R156-17b-309. Continuing Education

Under Section 58-17b-310 and Subsections 58-1-203(1)(g) and 58-1-308(3)(b), this section establishes the continuing education (CE) requirements for renewal or reinstatement of a pharmacist or pharmacy technician license for each two-year renewal cycle. (1) A pharmacist shall complete at least 30 CE hours which shall: (a) include 12 hours of live or technology-enabled participation in lectures, seminars, or workshops; (b) be relevant to the licensee's professional practice; (c) include one hour of pharmacy law or ethics; (d) if engaging in the administration of vaccines under Section R156-17b-621, include two hours in vaccine-related topics; (e) if engaging in the administration of prescription drugs or devices under Section R156-17b-621 or R156-17b-625, include two hours in topics related to the administration of those prescription drugs or devices; and (f) if dispensing a self-administered hormonal contraceptive in accordance with Title 26B, Chapter 4, Family Planning Access Act under Section R156-17b-621b, include two hours in topics related to hormonal contraceptive therapy. (2)(a) A pharmacy technician shall complete at least 20 CE hours, which shall include: (i) six hours of live or technology-enabled participation at lectures, seminars, or workshops; (ii) one hour of pharmacy law or ethics; and (iii) if engaging in the administration of vaccines under Section R156-17b-621, two hours in vaccine-related topics. (b) Current PTCB or ExCPT certification shall fulfill each CE requirements for a pharmacy technician, except for vaccine-related topic hours that may be required under Subsection (2)(a)(iii). (3)(a) If a licensee first becomes licensed during the two-year renewal cycle, the licensee's required number of CE hours shall be decreased proportionately according to the date of licensure. (b) The Division may defer or waive each CE requirements as provided in Section R156-1-308d. (4) CE credit shall be recognized as follows: (a)(i) one live CE hour for attending one Board of Pharmacy meeting, up to a maximum of two CE hours during each two-year period; and (ii) these hours may count as "pharmacy law or ethics" hours; (b)(i) two CE hours for each hour of lecturing or instructing a CE course or teaching in the licensee's profession, up to a maximum of ten CE hours during each two-year period; (ii) the licensee shall document the course's content and intended audience such as pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, pharmacy interns, physicians, or nurses; and (iii) public service programs, such as presentations to schoolchildren or service clubs, are not eligible for CE credit; and (c) CE credit shall be approved by, conducted by, or under the sponsorship of one of the following: (i) institutes, seminars, lectures, conferences, workshops, various forms of mediated instruction, and programmed learning courses, presented by an ACPE-approved institution, individual, organization, association, corporation, or agency; (ii) programs approved by health-related CE approval organizations, if the CE is nationally recognized by a healthcare accrediting agency and is related to the practice of pharmacy; (iii) Division training or educational presentations; (iv) educational meetings that are ACPE accredited and are sponsored by the Utah Pharmacy Association, the Utah Society of Health-System Pharmacists, or other professional organization or association; or (v) for pharmacists, programs of certification by qualified individuals such as certified diabetes educator credentials, board certification, or other certification as approved by the Division in collaboration with the Board. (5) A licensee shall maintain documentation sufficient to prove compliance with this section, for a period of four years after the end of the renewal cycle for which the CE is due, by: (a) maintaining registration with the NABP e-Profile CPE Monitor plan or the NABP CPE Monitor Plus plan; and (b) maintaining a certificate of completion or other adequate documentation for CE that cannot be tracked by the licensee's NABP plan.