CPJE Exam Flashcards

Q: What is the CPJE passing score?

The CPJE is reported as a scaled score from 0 to 99, and a candidate must score 75 to pass - this is NOT the same as answering 75% of questions correctly. The California Board of Pharmacy uses a criterion-referenced scoring process: each exam form has its own raw passing score, which is mathematically transformed so the scaled passing score always equals 75, keeping the standard consistent across different exam versions.

Q: What is the current CPJE pass rate?

In the Board's most recently published report (April-September 2025), the overall CPJE pass rate was 56.37% (841 of 1,492 candidates), with California-school candidates passing at 57.74%. Pass rates fluctuate significantly by six-month reporting period - the prior period (October 2024-March 2025) showed an overall pass rate of only 51.95%. Older marketing claims of a ~75-80% first-time pass rate reflect a prior, higher-scoring era and should not be relied on for current expectations.

Q: What happens if I fail the CPJE?

You must wait at least 45 days from your last attempt before retaking the CPJE (Business & Professions Code section 4200.4) and submit a Retake Application (form 17A-1A) with the required fee. If you fail the CPJE four times, you cannot sit for it again until you complete a minimum of 16 additional semester units of Board-approved pharmacy education (Business & Professions Code section 4200.1) - at that point the barrier is educational, not just a longer wait.

Q: Do CPJE passing results ever expire?

Your passing CPJE score remains valid as long as the exam's current content outline (occupational analysis), effective June 1, 2022, stays in effect. There is no fixed multi-year expiration date, but if the Board adopts a substantially revised occupational analysis in the future, it could set new validity terms for scores earned under the prior outline.

Q: How are the 90 CPJE questions weighted across topics?

Per the Board's content outline effective June 1, 2022: Patient Information & Prescription Evaluation is 31% (23 of 75 scored items), Clinical Practice & Jurisprudence is 36% (27 of 75 scored items), and Pharmacy Operations & Jurisprudence is 33% (25 of 75 scored items). All three domains blend California-specific law with practical application, which is why studying statute citations alone is not enough to pass.

Question 1

What must a pharmacist verify before dispensing to satisfy the required elements of a legally valid prescription in California?

Accepted Answer

A valid Rx must show patient name, drug name/strength/quantity, directions for use, prescriber name and signature (or a DEA-compliant e-Rx equivalent), and the date issued. Missing or altered elements make the Rx invalid to fill until corrected with the prescriber.

Question 2

Why does California require a pharmacist to maintain a patient medication profile for every dispensed prescription?

Accepted Answer

The profile (allergies, disease states, current drug therapy) lets the pharmacist perform prospective drug utilization review - screening new orders for interactions, duplications, and contraindications - before the drug reaches the patient.

Question 3

A prescriber writes an order using a nonstandard abbreviation that could mean two different drugs. What is the pharmacist's obligation?

Accepted Answer

The pharmacist must contact the prescriber to clarify before filling. Dispensing based on a guess violates the duty to verify a prescription's accuracy and authenticity, a core Patient Info & Rx Evaluation competency.

Question 4

What distinguishes a prescription from a medication order in California pharmacy practice?

Accepted Answer

A prescription is issued by a prescriber for an outpatient to be filled at a pharmacy. A medication order is issued for a patient in a licensed healthcare facility (e.g., hospital) and is administered by facility staff, not dispensed directly to the patient.

Question 5

Can a Schedule II prescription be called in verbally under normal circumstances?

Accepted Answer

No. Schedule II prescriptions must be written or transmitted as a compliant electronic prescription. Verbal orders are allowed only in a bona fide emergency, and the prescriber must furnish a written or electronic follow-up promptly.

Question 6

How long does a pharmacist have to fill a Schedule II prescription after it is written?

Accepted Answer

Within 6 months of the date issued. After that window, the prescription expires and cannot be dispensed even if the prescriber's signature and other elements remain valid.

Question 7

What format options are allowed for Schedule III-V prescriptions in California, compared to Schedule II?

Accepted Answer

Schedule III-V orders may be written, oral, or faxed. Schedule II orders require a written or compliant e-prescription (verbal only for bona fide emergencies) - the extra flexibility for III-V reflects their lower abuse potential.

Question 8

Since January 2022, what format is mandatory for new controlled substance prescriptions in California?

Accepted Answer

Electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) became mandatory for controlled substances, with limited statutory exceptions (e.g., technology failure, an out-of-state prescriber). Paper CS scripts outside an exception are noncompliant.

Question 9

A patient's Schedule II prescription can't be filled in full due to a supply shortage. What is the pharmacist's obligation?

Accepted Answer

The pharmacist may partial-fill the CII prescription, but must dispense the remaining quantity within 72 hours of the first partial fill (16 CCR 1745; 21 CFR 1306.13(a)). If it can't be completed within 72 hours, the pharmacist notifies the prescriber and the balance can't be dispensed without a new prescription.

Question 10

A CII prescription is partial-filled. How does the completion deadline differ between an insufficient-stock partial fill and a patient/prescriber-requested partial fill?

Accepted Answer

Insufficient stock: the remaining quantity must be dispensed within 72 hours of the first partial fill (16 CCR 1745). A patient- or prescriber-requested partial fill may be completed within 30 days of the date written (21 CFR 1306.13(b); B&P 4052.10). An emergency oral CII order is separate - the prescriber must deliver a written follow-up within 7 days.

Question 11

Can a Schedule III-V prescription be transferred between two pharmacies more than once?

Accepted Answer

Generally no - a one-time transfer is allowed between pharmacies that don't share a real-time online database. Pharmacies sharing such a database may transfer remaining refills multiple times up to the prescription's authorized limit. Schedule II prescriptions are not transferable at all.

Question 12

Under Business & Professions Code section 4064, when may a pharmacist dispense an emergency refill without prescriber authorization?

Accepted Answer

When the prescriber is unavailable to authorize a refill and, in the pharmacist's professional judgment, failure to refill would interrupt the patient's ongoing therapy in a way that could harm the patient. The pharmacist must attempt to contact the prescriber, document the emergency dispensing, and notify the prescriber afterward.

Question 13

Which controlled substance schedule is excluded from the B&P 4064 emergency refill provision?

Accepted Answer

Schedule II. The emergency-refill authority under section 4064 covers dangerous drugs and Schedule III-V controlled substances only - Schedule II drugs can never be refilled this way because Schedule II prescriptions have no refills at all.

Question 14

What did SB 472 mandate for California prescription labels?

Accepted Answer

SB 472 created the standardized, patient-centered prescription label format, requiring consistent placement of the drug name, strength, directions, and prescriber information so patients can more easily read and compare their labels across pharmacies.

Question 15

A pharmacy serves a large Spanish-speaking patient population with limited English proficiency (LEP). What labeling accommodation is required?

Accepted Answer

California requires interpreter services during pharmacy hours and translated prescription directions (SIG) in the state's top languages (Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Vietnamese) upon request, to ensure LEP patients understand how to take their medication safely.

Question 16

What defines a Schedule I controlled substance, and why can a pharmacist never dispense one in routine practice?

Accepted Answer

Schedule I substances (e.g., heroin, LSD) have no accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse under the CSA. Because there is no legitimate prescribing use, a pharmacist cannot lawfully fill a prescription for one in routine practice.

Question 17

Where do ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone fall on the CSA schedule, and what does that mean for refills?

Accepted Answer

They are Schedule III - moderate abuse potential. Schedule III-V prescriptions may authorize up to 5 refills within 6 months of the issue date, unlike Schedule II, which permits no refills.

Question 18

Xanax, Ambien, and tramadol share which CSA schedule, and how does its abuse potential compare to Schedule II?

Accepted Answer

They are Schedule IV - low abuse potential relative to Schedule II drugs like oxycodone or Adderall (high abuse potential, tightly restricted refills and format). Schedule IV allows refills and more flexible prescription formats.

Question 19

Can a California pharmacist furnish naloxone to a patient without a prescription?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under a statewide standing protocol, pharmacists may furnish naloxone directly to patients, family members, or others in a position to assist someone at risk of opioid overdose - no individual prescription is required.

Question 20

Under what condition can a California pharmacist furnish a self-administered hormonal contraceptive without a physician's prescription?

Accepted Answer

After the pharmacist completes a self-screening questionnaire with the patient to check for contraindications. The pharmacist then furnishes the contraceptive directly and must notify the patient's primary care provider or give the patient a record of the encounter.

Question 21

What is the legal basis for a California pharmacist furnishing PrEP versus PEP for HIV prevention?

Accepted Answer

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) furnishing authority comes from B&P 4052.02; PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis, for after a suspected HIV exposure) comes from B&P 4052.03. Both are protocol-based and don't require an individual physician prescription.

Question 22

A patient asks a pharmacist for travel medications before an international trip. Does the pharmacist need a physician's diagnosis first?

Accepted Answer

No. Pharmacists may furnish CDC-recommended travel medications based on the destination and traveler's needs without a prior physician diagnosis, alongside their other furnishing authority for naloxone, contraceptives, PrEP/PEP, and nicotine replacement therapy.

Question 23

What does 'corresponding responsibility' mean under 21 CFR 1306.04, and who does it apply to?

Accepted Answer

It means the pharmacist shares legal responsibility with the prescriber for ensuring a controlled substance prescription was issued for a legitimate medical purpose - a pharmacist cannot simply fill an order and blame the prescriber if red flags were ignored.

Question 24

Name two red flags that should make a pharmacist pause before filling a controlled substance prescription.

Accepted Answer

Cash payment for a controlled substance (avoiding an insurance paper trail) and a long distance between the patient's home, the prescriber, and the pharmacy (suggesting doctor- or pharmacy-shopping) are classic corresponding-responsibility red flags requiring further verification.

Question 25

A patient is getting the same opioid filled by three different prescribers at three different pharmacies. What red flag does this represent, and what should the pharmacist do?

Accepted Answer

This is a 'doctor-shopping' red flag suggesting possible diversion or addiction. The pharmacist must investigate (e.g., check CURES under corresponding responsibility) and may refuse to fill, documenting the reasoning, rather than dispense without resolving the concern.

Question 26

How does California's Duty to Consult under 16 CCR 1707.2 differ from simply 'offering to counsel'?

Accepted Answer

16 CCR 1707.2 requires the pharmacist to proactively provide oral consultation to the patient (or caregiver) for a new prescription or a change in directions/strength - it is not satisfied by merely offering and letting the patient decline unprompted.

Question 27

What two events trigger California's mandatory patient counseling requirement?

Accepted Answer

A new drug for the patient, or a change in strength or directions for an existing drug. Refills with no change in therapy do not automatically trigger a new mandatory consultation, though the patient may still request one.

Question 28

How must a pharmacy accommodate a mail-order or remote patient under the counseling requirement?

Accepted Answer

The pharmacy must provide written notice of the right to counseling plus telephone access to a pharmacist, and the patient may decline consultation (documented as a refusal) - the patient's right to opt out is preserved even remotely.

Question 29

What pharmacy practice requirement did OBRA '90 establish at the federal level?

Accepted Answer

OBRA '90 established mandatory drug utilization review (DUR) and the requirement to offer counseling to Medicaid patients. California's own Duty to Consult (16 CCR 1707.2) goes further by requiring actual consultation, not just an offer.

Question 30

Under HIPAA, how much patient information may a pharmacy disclose when responding to a routine request?

Accepted Answer

Only the 'minimum necessary' amount of protected health information needed to accomplish the purpose of the disclosure - pharmacies should not share more patient data than the specific request requires.

Question 31

How often must a pharmacist renew their individual DEA registration to handle controlled substances?

Accepted Answer

Every 3 years. An expired DEA registration means the pharmacist can no longer lawfully dispense controlled substances until it is renewed, regardless of California license status.

Question 32

Why can't a California pharmacist candidate substitute the MPJE for the CPJE?

Accepted Answer

California is the only state that develops and administers its own pharmacy jurisprudence exam (CPJE) rather than using NABP's Multistate Pharmacy Jurisprudence Examination (MPJE). The CPJE also uniquely tests clinical practice knowledge, not just law.

Question 33

How does California's Duty to Consult compare to the OBRA '90 'offer to counsel' model used in many other states?

Accepted Answer

California requires an affirmative, proactive consultation for qualifying prescriptions (a stricter standard), while the OBRA '90 model only requires the pharmacist to offer counseling and lets the patient decline - CA's rule leaves less room to skip counseling silently.

Question 34

How many members sit on the California State Board of Pharmacy, and what is the professional/public split?

Accepted Answer

13 members total: 7 licensed pharmacists and 6 public members. This mixed composition is designed to balance professional expertise with consumer protection oversight.

Question 35

What does Business & Professions Code section 4200.2 establish about the scope of the CPJE?

Accepted Answer

It requires the CPJE to test both clinical pharmacy practice and jurisprudence (law) - the reason the CPJE, unlike the MPJE used elsewhere, includes drug-therapy and clinical-judgment questions alongside legal ones.

Question 36

Who has the mandatory duty to query CURES before prescribing a Schedule II-IV drug - the prescriber or the pharmacist?

Accepted Answer

The prescriber. Pharmacists are not required to query CURES before dispensing; they must register for CURES access and may check it under their corresponding responsibility, but the mandatory pre-prescribing query duty (roughly every 6 months for continuing patients) belongs to prescribers.

Question 37

What is CURES, and which state agency runs it?

Accepted Answer

CURES (Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System) is California's prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP), operated by the California Department of Justice - not the Board of Pharmacy.

Question 38

Under 16 CCR 1711, how quickly must a pharmacy begin investigating a reported medication error?

Accepted Answer

Within 2 business days of the error being identified, as part of the pharmacy's mandatory quality assurance program required by 16 CCR 1711.

Question 39

How long must a California pharmacy retain its quality assurance program records, and how accessible must they be?

Accepted Answer

At least 1 year, and the records must be immediately retrievable - not archived somewhere inaccessible - so the Board can review them during an inspection or investigation.

Question 40

What is form 17M-13, and how long must a community pharmacy keep it on file?

Accepted Answer

It's the community/outpatient pharmacy self-assessment form, a periodic self-audit of compliance with pharmacy law and QA standards. Completed self-assessments must be retained on file for 3 years.

Question 41

A pharmacy technician is caught stealing 5 tablets of a controlled substance. Must the pharmacy report this, and on what timeline?

Accepted Answer

Yes - any amount of employee theft must be reported, with no minimum quantity threshold, within 14 days of discovery. This is stricter than the reporting rule for non-theft losses.

Question 42

A pharmacy discovers an unexplained (non-theft) shortage of controlled substance tablets during a routine count. What threshold and deadline apply?

Accepted Answer

Non-theft losses must be reported within 30 days once they meet the reportable threshold - for example, an aggregate of 99 dosage units for tablets. Below that threshold, routine inventory variance isn't independently reportable.

Question 43

How often must a pharmacy conduct a full physical inventory count of its controlled substances?

Accepted Answer

Biennially - every 2 years - as the baseline CS inventory requirement, separate from the theft/loss reporting rules that apply whenever a discrepancy is discovered.

Question 44

Under B&P 4115, what is the maximum pharmacist-to-technician ratio in most community pharmacy settings, and how does it change for a solo pharmacist?

Accepted Answer

A pharmacy with only one pharmacist on duty may supervise no more than 1 technician (1:1). The 2:1 ratio applies only to each additional pharmacist beyond the first - so 2 pharmacists on duty may supervise up to 3 technicians.

Question 45

How does the typical hospital/inpatient pharmacy technician ratio compare to the community pharmacy ratio?

Accepted Answer

Hospital/inpatient settings commonly use a 1-pharmacist-to-2-technician ratio as well, but the specific ratio can be adjusted based on the facility's approved staffing plan - always subject to the pharmacist's direct supervision requirement.

Question 46

What can a California pharmacy technician never do, regardless of experience or ratio?

Accepted Answer

A technician cannot counsel patients or exercise clinical/professional judgment (e.g., deciding whether to fill a questionable prescription) - those tasks require direct pharmacist involvement and verification of all technician work.

Question 47

What are the three criteria for Advanced Practice Pharmacist (APh) recognition in California, and how many must be met?

Accepted Answer

California requires at least TWO of three criteria (B&P 4210): (1) a board-certified specialty (e.g., BPS), (2) completion of an accredited PGY residency with at least 50% direct patient care, or (3) at least one year of clinical services to patients under a collaborative practice agreement or protocol. APh status also requires a separate application - there is no 1,500-hour figure in the statute.

Question 48

Does earning a PharmD automatically grant Advanced Practice Pharmacist (APh) status in California?

Accepted Answer

No. APh status requires meeting at least two of the three defined criteria (certification, residency, or one year of protocol-based clinical services) plus a separate application and fee to the Board - it is never an automatic upgrade from licensure alone.

Question 49

How often must a California pharmacist renew their license, and what determines the renewal deadline?

Accepted Answer

Every 2 years, with the renewal deadline tied to the pharmacist's birth month - not a fixed calendar date shared by all licensees.

Question 50

What are California's continuing education (CE) requirements for pharmacist license renewal?

Accepted Answer

30 total CE hours per renewal cycle, including at least 2 hours of law/ethics and 1 hour of cultural competency - general CE hours alone don't satisfy the mandatory subject-specific minimums.

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