Innovations-Magazine-January-2023 - 13

FEATURE NEWS
Professional Licensure Examinations
Protect Public Health
Licensure examinations have been an important part of health care
regulation for nearly a century. In pharmacy, the North American
Pharmacist Licensure Examination®
(NAPLEX®
) - originally
the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Licensure
Examination - was first offered in 1952. The exam provides a
standardized metric for use by the boards of pharmacy to evaluate
the competency of new pharmacy graduates and other licensure
applicants. In most jurisdictions, candidates are also required to take
the Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination®
(MPJE®
) to
measure potential pharmacists' understanding of applicable laws
and regulations (see the August 2022 issue of Innovations for more
information on the MPJE).
These exams, and those offered by NABP's sister organizations
in other health care professions, are vital resources that provide
important information state regulators can use to ensure that their
licensees meet the minimum competency standard to safeguard
the individual patients and the public health.
Test Scores Have Dropped Since 2020
COVID-19's impact on education has been a topic of concern since
the pandemic first became widespread in the United States. Many
students struggled to transition to a remote learning environment,
though it was widely considered to be necessary to protect the safety of
students and faculty. This struggle appears to be reflected in test scores.
For example, the NAPLEX and the MPJE have had a roughly 2%-4%
decrease in the passing rates of first-time test takers since 2020.
This decline in passing rates corresponds with similar drops in other
examinations. For example, the passing rate for candidates taking the
National Council Licensure Examination licensing exam for nurses
declined for the first time, from 88% in 2019 to about 81% in 2022.
While the most obvious cause of this dip in passing rates is the
COVID-19 pandemic, there may be other factors involved. One
possibility is that in response to increased demand for pharmacists,
some schools and colleges of pharmacy have suspended or lowered
Pharmacy College Admission Test (PCAT) requirements to increase
enrollment and provide opportunities to more students. A survey
published in the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education
(AJPE) found that at least 12 institutions had discontinued PCAT
requirements between the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 admissions
cycles. Furthermore, the American Association of Colleges of
Pharmacy has announced that it will no longer offer the PCAT after
January 2024. Previous research, such as a 2007 study published
in the AJPE, has indicated that a high composite PCAT score was
one of the strongest predictors of success on the NAPLEX. These
requirement changes may be an indirect contributing factor to
the recent decrease in NAPLEX scores.
Another possible component may be the revised NAPLEX blueprint
that went into effect in January 2021 (see the August 2020 issue
of Innovations for more details). NABP makes periodic updates to
its examination blueprints to ensure that the exam is in line with
pharmacy practice standards in a field that has experienced rapid
change over the last few decades. A temporary decline in exam scores
was noted in 2016 following a significant change to the format of the
NAPLEX, which expanded from 185 questions over four-and-a-half
hours to 250 questions over six hours. While the decrease in pass rates
occurring in 2021 may be similar to those caused by the format change
in 2016, the corresponding score declines in other health care licensing
examinations suggest that more universal issues, such as the pandemic,
have had a greater influence on performance on the NAPLEX.
Prepared candidates benefit by knowing
exactly what to expect during the testing
appointment, which reduces distraction
and stress that could otherwise hinder
performance during the examination.
Preparation and Practice Can Improve Performance
Candidates who wish to improve their chances of passing NABP
examinations have resources available to help. For example, students
should carefully read the entirety of the relevant examination bulletin
in preparation of their test. Prepared candidates benefit by knowing
exactly what to expect during the testing appointment, which reduces
distraction and stress that could otherwise hinder performance
during the examination.
In addition to utilizing the many study materials available,
candidates may also benefit from the practice exams available for
purchase from NABP. The Association has confirmed that students
who take these practice examinations have a higher passing rate than
those who do not. Available online, the NAPLEX and MPJE practice
examinations, the Pre-NAPLEX®
and Pre-MPJE®
, simulate many of
the conditions candidates can expect during the actual examination.
This includes questions that are similar to those offered in the
test (in some cases, the questions have been previously used in the
examination), and a time limit that encourages efficient work. Each
practice examination may be taken up to twice per year at a cost of
$75 for each administration. Schools and colleges of pharmacy can
also purchase vouchers for their students at a reduced rate.
NABP continually monitors the effectiveness and integrity of its
examinations to ensure that they serve the needs of the boards of
pharmacy. The Association will provide any additional information,
including updates to examination blueprints and other noteworthy
trends in test scores, in future communications.
JANUARY 2023 | 11
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Innovations-Magazine-January-2023

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