Infectious Diseases Pharmacy Specialty Review Course, Workbook Chapters and PRACTICE Exam Package (No Recert Credit) (Cert # L259096)

These activities are intended for pharmacists who are seeking to update their knowledge and skills commensurate with a board certification examination in the areas listed below.

This course consists of 5 groups of activities (see table below), with 15 presentations, and provides up to 25.5 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education credit. The Review Course includes case-based presentations for application to real-life scenarios, a practice exam along with correct answers, and links to the reference sources, and domains, tasks, and knowledge statements. To help you further prepare, this package includes a compilation of practice questions in the same format and rigor to help you prepare for the BPS Specialty Examination.           

After participating in this CPE activity, learners should be able to: 

ACPE Number: 0204-9999-25-931-H01-P

Antimicrobial Stewardship

• Outline components of an effective stewardship program.
• Select appropriate resources; relevant accreditation, legal, regulatory, and safety requirements; and quality metrics related to infectious diseases.
• Evaluate institutional treatment policies and pathways for compliance with antimicrobial stewardship guidelines, surveillance data, and best available evidence.
• Assess the effectiveness of infection prevention strategies.
• Identify metrics for evaluating the value of infectious diseases pharmacy services.

Upper Respiratory Tract Infections

• Assess pharmacotherapies for upper respiratory tract infections.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient- and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• Recommend modifications of patient-specific treatment plans based on efficacy and adverse effects.
• Identify recommended immunizations and potential adverse effects.

Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

• Assess pharmacotherapies for lower respiratory tract infections, including antimicrobial spectrum of activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics.
• Assess the advantages and disadvantages of pharmacotherapies for viral pneumonia, including recommendations for specific patient populations.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient- and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• List recommended immunizations and screening guidelines for patients with or at risk for COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, and laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results.
• Recommend the most appropriate modifications of patient-specific treatment plans based on efficacy, adverse effects, and follow-up assessment.
• Interpret biomedical literature with regard to study design and methodology, significance of reported data and conclusions, limitations, and applicability of study results to patients with lower respiratory tract infections.

ACPE Number: 0204-9999-25-932-H01-P

HIV Infection and AIDS

• Assess pharmacotherapies for HIV‐infection and AIDS, including opportunistic infections.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient‐ and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• List recommended immunizations and screening guidelines for patients with HIV.
• Recommend modifications of patient‐specific treatment plans based on efficacy, drug interactions, immunologic or virologic response, and adverse effects.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, and laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results related to HIV infection.
• Evaluate a plan to facilitate transitions of care.

Infections of Reproductive Organs and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

• Assess pharmacotherapies for infections of reproductive organs and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient‐ and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• Identify recommended screening guidelines for sexually‐transmitted diseases.
• Recommend modifications of patient‐specific treatment plans based on efficacy, immunologic response, and adverse effects.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, and laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results.
• Summarize key considerations in effective patient and caregiver education and counseling techniques.

Opportunistic Infections in Immunocompromised Patients

• Assess the advantages and disadvantages of pharmacotherapies for opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients, including antimicrobial spectrum of activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient‐ and disease-specific information and best available evidence.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, and laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results.
• Recommend modifications of patient‐specific treatment plans based on efficacy, immunologic response, and adverse effects.
• Identify preventative therapies in immunocompromised patients.

ACPE Number: 0204-9999-25-933-H01-P

Gastrointestinal and Intra-abdominal Infections

• Assess pharmacotherapies for gastrointestinal and intra‐abdominal infections, including antimicrobial spectrum of activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient‐ and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, and laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results.
• Recommend modifications of patient‐specific treatment plans based on efficacy, immunologic response, and adverse effects.

Viral Hepatitis

• Assess pharmacotherapies for viral hepatitis, including relevant pharmacology and spectrum of activity.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient‐ and disease-specific information, virus and genotype, and best available evidence.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results.
• Recommend modifications of patient‐specific treatment plans based on efficacy, adverse effects, and drug interactions.
• Summarize key considerations in effective patient and caregiver education and counseling techniques.
• Identify screening guidelines and preventive therapies for viral hepatitis.

Tuberculosis and Other Mycobacterial Infections

• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient- and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results.
• Recommend modifications of patient-specific treatment plans based on efficacy, adverse effects, and drug interactions.
• Outline key considerations in effective patient and caregiver education and counseling techniques.
• Identify screening guidelines and preventive therapies for tuberculosis and other mycobacterial infections.

ACPE Number: 0204-9999-25-934-H01-P

Cardiovascular Infections

• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient‐ and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• Identify drug‐related problems associated with the therapeutic plan.
• Recommend appropriate modifications of patient‐specific pharmacotherapeutic plans based on efficacy and adverse effects.
• Interpret biomedical literature with regard to study design and methodology, significance of reported data and conclusions, limitations, and applicability of study results to patients with cardiovascular infections.

Urinary Tract Infections

• Assess pharmacotherapies for urinary tract infections, including antimicrobial spectrum of activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient‐ and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results.
• Identify infectious diseases for which notification of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is required.

Statistics, Evidence-based Medicine, and Research Design

• Given an excerpt from a study…Evaluate quality and appropriateness, with specific attention to study design, statistical analysis, internal/external validity, source of bias/confounders, and quality of conclusions and interpretation of graphs.
• Explain why a statistical test is appropriate or not appropriate, based on the sample distribution, data type, and study design.
• Interpret clinical and statistical significance for results from commonly used statistical tests.
• Explain the strengths and limitations of different types of measures of central tendency (mean, median, and mode) and data spread (standard deviation, standard error of the mean, range, and interquartile range).
• Evaluate odds ratio, risk/incidence rate, relative risk, number needed to treat, number needed to harm, and other risk estimates.
• Assess whether the study applies to a specified patient population.

ACPE Number: 0204-9999-25-935-H01-P

Bone and Joint Infections and Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

• Assess the advantages and disadvantages of pharmacotherapies for bone and joint infections and skin and soft tissue infections, including antimicrobial spectrum of activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient‐ and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• Identify drug‐related problems associated with the therapeutic plan.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, and laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results.
• Recommend modifications of patient‐specific pharmacotherapeutic plans based on efficacy and adverse effects.
• Describe the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of acute bacterial osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in pediatric patients.

Central Nervous System Infections

• Assess pharmacotherapies for central nervous system infections, including antimicrobial spectrum of activity, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics.
• Select the most appropriate pharmacotherapeutic plan and monitoring based on patient‐ and disease-specific information, antibiogram data, and best available evidence.
• Interpret signs, symptoms, and laboratory and other relevant diagnostic test results.
• Identify preventive therapies for central nervous system infections.

Clinical Microbiology

• Explain the mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance among various pathogens.
• Identify basic microbiology laboratory procedures.
• Interpret laboratory and other diagnostic test results relevant to the diagnosis, management, and monitoring of patients with infectious diseases.
• Evaluate biomedical literature with regard to study design and methodology specific to infectious diseases.

Full Faculty Bios 

Travis J. Carlson, PharmD, BCIDP
Clinical Assistant Professor
The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy    
San Antonio, Texas 

Emily Frederick, PharmD, BCPS
Associate Professor and Director of Student Affairs
Sullivan University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Louisville, Kentucky 

Andrew Gainey, PharmD, BCIDP, AAHIVP
Pediatric Infectious Disease Clinical Pharmacist Specialist / Clinical Assistant Professor
Prisma Health Children’s Hospital – Midlands / University of South Carolina, College of Pharmacy
Columbia, South Carolina 

Julie Harting, PharmD, BCIDP
Associate Professor / Clinical Pharmacist Specialist (Infectious Disease)  
Sullivan University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences / U of L Health, University Hospital  
Louisville, Kentucky 

David Koren, PharmD, MPH, AAHIVP, FIDSA
Clinical Pharmacist Specialist - Infectious Diseases / Adjunct Clinical Professor
Temple University Health System / Temple University School of Pharmacy
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 

Jerika Lam, PharmD, APh, AAHIVP, FCSHP*
Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice / Clinical Pharmacist Specialist
Chapman University School of Pharmacy / AltaMed Health Services         
Irvine, California 

Cynthia Nguyen, PharmD, BCIDP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Infectious Diseases
University of Chicago Medicine 
Chicago, Illinois 

J. Nicholas O'Donnell, PharmD, MSc
Associate Professor / Visiting Faculty      
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences / Albany Medical Center
Albany, New York 

Kara Orwig, PharmD, BCIDP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Infectious Diseases
St. Mary’s Medical Center           
Huntington, West Virginia 

Natasha Pettit, PharmD, BCIDP, FIDSA
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, ID/ASP
University of Chicago Medicine 
Chicago, Illinois 

Jessica Robinson, PharmD, BCIDP*
Associate Professor / Associate Director, Antimicrobial Stewardship Program
University of Charleston School of Pharmacy / Charleston Area Medical Center   
Charleston, West Virginia 

Kayla R. Stover, PharmD, BCPS, BCIDP, FCCP, FIDSA*
Assistant Dean Jackson; Vice Chair and Professor of Pharmacy Practice   
University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy       
Jackson, Mississippi         

Marylee Tailor, PharmD, BCIDP
Assistant Professor        
Nova Southeastern University   
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 

Trang D. Trinh, PharmD, MPH, BCIDP, BCPS
Associate Professor of Clinical Pharmacy               
University of California, San Francisco School of Pharmacy            
San Francisco, California 

Nancy N. Vuong, PharmD, MBIOT, BCPS, BCIDP
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Infectious Diseases
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center      
Houston, Texas

*Content matter experts 

Susan R. Dombrowski, MS, RPh
Amy Holmes, PharmD, BCPPS

In accordance with our accreditor’s Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, ASHP requires that all individuals in control of content disclose all financial relationships with ineligible companies. An individual has a relevant financial relationship if they have had a financial relationship with an ineligible company in any dollar amount in the past 24 months and the educational content that the individual controls is related to the business lines or products of the ineligible company. 

An ineligible company is any entity producing, marketing, re-selling, or distributing health care goods or services consumed by, or used on, patients. The presence or absence of relevant financial relationships will be disclosed to the activity audience. 

The following persons in control of this activity’s content have relevant financial relationships: 

Jerika Lam: Speakers' bureau, PI/Grant recipient - Gilead Sciences; Consultant - ViiV Healthcare
David Koren: Speakers' bureau - Gilead Sciences, ViiV Healthcare
Travis Carlson: Speakers' bureau - Aimmune Therapeutics
J. Nicholas O’Donnell: Research Grant – Merck and Co., Inc. 

As required by the Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, all relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the CE activity. 

All other persons in control of content do not have any relevant financial relationships with an ineligible company. 

As required by the Standards of Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, all relevant financial relationships have been mitigated prior to the CE activity.

Activities can be completed in any order. Each activity consists of audio, video, and/or PDFs and evaluations. Learners must review all content and complete the evaluations to receive continuing pharmacy education credit for each activity. 

Follow the prompts to claim, view, or print the statement of credit within 60 days after completing the activity. 

ASHP and ACCP collaborate on infectious diseases activities.

To maintain its strict, independent standards for certification, BPS does NOT endorse or provide review information, preparatory courses, or study guides for Board Certification Examinations.