Category: pharmacy

NAPLEX MUST KNOW List

Since the MPJE must know list was well received I thought I should share what I’ve learned from taking the NAPLEX last month while it’s still fresh in my mind!

**Note: Every exam is different so yours may not be the same. Can’t discuss specific questions**

Key Points:

  • Infectious disease
    • Mine didn’t require dosing aside from vanc dose adjustment.
      • Know vanc and AMG targets and how to adjust
    • Know pneumonia treatment
    • Know meningitis treatment
    • Otitis media treatment
    • Know HIV, CD4 counts, viral loads, PrEP and PEP, opportunistic infections treatment and when prophylaxis is needed!!!
      • So many HIV questions!
      • KNOW BRAND AND GENERIC for combos and their side effects
  • Oncology
    • Mainly side effects
    • Nausea and vomiting treatments/prophylaxis
  • Math
    • Math wasn’t complicated but there was a lot of it
    • RxPrep is more than enough
  • Biostats
    • RxPrep was more than enough
    • Questions weren’t as long as they were on RxPrep
  • Depression and mood
    • Know main medications
    • Not heavily tested on my exam
  • Osteoprosis
    • Know how to test for it and how to interpret the test
    • Know main medications
  • Compouding
    • Was heavily tested
    • Rxprep wasn’t really enough but I passed
    • Sterile and non-sterile and hazardous were tested
    • Training and frequency of training
    • What ISO environment, garbing, beyond use date…
  • Anticoag
    • Know everything about Warfarin, Heparin and LMWH!
  • Others
    • The exam touched on every chapter at least one question but these above stood out to me
    • Know medications with low therapeutic indexes
    • Some incompatibilities with IV meds, storage, insulins and how long can they be in room temp
    • Lots of drug drug interactions. Rxprep was enough to study

Exam after thoughts

  • Hardly any dosing
  • CrCl was either given or you were told what weight to use
  • Pain conversions were given
  • Not many brand names (except HIV combos)
  • Questions were mainly a patient chart on one side and the question on another side
  • Questions were shorter than the Rxprep questions
  • Math and biostats were simpler than rxprep
  • I had about 40 minutes left on the clock, so plenty of time to take it
  • Generally most people say they got more of NAPLEX than PreNAPLEX
  • Keep calm and take your breaks!

What I studied:

  • I Only studied the RxPrep materials
  • I watched the big chapters’ videos (Infectious disease, heart failure, hypertension, math, biostats and compounding)
  • I did most of the test bank questions but ran out of time to do some smaller chapters
  • Spent my last day reviewing HIV, math and biostats

BEST OF LUCK!!!

MPJE Must Know List

This is not a usual post for this blog but I wanted to write this to help fellow pharmacist with the MPJE

I have recently taken the MPJE for TN

*Note: Every state and every exam is different. Specific questions can’t be discussed**

This list is a check list on KEY POINTS only

  • Control substance laws
    • Key drugs and their brand name in each schedule
    • Partial fills for each schedule
    • Expiration date of each schedule
    • How to dispose of these medications
    • Out of state rx
    • Hospital vs long term care facility vs retail requirements
    • NPI or DEA requirement for the provider
    • Who can and can’t prescribe in your state
  • Labeling
    • Bottle label requirements
      • What is not required on the bottle in your state?
      • Hospital vs long term care facility vs retail requirements
      • Usually select all that apply
  • Prescription
    • Know who’s NPI or DEA is required in your state
    • What are the components of legal rx
    • Select all that apply usually
  • Other
    • Intern hours, requirements to become a pharmacist, continued education, preceptor requirements
    • Drug utilization review components
    • Emergency fill
    • Some sterile and bio hazard questions as well

Thoughts about the exam

In general the exam did not require calculations. Questions were detailed. Most of the exam was select all that apply. The exam did not specify state vs federal so know which is stricter. There is no break during the exam, so eat and use the bathroom before you start your test. I had 40 mins left on the clock, so it is plenty of time to finish the exam ( I tend to rush, take your time if you can)

After taking the NAPLEX, the MPJE felt very short. I came out thinking I didn’t pass but I did!