Certified Advanced Specialty Pharmacist (CASP)

CASP (ASP-001) Exam Objectives

This exam certifies that the candidate has the advanced clinical and operational knowledge to lead patient care services and programs within a specialty pharmacy.

Domain 1: Advanced Clinical Management of Specialty Disease States (45%)

• Oncology: Manage oral and infused antineoplastics, including management of toxicities and supportive care.
• Inflammatory Conditions: Manage therapies for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.
• Multiple Sclerosis: Manage disease-modifying therapies, including monitoring for safety and efficacy.
• Hepatitis C and HIV: Manage complex antiviral regimens and monitor for drug interactions and resistance.
• Other Key Areas: Manage therapies for rare and orphan diseases, cystic fibrosis, and growth hormone deficiency.

Domain 2: Specialty Pharmacy Operations and Dispensing (25%)

• Intake and Triage: Manage the referral intake process, including benefit verification and clinical triage.
• Dispensing and Logistics: Oversee cold chain distribution and shipping validation for temperature-sensitive biologics.
• Limited Distribution Drugs (LDDs): Manage the unique procurement and data reporting requirements for LDDs.

Domain 3: Patient Access, Reimbursement, and Care Coordination (20%)

• Patient Access: Manage the prior authorization, appeals, and financial assistance processes for high-cost specialty drugs.
• High-Touch Patient Management: Develop and oversee clinical management programs that include patient onboarding, counseling, and ongoing adherence monitoring.
• Care Coordination: Coordinate care between the patient, specialty pharmacy, prescribers, and other members of the healthcare team.

Domain 4: Quality, Compliance, and Accreditation (10%)

• REMS Management: Ensure compliance with all elements of a FDA-mandated Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies.
• Accreditation: Apply the standards from specialty pharmacy accrediting bodies, such as URAC and the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).
• Quality Metrics: Develop and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) for a specialty pharmacy, such as turnaround time and adherence rates.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to sit for a CPS certification exam, candidates must meet the criteria outlined in one of the two pathways below.

Pathway 1: For U.S. Licensed Pharmacists

This pathway is for pharmacists licensed to practice within the United States, regardless of country of graduation.

• Hold an active and unrestricted pharmacist license in any state or territory of the United States.
• Meet educational requirements by being a graduate of an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy or holding a Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Committee® (FPGEC) Certificate.
• Fulfill the specialty experience requirement as outlined below.

Pathway 2: For International Pharmacists (Non-U.S. Licensed)

This pathway is for pharmacists who practice outside of the United States.

• Hold an active and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in their country of practice. A certified English translation of the license must be provided if the original is not in English.
• Hold a professional degree in pharmacy equivalent to a U.S. pharmacy degree, such as a Bachelor’s degree (BPharm), Master’s degree in Pharmacy Practice (MPharm), or Doctor of Pharmacy degree (PharmD).
• Fulfill the specialty experience requirement as outlined below.

Specialty Experience Requirement (for all pathways)

To ensure candidates have foundational knowledge in the specialty, one of the following criteria must be met:

• Standard Pathway:
  Completion of at least one year of professional experience in a practice setting directly related to the certification area.
• Certificate Pathway:
  The one-year specialty experience requirement is waived for candidates who hold an active certificate of completion from a nationally recognized provider in a related subject matter. This includes, but is not limited to, the completion of a relevant PGY residency, fellowship, certificate/training program, or a relevant graduate degree (e.g., a Master's degree in the specialty field). Recognized providers of certificate programs include, but are not limited to:
  • American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP)
  • American Pharmacists Association (APhA)
  • American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
  • American Society of Consultant Pharmacists (ASCP)

Career Path for CASP Professionals

The CASP certification is the premier credential for pharmacists practicing in specialty pharmacy, whether in a large PBM-owned pharmacy, a health-system specialty pharmacy, or an independent. It signifies the highest level of clinical and operational expertise.

Target Candidates

• Experienced specialty pharmacists, particularly those with a board certification (e.g., BCSP).
• Clinical coordinators or patient care managers in a specialty pharmacy.
• Pharmacy leaders responsible for the clinical or operational performance of a specialty pharmacy.
• Pharmacists with PGY1 and/or PGY2 residency training.

Primary Job Roles:

• Clinical Specialty Pharmacist
• Specialty Pharmacy Manager / Director
• Clinical Care Coordinator (Specialty)
• Pharmacist at a Center of Excellence
• Medical Science Liaison

Career Advancement:

A CASP is positioned for senior leadership within the specialty pharmacy industry. They can advance to become a Vice President of a specialty pharmacy, a Director of Clinical Services, or a strategic leader developing clinical management programs for payers or biopharmaceutical manufacturers.

Study Resources

Prepare for your CASP exam with resources focused on the highest level of specialty pharmacy practice.