Two new pharmacy specialties are now recognized by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties: Critical Care Pharmacy and Pediatric Pharmacy. The acknowledgment of these new specialties, announced in April of this year, brings the number of recognized pharmacy specialties to eight. Of the six existing specialties, Nuclear Pharmacy was the first to be recognized in 1978, followed by Nutrition Support Pharmacy and Pharmacotherapy in 1988, Psychiatric Pharmacy in 1992, Oncology Pharmacy in 1996, and Ambulatory Care Pharmacy in 2009 (Figure).
Figure. Time line for the recognition of pharmacy specialties.
A specialty council for each of the two new specialties will be appointed to delineate the content outline for each specialty. Certification examinations for both specialties are expected to be offered for the first time in 2015.
In accordance with its long history of providing high-quality professional development programs for pharmacist specialists, ACCP will offer preparatory programs for pharmacists seeking certification in either specialty. Information on these programs will be released as soon as plans are finalized.
For more information on ACCP’s ongoing efforts to expand pharmacy specialties and the College’s current preparatory and recertification programs for the pharmacotherapy, ambulatory care, and oncology specialties, visit www.accp.com/careers/certification.aspx.