About the NAPLEX

The NAPLEX tests the candidate's knowledge, judgment, and skills they are expected to know as an entry-level pharmacist.

How long is the NAPLEX?

In November 2016, the NAPLEX increased in length to accommodate more content covering the diversity of clinical cases and medication preparation strategies encountered in pharmacy practice. Therefore, the number of examination items increased from 185 to 250 and the test time increased from 4 hours and 15 minutes to 6 hours.

There are now 250 questions on the exam and a total test time of 6 hours. Of the 250 questions, 50 are pretest questions and will not count toward your final score.

Tips and Advice for the NAPLEX:

The exams focus heavily on standards for safe pharmacotherapy, optimizing therapeutic outcomes, accurate methodology to dispense medications and apply information to promote optimal care.

Be prepared, the calculation questions are DIFFICULT. Feedback is that this is typically the hardest portion, even for those that have done well in the more mathematically heavy portions of Pharmacy School. The questions are tricky, and more in line with aptitude testing than with large amounts of information testing. Based on exit interviews, the calculations are ~33% of the exam.

Our NAPLEX question bank covers all of the question formats that you need to know, while covering the difficult calculation types you’ll see on the real exam. The content has been updated to reflect the Updated NABP NAPLEX Competency Statements covering Area 1: Ensuring Safe and Effective Pharmacotherapy and Health Outcomes (67% of exam) and Area 2: Safe and Accurate Preparation, Compounding, Dispensing, and Administration of Medications and Provision of Health Care Products (33% of exam).