State Board of Pharmacy: Continuing Education

All Pharmacy Technicians must complete the continuing education and renewal requirements of, and maintain active certification with, a certifying organization in order to renew their Colorado state certification. The certifying organization must be a board-approved, nationally recognized organization that certifies Pharmacy Technicians. Currently, the following organizations have been approved by the Board:

• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)
• National Healthcareer Association

Pharmacy Technicians renewing their active Colorado state credentials will attest to compliance with this requirement at the time of renewal. Compliance with this requirement may be audited annually.

Licensed Pharmacists

All licensed Pharmacists must maintain continuing education (CE) in order to renew, reinstate, or reactivate a license in the state of Colorado.

Effective immediately upon licensure, licensed Pharmacists must complete 24 hours of continuing pharmaceutical education before renewing a license with the following exceptions:

• The Board may renew the license of the first renewal period following the issuance of the original license without requiring a pharmacist to complete any continuing pharmaceutical education if the pharmacist obtains a license within one year after the completion of the pharmacist's pharmaceutical education.

• The Board may renew the license of a pharmacist who presents acceptable evidence that the pharmacist was unable to complete the required CE.

• The Board may grant a six-month extension to pharmacists who are unable to complete the required CE.

To qualify for CE credit, a program of continuing pharmaceutical education must be currently approved by the Accreditation Council on Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE) or an equivalent accrediting body as determined by the board. Up to six hours of pharmacy-related hours approved by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (CME) may be obtained to meet the requirement.

Each program of continuing pharmaceutical education must include participation in an organized continuing education experience including:

• Postgraduate studies
• Institutes
• Seminars
• Lectures
• Conferences
• Workshops
• Correspondence courses
• Programmed learning courses
• Audiovisual programs
• Internet programs
• Any other form of presentation that is accredited

Any aspect of the practice of pharmacy may be the subject of a program of continuing pharmaceutical education, including:

• Pharmaceutics
• Compounding
• Pharmacology
• Pharmaceutical chemistry
• Biochemistry
• Physiology
• Microbiology
• Pharmacy administration
• Professional practice management

**Audits of compliance will be conducted after each renewal cycle ends.**

A Pharmacist license will become Inactive if the licensee does not complete the required CE. Engaging in the practice of pharmacy with an Inactive license may be grounds for license revocation. The completion of CE hours is not required to renew a license in Inactive status but the licensee must continue to pay applicable fees, including renewal fees. The pharmacist will need to file an application to activate their license including any fees and compete the required CE if they want to continue to practice as a pharmacist.

Contact Information

State Board of Pharmacy: Continuing Education
1560 Broadway, Suite 1350
Denver, CO 80202
Phone:303-894-2363| Fax: 303-869-0329 | Email:dora_dpo_continuedcompetency@state.co.us