Pharmacist FAQsFrequently Asked Questions for Pharmacists on Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners Q: What are the CE requirements for Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners (CPPs)? A: By law, CPPs must obtain 35 hours of continuing education per year. The 15 hours needed for renewal of a pharmacy license count toward this amount, so CPPs need an additional 20 hours of CE per year to maintain that credential. Half of the 35 total hours required must be live continuing education programming. CPP credentials are renewed annually on the CPP's birthday. So, in counting CE hours, CPPs should make sure that they acquire the necessary number in a birthday-year cycle. A CPP’s license to practice pharmacy is still renewed on a calendar-year basis. In the first credentialed year for a CPP, the amount of CE required for renewal of the CPP credential is “pro-rated” monthly. For example, a CPP receiving initial credentialing six months before his/her next birthday would need 18 hours of CE [(35 hours of CE/12 months) x 6 months = 17.5 hours, rounded up to 18 hours]. A CPP receiving initial credentialing 2 months before his/her next birthday would need 6 hours of CE [(35 hours of CE/12 months x 2 months = 5.83 hours, rounded up to 6 hours]. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: What refill authority exists for Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners and Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Q: What is a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner and how can I qualify for that designation? A: Through the efforts of the North Carolina Association of Pharmacists a change of statute occurred in both the Medical Practice Act and the Pharmacy Practice Act. This provides for designating certain pharmacists as Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners who collaborate with a supervising physician to provide optimum health care and use the extensive knowledge of pharmaceuticals by pharmacists. There are three ways in which a person can be qualified as a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner. A person could hold a Board of Pharmaceutical Specialty Certification or complete an ASHP Residency and have two years of clinical experience. Another route is for individuals who have a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree with three years of clinical experience plus a certificate program. Pharmacists with B.S. degrees need five years of clinical experience and two certificate programs as defined in 21 NCAC 46.3101(2)(b). It is necessary to complete an application which is sent to the Board of Pharmacy for approval and then forwarded to the Medical Board. A collaborative practice agreement is necessary with a physician as noted in .3101(6). An initial fee of $100 is payable to the Medical Board with a $50 renewal. A total of 35 hours of continuing education is necessary to renew as a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner. Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners are in essentially the same position as a physician assistant or nurse practitioner. Medical acts which can be performed include prescribing and Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners who have controlled substances in their protocol can obtain a DEA registration.
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