If you are acquainted with the medical field or pharmacy in particular, then you may have heard of the concept of continuing education (CE). As its name suggests, CE aims to keep pharmacist technicians up-to-date with knowledge and practices in their field. Certified pharmacy technicians (CPHTs) and compounded sterile preparation technicians (CSPTs) are required to take at least 20 hours of CE every two years to renew their certification.
Several academic institutions offer CE programs and seminars to help practitioners accomplish their requirements. Likewise, you can find different educational options like live pharmacy CE seminars or online CME courses to suit your learning preferences. Although it can be challenging to find time to squeeze in your CE hours, you will find that you get significant benefits in the long run.
Advancing Healthcare
As technology proceeds to advance, so does the potential of healthcare services. Because of this, CE helps pharmacists stay updated with new models of patient care and regulatory issues that contribute to improving their practice. To be able to confront all the circumstances that come your way, you have to be aware of all the current laws and technological advancements related to your field.
Along with the fast-paced changes in pharmacy, the model of CE has continuously changed to address the pharmacists’ needs better. Over the years, it has evolved from the traditional model of delivering information to a more process-focused model that promotes self-learning. Because of this, you are no longer limited to print-based courses and can opt for more innovative options like live pharmacy CE courses.
CE activities may be classified as knowledge-based, practice-based, or application-based. In recent years, it was noticeable that the majority of the activities offered by institutions were knowledge-based and did not necessarily improve outcomes in the workplace. The change in the structure of CE programs stems from the fact that the older forms of learning improved participant knowledge but did little to help translate the knowledge to clinical practice.
Up until today, institutions continue to find ways to offer more diverse forms of learning to help improve patient outcomes. Interactive and multiple delivery methods are the most effective for CE learning. These methods include demonstrations, patient roleplays, or case-based learning, all of which expose you to an environment similar to the real world. This way, you can immerse yourself in a situation and work on how to respond to it as if it were happening in real life.
Career Growth
CE also serves as an avenue for career growth because you immerse yourself in new knowledge that will help you improve in your practice. Although it is a requirement to keep your certification, there are many takeaways you can get from your CE sessions.
CE gives you skills outside of your set of basic skills to better cater to your patients. Aside from knowledge, however, CE also helps you develop skills like critical and adaptive thinking, which are extremely important in a fast-moving industry. As a result, committing yourself to continue learning new things will make you more competent and more capable.
With CE, you are not limited in your course options since you are given a range of topics that are considered or credited. This flexibility gives you the chance to either explore new areas of pharmacy that interest you or focus on areas that you feel need improvement. As the role of pharmacists proceeds to expand and transform, you must also keep up with the changes in care services, medication management, and the like.
