NAPLEX is an acronym for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination. It is a standard examination created by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to help individual State Boards of Pharmacy assess an individual's competency and knowledge (NAPLEX Syallbus) so that they may be given a license to practice pharmacy.
The NAPLEX is exclusively a computer-administered exam, meaning that there is no paper-based equivalent. After receiving the authorization to test from NABP, applicants must register with an official testing facility, such as Pearson_VUE, at least two business days in advance, to schedule a testing appointment. The exam consists of 185 questions and has a time limit of four hours and fifteen minutes, with an optional ten-minute break after approximately two hours. Of the 185 questions, only 150 are used to tabulate the applicant's score. The remaining 35 are "trial balloon" questions under consideration for inclusion on future NAPLEX tests. There is no way to distinguish a regular test question from a trial balloon.
The NAPLEX is an adaptive examination in that it tailors itself to the skill level of the applicant. Because of the linear nature of the exam (applicants must answer a question to continue, and there is no backtracking), the computer is able to zero in on incorrect responses and select similar questions for presentation later in the exam. This allows for analysis of the applicant's skill level across several performance categories.
The exam format consists primarily of multiple-choice questions; there are no essay questions. The questions are split between two subtypes: a question with five individual ploys, or the K-Type, which consists of a question and three options numbered I, II and III, then five combinations of these options.
Currently, 48 boards of pharmacy require passing the MPJE as a component of licensure. The six boards that do not utilize the MPJE for their law examinations are:
- Arkansas
- California
- Virginia
- Puerto Rico
- Guam
- The Virgin Islands
Failed NAPLEX
NAPLEX scores range from 0 to 150, with higher scores indicating better performance; 75 is considered the minimum passing score. The average NAPLEX score is 100 if you get a score below 75 you will need to resit the exam, our best piece of advice to students who have failed the NAPLEX, is to see it as a benefit, you now have an idea of what to expect on the NAPLEX and have a head start on other students fresh to the process. Reassess the situation and understand where you went wrong.