What is Board Certified Emergency Medicine Pharmacist (BCEMP)?

The Board Certified Emergency Medicine Pharmacist (BCEMP) program is a credential for pharmacists who specialize in the care for patients at the bedside across diverse populations and acuity levels, with a focus on optimizing pharmacotherapy, improving patient safety, increasing efficiency and cost-effectiveness of care, facilitating medication stewardship, educating patients and other healthcare providers, and contributing to scholarly efforts.

The BCEMP — Board Certified Emergency Medicine Pharmacist — is a specialty credential awarded by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) to pharmacists who demonstrate advanced knowledge and skills in emergency medicine pharmacy practice. It is the definitive validation that a pharmacist possesses the expertise to deliver specialized pharmaceutical care in the fast-paced, high-stakes environment of emergency medicine.

Emergency medicine pharmacists work at the bedside providing care for patients across diverse populations and acuity levels. Their scope encompasses everything from optimizing pharmacotherapy and improving patient safety to increasing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of care, facilitating medication stewardship, educating patients and other healthcare providers, and contributing to scholarly efforts.

The purpose of the BCEMP program is to validate that the pharmacist has the advanced knowledge and experience to optimize patient outcomes by ensuring quality patient care; improving therapeutic outcomes; assuring safety; and supervising, training, and ensuring competency of all personnel involved in emergency medicine.

Board certification through the BCEMP program serves several important functions for the pharmacy profession and for emergency medicine as a whole:

• Ensuring quality patient care — Validates that the pharmacist can provide the highest standard of pharmaceutical care in emergency settings
• Improving therapeutic outcomes — Confirms the pharmacist’s ability to optimize medication therapy for critically ill and acute patients
• Assuring safety — Demonstrates a commitment to patient safety through evidence-based medication management
• Supervising and training — Ensures competency in the supervision and education of all personnel involved in emergency medicine pharmacy

The BCEMP credential validates a pharmacist’s expertise across the full spectrum of emergency medicine pharmacy. These core competencies reflect the multifaceted role that BCEMP-certified pharmacists fulfill in the emergency department and acute care settings:

Pharmacists who meet all of the eligibility criteria including passing an examination will be awarded the credential titled: Board Certified Emergency Medicine Pharmacist® (BCEMP).

The path to earning the BCEMP involves meeting specific requirements set forth by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. These requirements are designed to ensure that candidates have the appropriate education, training, and experience before sitting for the certification examination:

• 1
  Active pharmacist license — You must hold a current, active license to practice pharmacy in the United States or another jurisdiction
• 2
  Meet eligibility criteria — Satisfy the BPS eligibility requirements through a combination of practice experience and/or postgraduate training
• 3
  Submit application — Complete and submit the BPS certification application during the designated application period
• 4
  Pass the examination — Successfully pass the BCEMP certification examination administered by BPS

The BCEMP credential is designed for pharmacists who specialize in caring for patients at the bedside across diverse populations and acuity levels. If your practice involves any of the following, the BCEMP may be the right certification for you:

• Emergency department (ED) clinical pharmacists
• Pharmacists involved in trauma care and resuscitation
• Acute care pharmacists with emergency medicine focus
• Pharmacists who manage toxicology cases and poisoning emergencies
• Pharmacists involved in procedural sedation and airway management support
• PGY-2 emergency medicine pharmacy residents and graduates

The Board Certified Emergency Medicine Pharmacist (BCEMP) credential represents the highest level of professional recognition for pharmacists practicing in emergency medicine. By earning this certification, you join an elite group of pharmacists whose advanced knowledge and experience have been validated by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties.

Whether you are an established emergency medicine pharmacist looking to formalize your expertise, or a pharmacy resident planning your career trajectory, the BCEMP provides a clear benchmark of excellence. Pharmacists who meet all of the eligibility criteria including passing the examination will be awarded this prestigious credential — a testament to their dedication to optimizing pharmacotherapy, improving patient safety, and advancing the practice of emergency medicine pharmacy.

If you are considering pursuing the BCEMP, PACU offers comprehensive preparation resources including board review courses, practice examinations, and spaced-repetition study tools designed specifically for emergency medicine pharmacists. Start your preparation today and take the next step in your professional development.