Short answer
3 h 45 mintutorial included
225 minutes in one sitting for the introduction, the tutorial and 150 items. There is no scheduled break; one optional 10-minute break is allowed with proctor approval, and the exam clock keeps running while you take it.
Source: BPS, Candidate’s Guide · as of October 27, 2026
1The pace the clock allows
Divide 225 minutes by 150 items and you get 1.5 minutes per item. Treat that as a ceiling: the introduction and tutorial come out of the same 225 minutes, so the time left for items is a little shorter. The division is ours; BPS publishes only the total.
1.1Forward-only navigation changes the math
Items arrive in a fixed order, you cannot skip, and once you confirm an answer and move on you cannot go back. The usual advice to bank minutes for a second pass does nothing on this exam, because there is no second pass. Give each item what it needs, commit, and keep moving. Navigation, item types and the on-screen tools are covered on the BCPS exam format page.
BPS applies no penalty for guessing. A case that refuses to resolve after a careful read should get your best pick and a confirm, so the minutes go to the items still ahead.
2Checkpoints at an even pace
| After item | Time used | Time left |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 45 min | 3 h |
| 60 | 1 h 30 min | 2 h 15 min |
| 90 | 2 h 15 min | 1 h 30 min |
| 120 | 3 h | 45 min |
| 150 | 3 h 45 min | 0 |
The tutorial and any break come off the same clock, so in practice you start slightly behind these marks.
3On the clock
Does the tutorial count against the 3 hours 45 minutes?
Yes. BPS gives 3 hours 45 minutes for the introduction, the tutorial and the 150 items together (Candidate’s Guide).
Is there a lunch break?
No scheduled break of any kind. The only break is the optional 10 minutes, which needs proctor approval and runs on your exam clock (Candidate’s Guide).
How do I practice the pace?
In timed blocks with no going back. The timed mock exam on this site runs at the same 1.5 minutes per case and scores you by domain at the end, and the BCPS study plan puts a timed set in its final week.
Next step
Plan the next session now
Set the next block of study before you lose the thread.
Pharmacotherapy Exam Prep 2026 is an app for iPhone and iPad only; there is no Android version. On any other phone or a computer, use the free practice set on this site in your browser.