Development of an intentional approach to NAPLEX® preparation

Purpose

To develop and implement an intentional approach for preparation of doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) graduates to successfully pass the North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination® (NAPLEX®) on their first attempt.

Methods

Chapman University School of Pharmacy (CUSP) incorporated a series of high-stakes Mock NAPLEXs into the APPE-year co-curricular education course as part of students’ professional development, with the requirement that students pass one exam prior to graduation. CUSP partnered with UWorld/RxPrep® to provide a resource for students to use in preparing for the Mock NAPLEXs, which were administered five times during the spring term of the APPE year via the web-based platform. Students were held accountable for their own preparation efforts and outcomes.

Results

After incorporating the Mock NAPLEX requirement into the APPE-year co-curricular education course in 2023, first-time pass rates on the NAPLEX were consistently higher for CUSP graduates relative to the national average.

Conclusions

With a moderate investment in resources, CUSP was able to consistently increase the first-time NAPLEX pass rates of its recent graduates, by holding students accountable for their own preparation and requiring them to demonstrate their readiness to test prior to graduation from the PharmD program as part of their professional development through the co-curriculum.