PCOA Exam
The PCOA will be proctored solely online at this time due to COVID-19. Additional information regarding PCOA administration for the 2021-2022 academic year will be released soon. Contact PCOA@nabp.pharmacy for specific questions regarding administration of the exam.
The Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment® (PCOA®) is an essential tool used by colleges to evaluate their doctor of pharmacy curriculum, and it allows students to become familiar with the examination process prior to sitting for the licensure exams after graduation.
The PCOA is a test suitable for students in all professional years and provides data to the colleges that can be used to help review an individual student’s performance and their year-to-year progress through the curriculum. Colleges will also have access to PCOA results from colleges across the country for comparison.
About the PCOA Assessment
The Pharmacy Curriculum Outcomes Assessment is comprised of 225 questions that are delivered in a computerized form. The PCOA Content Areas are based on outcomes from the 2015 US Colleges of Pharmacy Curricula Survey. The PCOA is offered Monday through Friday in three-day testing sessions, excluding weekends and high-volume testing dates. The assessment is administered during the following testing windows:
- February 1 – February 28, 2022
- March 1 – March 31, 2022
- April 1 – April 30, 2022
- May 1 – May 31, 2022
- June 1 – June 30, 2022
- July 1 – July 31, 2022
PCOA Registration Deadlines
Administrators and students have separate registration deadlines within each test window.
- Administrators can see their registration deadlines in the Administrator Information section.
- Students can see their registration deadlines in the Student Information section.
Refer to our list of school codes when registering for the exam.