ACPE Releases Draft Guidelines on Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for Stakeholder Feedback

PRESS RELEASE

July 29, 2014, Chicago, IL — The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) is pleased to announce the release of the Draft Guidelines on Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD). The ACPE Board approved the draft in June 2014 to outline the key differences between CPE and CPD, to define the types of activities that support lifelong learning and to reinforce other valuable components of an individual’s professional development in addition to CPE.

Continuing professional development should include a wide variety of methods for attaining new knowledge, skills, attitudes and values. ACPE is requesting that stakeholders review the new draft Guidelines and provide their input on other types of learning activities that could contribute to the professional development of both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians beyond CPE. Input will be collected through an on-line survey that can be accessed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HWLPYXB through September 5, 2014. Results of the survey will be used to inform future revisions of the draft Guidelines and provide additional support to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians engaged in CPD activities.

Jennifer L. Baumgartner, PharmD, BCPP, Assistant Director, CPE Provider Accreditation Program and CPD Steering Committee co-chair stated, “CPD provides a self-directed, voluntary way for individual practitioners to stimulate and document their professional development. The ACPE Draft Guidelines outline and describe many learning activities that can contribute to one’s professional development.” Baumgartner continued, “The on-line survey provides an opportunity to further define and catalog both formal and informal educational activities that can support CPD. ACPE welcomes and appreciates input from our stakeholders on this important topic.”

A complete copy of the Guidelines on Continuing Pharmacy Education (CPE) and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) can be accessed at https://www.acpe-accredit.org/pdf/GuidanceCPE_CPD_June2014.pdf.