The following information was obtained from the California State Board of Pharmacy’s 2014 Lawbook for Pharmacy (Pages 167 – 170)
Article 4. Continuing Education
1732. Definitions.
As used in this article:
- “Accreditation agency” means an organization which evaluates and accredits providers of continuing education for pharmacists.
- “Hour” means at least 50 minutes of contact time.
- “Provider” means a person who has been accredited by an approved accreditation agency or accredited by the board to provide a specific continuing education course.
Authority cited: Section 4005, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4232, Business and Professions Code.
1732.05. Accreditation Agencies for Continuing Education.
- The following organizations are approved as accreditation agencies:
- The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.
- The Pharmacy Foundation of California.
- Accreditation agencies shall:
- Evaluate each continuing education provider seeking accreditation in accordance with the provider’s ability to comply with the requirements of section 1732.1 of this Division.
- Maintain a list of the name and address of person responsible for the provider’s continuing education program. The accreditation agency shall require that any change in the responsible person’s identity shall be reported to the accreditation agency within 15 days of the effective date of the change.
- Provide the board with the names, addresses and responsible party of each provider, upon request.
- Respond to complaints from the board, providers or from pharmacists concerning activities of any of its accredited providers or their coursework.
- Review at least one course per year offered by each provider accredited by the agency for compliance with the agency’s requirements and requirements of the board and, on request, report the findings of such reviews to the board.
- Take such action as is necessary to assure that the continuing education coursework offered by its providers meets the continuing education requirements of the board; and
- Verify the completion of a specific continuing education course by an individual pharmacist upon request of the board.
- Substantial failure of an approved accreditation agency to evaluate continuing education providers as set forth in subdivision (b) shall constitute cause for revocation of its approval as an accreditation agency by the board.
Authority cited: section 4005, Business and Professions Code. Reference: section 4232, Business and Professions Code.
1732.1. Requirements for Accredited Providers.
- No person shall provide continuing pharmacy education without being accredited by an approved accreditation agency or having the course accredited by the board pursuant to section 1732.2 of this Division.
- Providers shall ensure that each continuing education course complies with the requirements of section 1732.3 of this Division.
- Providers shall furnish statements of credit to all participants that complete a continuing education course. The statement of credit shall contain the name of the enrollee, name and number of the provider, title of the course, number of completed hours, date of completion, expiration date of the coursework, course number, if applicable and the name of the accrediting agency.
- Each provider shall notify the accreditation agency at least 15 days in advance of the first time each new continuing education course is offered or presented.
- Providers shall maintain records of completion of their continuing education courses for four years.
- Providers shall include the following information in promotional materials regarding continuing education courses:
- Provider’s name.
- The number of hours awarded for completion of the course.
- The date when the course’s accreditation expires.
- The provider number assigned by the accreditation agency.
- The name of the provider’s accrediting agency.
- The learning objectives of the program.
- The nature of the targeted audiences that may best benefit from participation in the program.
- The speakers and their credentials.
- Providers shall have written procedures for determining the credit hours awarded for the completion of continuing education courses.
Authority cited: Section 4005, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4232, Business and Professions Code.
1732.2. Board Accredited Continuing Education.
- Individuals may petition the board to allow continuing education credit for specific coursework which is not offered by a provider but meets the standards of Section 1732.3.
- Notwithstanding subdivision (a) of this section, coursework which meets the standard of relevance to pharmacy practice and has been approved for continuing education by the Medical Board of California, the California Board of Podiatric Medicine, the California Board of Registered Nursing or the Dental Board of California shall, upon satisfactory completion, be considered approved continuing education for pharmacists.
Authority cited: Section 4005, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4200.2, 4202, 4231 and 4232, Business and Professions Code.
1732.3. Requirements for Continuing Education Courses.
- Unless denied by the accreditation agency upon audit, all coursework offered by providers may be used to satisfy the continuing education required by section 1732.5 of this Division.
- On a random basis or in response to a request by the board, the accreditation agency shall review selected coursework. The material shall be forwarded to a reviewer to judge the quality of the program on the basis of factors established by the accreditation agency in addition to the requirements of this section.
- A recognized provider’s coursework shall be valid for up to three years following the initial presentation provided that the information is still current.
- Continuing education courses shall comply with the following:
- Courses shall have specific, measurable learning objectives which serve as a basis for an evaluation of the program’s effectiveness.
- Speakers, or those developing the content of the course, shall be competent in the subject matter and shall be qualified by education, training and/or experience.
- Courses shall have a syllabus which provides a general outline of the course. The syllabus shall contain at a minimum, the learning objectives for each course and a summary containing the main points for each topic.
- Courses shall include a mechanism that allows all participants to assess their achievement in accordance with the program’s learning objectives.
- (1) Continuing education courses shall be relevant to the practice of pharmacy as provided in this section and in section 4232 of the Business and Professions Code and related to one or more of the following:
- The scientific knowledge or technical skills required for the practice of pharmacy.
- Direct and/or indirect patient care.
- The management and operation of a pharmacy practice.
(2) Continuing education courses shall not reflect the commercial views of the provider or of any person giving financial assistance to the provider.
Authority cited: Section 4005 Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4232, Business and Professions Code.
1732.4. Provider Audit Requirements.
Upon written request from the accreditation agency, relating to an audit of continuing education course, each provider shall submit such materials as are required by the accreditation agency.
Authority cited: Section 4005, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4232, Business and Professions Code.
1732.5. Renewal Requirements for Pharmacist.
- Except as provided in section 4234 of the Business and Professions Code and section 1732.6 of this Division, each applicant for renewal of a pharmacist license shall submit proof satisfactory to the board, that the applicant has completed 30 hours of continuing education in the prior 24 months.
- All pharmacists shall retain their certificates of completion for four years following completion of a continuing education course.
Authority cited: Section 4005, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 4231 and 4232, Business and Professions Code.
1732.6. Exemptions.
Pharmacists may seek exemption from the continuing education requirements for renewal on the grounds of emergency or hardship by applying to the board in writing, setting forth the reasons why such exemption should be granted. Exemptions may be granted for such reasons as illness or full-time enrollment in a health professional school.
Authority cited: Section 4005, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4234, Business and Professions Code.
1732.7. Complaint Mechanism.
A provider may request reconsideration of any adverse action taken against the provider or its coursework by an accreditation agency. Following such reconsideration, the provider may request review of the accreditation agency’s decision by the board.
Authority cited: Section 4005, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Section 4232, Business and Professions Code.
