Effectively reviewing for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination or NAPLEX® involves combining good studying and testing skills with specific knowledge of the content and the nature of the exam. The NAPLEX® is a specific test of professional pharmaceutical knowledge that has been developed for the regional community of pharmacy professionals in the United States. This test is extremely important for pharmacy licensing, and is only approached that general context.
One important thing for NAPLEX® review is to look at the actual content and what will be tested. A professional group called the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NAPB) governs the administration of the NAPLEX® test. The NABP has come up with different items called the “Competency Standards” that help students to understand what’s involved in the test.
Looking at the competency standards, students can see that there are three core areas involved in the test, covering good use of patient health data, competence with statistics and information, and actual mathematics involved in preparing and dispensing medications. Under these three core areas, a diverse array of smaller and more specific skill sets are addressed in subheadings. To do NAPLEX® review effectively, students can page through the competency standards and develop a much more detailed understanding of what they need to present at the time when they take the NAPLEX® test.
In addition to looking at the specific content, students need to adopt a practice of attention to detail when reviewing for the test. Much of the material on the NAPLEX® includes mathematical skill, as well as details on national standards related to regulation or common industry practice. The more the student pays attention to details like these, the better he or she will do on NAPLEX® review, and on the demanding NAPLEX® exam itself.
Students who want to do well on the NAPLEX® can also work on their test taking skills. A testing environment can be intimidating, and factors in the environment or setting for the test can interfere with the individual’s ability to do well. Students who anticipate these challenges while their preparatory NAPLEX review can do better; getting a lot of rest and the right diet can also help out quite a bit.
Beyond all of this, those who are preparing for the test can talk to previous students about what is covered on the test. Through talking to those who have taken the NAPLEX®, new test takers can know what to expect, including high fees for this test, professional requirements or prerequisites, and real understanding of the competency standards and how they are used. These overall guidelines will often lead to a more successful result.
