Any group of 25 or more individuals, who are Board certified in the same specialty, may petition BPS to recognize a new Added Qualification within a current specialty. Appropriate areas for Added Qualifications are those in which practitioners focus on specific diseases or patient populations.
Petitions focusing on practice sites or technologies will not be reviewed. Requests for recognition of Added Qualifications in one specialty, for an area of practice that has already received BPS recognition as a separate specialty, will not be considered (e.g., requesting recognition of Added Qualifications in nutrition support for Board Certified Oncology Pharmacists).
Any group interested in filing a petition with BPS is encouraged to communicate with others in the proposed area who may have an interest in filing a similar petition, to consolidate resources and coordinate information so that one complete and comprehensive petition is submitted.
In the event that more than one petition is submitted to BPS for the same area of Added Qualifications, BPS will accept the first complete petition received as the "petition of record." All subsequent petitioners will be referred to the originator of the "petition of record" for support, coordination, and any necessary modification.
Structure of Petition
The petition should be organized to address each of the Criteria outlined under Petition Criteria and Guidelines. The petition should clearly demonstrate to BPS that the proposed area of Added Qualifications meets the criteria. Petitioners are encouraged to submit all documentation thought to be pertinent to the petition, even if not formally requested. When data are lacking or not available, petitioners should specify when such information might become available. In addition, an Executive Summary must be provided as part of the petition.
Signatures
The petition must be accompanied by no fewer than twenty-five (25) signatures or letters of support from BPS-certified individuals practicing in the proposed area of Added Qualifications. Provision of signatures indicates each signer's commitment to apply for this recognition as soon as the petition is approved by BPS. Each signature must also appear in printed format and be identified by position title and mailing address.
Definitions and Affiliation for the Proposed Area of Added Qualifications
The petitioner shall include the following as part of the petition:
Name for the proposed area of Added Qualifications
Definition of the proposed area of Added Qualifications
In submitting a petition, the petitioner agrees to:
Appoint at least two (and more if deemed necessary by the Specialty Council) members to the ad hoc Petition Review Committee of the Specialty Council, to assist in development of portfolio review criteria.
Appoint member(s), as requested, to a Portfolio Review Committee of the Specialty Council. This committee will be established by the Specialty Council Chair to review submitted portfolios.
Act as the lead agency in promoting and publicizing the availability and value of Added Qualifications in the area.
Copies of the Petition
The Petitioner shall submit twenty-five (25) copies of the petition to the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS). The petitioner shall also be responsible for providing copies of the petition and/or an Executive Summary to all other interested parties, if so requested.
Costs
There will be no filing fee assessed by BPS for submission of a petition for recognition of Added Qualifications.
All costs associated with the development and submission of the petition will be borne by the petitioner, including copies as requested.
Mailing of Petitions
Send completed petition packages to:
Executive Director
Board of Pharmacy Specialties
2215 Constitution Avenue
NW Washington, DC 20037-2985
Further Information
Potential petitioners are invited to contact the Board office with any questions or requests for clarifications of information in this document. BPS hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:30 - 5:00 PM, EST.
