A new blueprint for the Pharmacist Evaluating Examination has been approved and will be implemented starting with the June 2025 exam. The existing blueprint will remain in place for the October 2024, January 2025, and March 2025 exam sittings.
Background
The previous blueprint for the Pharmacist Evaluating Examination was last updated in 2015. At that time, most pharmacy programs accredited by the Canadian Council for Accreditation of Pharmacy Programs (CCAPP) offered a four-year Bachelor of Pharmacy degree. Since then, all Canadian pharmacy faculties have transitioned to an entry-level PharmD program. The updated blueprint aims to more accurately reflect the curriculum of Canadian, CCAPP-accredited entry-level PharmD programs. It is also designed to better align the exam with current expectations of pharmacy practice while maintaining a distinction from the Pharmacist Qualifying Examination.
Key Changes in the Revised BlueprintRemoval of Biomedical Sciences
Biomedical Sciences is no longer a distinct subject area.
Shift to the PharmD program means these topics are now prerequisites for admission.
No longer part of the core exam content.
Shift in Exam Focus
Increased emphasis on Pharmacy Practice and BSA (Behavioural, Social, and Administrative) Pharmacy Sciences.
Adjustments made to reflect the updated curriculum priorities.
Inclusion of New Study Areas
Updated blueprint includes new areas relevant to current pharmacy education and practice:
Health equity
Social determinants of health
Indigenous health
Cultural diversity and safety
Distribution of Questions
The exam content is redistributed across the three main subject areas.
A table details the approximate percentage of questions in each area and the subcategories covered.
Impact on Pass Rates
Changes are primarily a reallocation of existing content areas.
No significant impact on pass rates is anticipated due to these adjustments.
| Subject Area | % of Exam | Subcategories |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical Sciences | 25% | - Pharmaceutics and drug delivery systems - Pharmacokinetics and biopharmaceutics - Pharmacology - Toxicology - Biotechnology and pharmacogenetics |
| Pharmacy Practice | 55% | - Pathophysiology - Clinical biochemistry and diagnostic testing (including point-of-care testing) - Pharmacotherapeutics (prescription, nonprescription, complementary, nutritional therapies) - Patient care process (assessment/intervention/monitoring/follow-up/documentation) - Special populations (geriatrics, pediatrics, pregnancy, lactation) - Prescription processing, product preparation (including nonsterile compounding) - Medication administration - Prescription calculations - Communication (patient/caregiver education) - Collaborative care (intra- and interprofessional) |
| Behavioural, Social, and Administrative Sciences | 20% | - Health promotion and disease prevention - Literature evaluation (critical appraisal, research methods, evidence-based decision making, pharmacoepidemiology, pharmacoeconomics, biostatistics) - Medication and patient safety practices - Professionalism and ethics - Pharmacy management (financial, personnel, marketing, quality improvement, risk management, workplace safety) - Canadian healthcare system, health equity and social determinants of health (Indigenous health, cultural diversity/safety) |
With the implementation of the revised blueprint for the June 2025 exam, the total number of questions will decrease from 150 to 140. This reduction is made possible by the removal of the Biomedical Sciences subject area. The exam will continue to have two sections, each containing 70 questions, with 84 minutes allotted per section for completion.
Source: pebc.ca