Test Scores Have Been Falling. COVID-19 Is Just One Reason.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on the day-to-day lives of nearly all Americans, including students. An ongoing decline in nationwide test scores at all academic levels – from students in K-12 schools to graduates of professional doctoral programs – has largely been attributed to the challenges related to remote learning at the […]
Read More ›No Need to ‘Check Your List Twice’ with CPE Monitor’s Enhanced Features
For many pharmacists this month, “making a list and checking it twice” applies to more than just holiday gifts. Licenses are set to renew by December 31 in 17 states, meaning many pharmacists are also keeping lists of continuing pharmacy education (CPE) requirements. NABP’s CPE Monitor service can help, and the Plus plan is especially […]
Read More ›Why Pharmacy Law Knowledge is Essential to Patient Safety
Of the examinations that NABP offers to gauge candidates’ readiness for pharmacy practice, the MPJE is the only one that assesses knowledge of state and federal laws and the ability to apply that knowledge in practice. We’ve heard of a misperception that a number of states are considering eliminating or have eliminated jurisprudence examinations for […]
Read More ›Five Ways to Get CPE and One Great Tracking Service
It’s happened to the best of us. You’re relaxing at home after a long day at the pharmacy, and it hits you — your license renewal is coming up. A slight panic sets in. Did you save all the activity confirmations? How are you supposed to cram in that many CE credits before the deadline […]
Read More ›CPE Monitor Plus Makes Tracking Pharmacy CE Requirements a Breeze
Out of all the subscriptions you might pay for – entertainment streaming, meal prep kits, goody boxes for your pets or kids – do any of them aid your career? Do any of them cost just $12 per year? We’d like to introduce you to the advanced features of CPE Monitor Plus. You’re probably already […]
Read More ›Taking the NAPLEX: A Basic Guide
Hard to believe that the end of the 2021-2022 academic year is on the horizon. For many P4 students, it’s an emotional rollercoaster: After all these years of preparing, the finish line is in sight, and your pharmacy career is just beginning. Taking the NAPLEX is one of the final steps you need to take, […]
Read More ›Pharmacists, Here’s How We Develop the Exams You Take
This is the third in a series of posts that explore the rigorous process of building NABP’s examinations. Here, we explain how tests are developed. A previous blog post provided a primer on test validity; however, much of the validity evidence is collected throughout the test development process. Although there are several frameworks for principled assessment design systems, such as evidenced-centered design (eg, […]
Read More ›The Science Behind the Score: The New NAPLEX Candidate Performance Report
This is the second in a series of posts that explore the rigorous process of building NABP’s examinations. Here we explain the creation of the new NAPLEX candidate performance report. The Value of Subscores Before we describe our process of creating our new NAPLEX candidate performance report, it is important to discuss exactly how the […]
Read More ›A Brief Primer on Test Validity Theory
This is the first in a series of posts that explores the rigorous process of building NABP’s examinations. First up: Laying the foundation for an exam’s validity through the interpretation and use argument. The validity of an examination, or assessment, is the most fundamental consideration in the development and evaluation of assessments. Validity is the […]
Read More ›Rigorous process to set exam passing standard shows it’s more than just a number
In a previous blog post, we noted that the NAPLEX blueprint is changing in 2021 and a standard setting panel was conducted this past summer. The purpose of standard setting is to determine a point along a score scale that classifies individuals into specific proficiency categories. For example, a fourth-grade reading test may be designed […]
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