NAPLEX & FPGEE Exam Tips

**rphtobe** · 11-21-2005, 04:41 AM

For the benefit of all, I am copying exam tips from the website of pharmsuccess.com

Exam Tips

Updated: 09/01/2005

FPGEE® Tips

How long must I prepare for FPGEE®?

In our opinion, at least 2-3 months (4 hours/day)

Do I need to study from different books?

Limit yourself to fewer references, our recommendations are: Comprehensive Pharmacy Review by Shargel, your own pharmacy books/notes, Manan Shroff's Reference Guide For Foreign Pharmacy Licensing Exam-Questions & Answers.

What is the passing rate for FPGEE®?

Passing rate for FPGEE® is about 65%.

Do I need to study calculations?

FPGEE® contains a lot of questions on calculations, be familiar with pKa, milliequivalents, ratios, proportions, alligation, creatinine clearance, conversions, AUC, NaCl equivalents, body surface area and dose related questions. Calculations are the most time consuming and carry a lot of weightage. They can play a crucial role in passing the FPGEE®.

Can we use our own calculator?

No, calculators are not allowed during the test.

What constitutes most part of FPGEE®?

FPGEE® tests your basic knowledge of pharmacy. The important topics are: Pharmacology, Pharmacokinetics and calculations. The area covered is very vast and you really have to sharpen up your basics if you want to be among the 65% who pass the exam in first attempt.

Are there specific topics I should pay more attention to?

Yes, calculations and pharmacology.

Do I need to know about OTCs?

Not in our opinion.

How are the management questions in FPGEE®?

Very basic, and most of them are common sense. Little reference or peek into a good management book might help you answer them right. Concentrate on medicaid, medicare, clinical research studies and pricing of drugs at the pharmacy level.

And medicinal chemistry or structures?

Very few questions, not worth putting lot of time in.

I have been preparing for a while now but how can I find out how well I am prepared for the test?

Do practice questions from Manan Shroff's book (Q&A), and read through the explanations thoroughly, try to go through all the questions and recap what you studied from The Comprehensive Pharmacy Review-Shargel.

But, how will I know if I am ready to take the test, or ready to score more than 75 on FPGEE®?

Try practice tests available at http://pharmsuccess.com and experience the test before you take the actual FPGEE®. In our opinion, if you can score well on the practice test, you will score well in the actual FPGEE®.

Any special instructions for the day of the exam?

Yes, take it easy, if you have done your homework right, you will ace the exam. Relax, take the test with full stomach, cheerful face and confident mind. Take one of your friends or family members to accompany you to the test center, it helps. Good luck!

What happens after I have passed FPGEE®?

Once done, you must take and pass TSE® and TOEFL® (if not already done so) to get the certification! You must contact your state board for further instructions. Usually, you must register with your state board as an intern. Then you must start calling the pharmacy recruiters (District Managers/Supervisors of the chain pharmacies, professional recruiters, etc) and set up an interview (either over the phone or in person). Once hired (which is not tough considering the Pharmacist shortage in USA), your company will sponsor a work visa (H1B) for you which takes about 15 days by "premium processing" (if you already have green card or citizenship, you don't need a visa).

Every state requires certain minimum number of hours of internship where after you must take NAPLEX® and MPJE® and get licensed. Now you are a Pharmacist and should negotiate with your employer for a nice salary (currently starts at about $42-47/hr), a sign on bonus and if applicable, a relocation package

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NAPLEX® Tips

How long must I prepare for NAPLEX®?

In our opinion, at least 2 months (4 hours/day)

Do I need to study from different books?

Limit yourself to fewer references, our recommendations are: Comprehensive Pharmacy Review by Shargel, Appleton and Lange's Review of Pharmacy, Manan Shroff's Reference Guide For Pharmacy Licensing Exam -Theory

Does internship help in passing the NAPLEX®?

Yes, in fact you come to know about different drugs and Brand Names during your internship, none of it is taught to you in the classrooms!

What is the passing rate for NAPLEX®?

National average for NAPLEX® pass rate is about 90% whereas NAPLEX® passing rate for foreign graduates is about 70%.

Is it essential to know the brand names of the drugs?

Yes, you must pay special attention to brand names during your internship since most of the NAPLEX® questions refer to a drug by it's brand name. In our opinion, top 200 must suffice.

Do I need to study calculations?

NAPLEX® contains a lot of questions on calculations, be familiar with pKa, milliequivalents, ratios, proportions, alligation, creatinine clearance, conversions, dropper rates, calories calculations, etc. Calculations are the most time consuming and carry a lot of weightage. They can play a crucial role in passing the NAPLEX®.

Can we use our own calculator?

No, you must use the on-screen calculator provided during your test.

What constitutes most part of NAPLEX®?

Pharmacology: Classifications, MOA, ADRs, Interactions. Ensure that you pay more attention on specific characters of the drugs such as ADRs, special contraindications, interactions, etc. Study selective, don't try to jam up your brains with every small detail, take it easy, make it less confusing for yourself.

Are there specific topics I should pay more attention to?

Yes, pay more attention on drugs in the following categories: Cardiology, Nervous System, Diabetes, Depression, Asthma, Diuretics.

Do I need to know about OTCs?

Very selective, cough, cold, antacids, laxatives.

Are there any management questions in NAPLEX®?

Not in our opinion.

How about antibiotics?

Be very selective, you can easily get mixed up with them if you read too much.

And medicinal chemistry?

Almost none, don't bother.

I have been preparing for a while now but how can I find out how well I am prepared for the test?

Do practice questions from Appleton & Lange, see how you fare in them.

But, how will I know if I am ready to take the test, or ready to score more than 75 on NAPLEX®?

Try practice tests available at http://PharmSuccess.com and experience the test before you take the actual NAPLEX®. In our opinion, if you can score well on the practice test, you will score well in the actual NAPLEX®.

How soon is the NAPLEX® evaluated?

Your scores are usually sent to your state board within 2-5 days, every state board then has it's own processing time, call them to enquire if it's been more than 7 business days since you took the test.

Any special instructions for the day of the exam?

Yes, take it easy, if you have done your homework right, you will ace the exam. Relax, take the test with full stomach, cheerful face and confident mind. Take one of your friends or family members to accompany you to the test center, it helps. Good luck!

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MPJE® Tips

How can I prepare for MPJE®?

Again, use fewer resources, our recommendations are: Guide to Federal Pharmacy Law by Reiss and Hall and your state board's material.

What topics shall I pay more attention to?

Controlled substances-constitutes majority of MPJE® and be familiar with your state laws.

How important is the state board material?

Very important and very tough to understand in most of the cases. So, ensure that you devote it enough time and attention.

How long shall I prepare for MPJE®?

In our opinion, 2 weeks (5 hours/day) should suffice.

What is the passing rate for MPJE®?

National average pass rate is about 89%. Data on foreign graduates couldn't be gathered.

Like NAPLEX®, are there any practice tests available for MPJE®?

Yes, at http://PharmSuccess.com and we highly recommend it to everyone taking NAPLEX® and MPJE®.

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Some Useful Links:

Pharmacy Boards: Contact information for State Pharmacy Boards
FPGEE-Info Yahoo! group: Meet more than 1000 candidates taking FPGEE®
NAPLEX-Info Yahoo! group: Meet more than 300 people taking NAPLEX® and MPJE®