Certified Medication Safety Officer (CMSO)

CMSO (MSO-001) Exam Objectives

This exam certifies that the candidate has the expert-level knowledge and skills to lead a comprehensive medication safety program designed to prevent patient harm.

Domain 1: Medication Safety Principles and Systems Thinking (30%)

• Systems Thinking: Apply principles of systems thinking to medication safety, focusing on process improvement rather than individual blame.
• Human Factors Engineering: Identify how human factors contribute to errors and design systems that are resilient to human error.
• Culture of Safety: Describe the elements of a strong safety culture, including a just culture and non-punitive event reporting.
• High-Alert Medications: Develop and implement specific safeguards for high-alert medications.

Domain 2: Event Investigation and Analysis (35%)

• Medication Error Classification: Classify medication errors according to established taxonomies (e.g., by type and severity of harm).
• Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Lead a multidisciplinary team in conducting a thorough RCA of a serious medication event to identify underlying system causes.
• Data Analysis: Aggregate and analyze medication event data to identify trends, patterns, and system-wide vulnerabilities.

Domain 3: Proactive Risk Assessment and Mitigation (25%)

• Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA): Conduct a proactive FMEA to identify potential failures in a new process or technology before it is implemented.
• Risk Mitigation Strategies: Design and implement effective risk-reduction strategies based on the principles of the hierarchy of effectiveness (e.g., forcing functions, automation).
• Best Practices: Apply best practices and recommendations from national safety organizations like the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP).

Domain 4: Quality Improvement and Leadership (10%)

• Quality Improvement (QI) Methodology: Apply QI methodologies (e.g., Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles) to test and implement safety improvements.
• Leadership and Communication: Communicate safety findings and recommendations effectively to frontline staff, committees, and executive leadership.

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 CMSO Professionals

The CMSO certification is for pharmacists who are leaders in patient safety and quality improvement, typically within a health-system setting. This is a high-impact role that is critical for meeting accreditation standards and protecting patients from harm.

Target Candidates

• Pharmacists with experience in medication safety, quality assurance, or hospital operations.
• Clinical coordinators or pharmacy managers who oversee safety protocols.
• Patient safety professionals looking to specialize in medication systems.
• Leaders in regulatory compliance and accreditation (e.g., The Joint Commission).

Primary Job Roles:

• Medication Safety Officer / Specialist / Coordinator
• Pharmacy Quality Manager
• Director of Pharmacy (with safety oversight)
• Patient Safety Officer

Career Advancement:

A CMSO is positioned for senior leadership roles in quality and safety. They can advance to become a system-level Director of Medication Safety for a large health system, a Chief Quality Officer, or a consultant for a national patient safety organization or accrediting body.

Study Resources

Prepare for your CMSO exam with resources designed to master the science of medication safety and error prevention.