clinical testing reveals the following:






















True positive 145
False positive 30
True negative 50
False negative 5

What is the positive predictive value for this test?

33%
83%
91%
97%

Correct!

Incorrect!

Share the quiz to show your results !

Subscribe to see your results

Pediatric Pharmacy Sample Questions

I got %%score%% of %%total%% right

%%description%%

%%description%%

Loading...

Certification Verification

BPS offers the ability to search and verify a Board-Certified Pharmacist by name or credential number.