Certified AI-Enhanced Pharmacy Strategist (CAEPS)

CAEPS (AIPS-001) Exam Objectives

This exam certifies that the candidate has the strategic, technical, and ethical knowledge to successfully lead the integration of artificial intelligence into pharmacy practice and operations.

Domain 1: Foundations of AI and Machine Learning in Healthcare (25%)

• Core AI Concepts: Differentiate between artificial intelligence, machine learning (supervised, unsupervised, reinforcement), and deep learning.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP): Explain how NLP can be used to extract structured information from unstructured clinical notes, patient communications, and literature.
• Predictive Analytics: Describe how predictive models are built and used to forecast outcomes, such as patient risk of non-adherence, hospital readmission, or adverse drug events.

Domain 2: AI Applications in Pharmacy Operations and Clinical Practice (40%)

• Operational Efficiency: Given an operational challenge (e.g., inventory management, workflow), identify how AI-driven tools can optimize processes and predict demand.
• Clinical Decision Support: Analyze how AI algorithms can enhance clinical decision-making by identifying patients for interventions or predicting therapeutic response.
• Population Health Management: Explain how machine learning can be used for risk stratification and identifying patients for targeted interventions.
• Pharmacovigilance and Drug Discovery: Describe the role of AI in analyzing large datasets for adverse event signal detection and accelerating drug research.

Domain 3: Data Management and Model Validation (20%)

• Healthcare Data Sources: Identify various data sources for training AI models (e.g., claims data, EHRs, genomics, patient-reported outcomes).
• Data Governance and Quality: Understand the principles of data quality, standardization, and governance required for successful AI implementation.
• Model Performance Evaluation: Interpret key metrics used to evaluate a machine learning model (e.g., accuracy, precision, recall, AUC-ROC) and identify potential for bias.

Domain 4: Ethics, Governance, and Implementation Strategy (15%)

• Ethical Considerations: Identify potential ethical challenges in using AI, including algorithmic bias, data privacy, and transparency ("black box" problem).
• Regulatory Landscape: Describe the evolving regulatory framework for AI as a medical device (SaMD) and its implications for pharmacy practice.
• Strategic Implementation: Develop a strategic plan for an AI implementation project, including defining the problem, evaluating vendors, managing change, and measuring return on investment (ROI).

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 CAEPS Professionals

The CAEPS certification is designed for forward-thinking pharmacy leaders, informaticists, and clinical specialists who want to lead the adoption of artificial intelligence in healthcare. This credential signifies a unique and highly sought-after blend of clinical, technical, and strategic expertise.

Target Candidates

• Pharmacy leaders (directors, managers) interested in digital transformation.
• Clinical or pharmacy informaticists.
• Pharmacists with a background or interest in data science and analytics.
• Population health pharmacists.
• Pharmacists working for health-tech or AI vendor companies.

Primary Job Roles:

• Director of Pharmacy Strategy & Innovation
• Clinical Informatics Pharmacist (AI/ML Focus)
• Data Scientist, Clinical Analytics
• Population Health Strategist
• Product Manager (Clinical AI)

Career Advancement:

A CAEPS is positioned for executive leadership roles that shape the future of healthcare delivery. They can advance to become a Chief Pharmacy Informatics Officer, a Director of Healthcare Analytics, or a key leader in a health-tech company. Their expertise is crucial for any organization aiming to build a data-driven, intelligent healthcare ecosystem.

Study Resources

Prepare for your CAEPS exam with resources designed to bridge the gap between pharmacy practice and artificial intelligence.