New GPhC Regulations - No MEP, No Tariff
What do the new 2012 GPhC exam regulations mean?
In late 2011, the GPhC decided to change the format of the Registration Assessment Exam. During the open book exam students in the past were allowed to take in with them the BNF, Drug Tariff and the whole MEP. Now, students can only take the BNF, the MEP ethical supplement to the exam and NO Tariff.
How will the new update change the new exams from past exams? Does this mean that the Tariff and the MEP will not be included in the exam?
You should be so lucky! PharmacyCPA confirmed with the GPhC that the exam will be almost exactly the same as to what it was before however, minus any questions associated with the price of drugs. This mean you will have to learn all those CD tables and "Notes on charges" off by heart. For instance, the GPhC mentioned that they expect pre-regs to know how many charges are associated with Tridestra and (Femoston - prescribed together)!
What will the 2012 exam questions look like?
The GPhC put a strong emphasis on wanting pre-regs to have sufficient knowledge to be able to safely perform a pharmacists duty. This is a bit tricky as in general pharmacists usually have their MEP or Tariff close to hand. The new questions will probably be less specific. Instead of asking questions like what schedule is Zolpidem they will ask how long a benzodiazepine prescription is valid for.
