(202) Continuing Professional Development Activities Provided by Continuing Pharmacy Education Providers

Objective : The objective of this study was to identify and describe continuing professional development (CPD)-related continuing pharmacy education (CPE) activities from 2018 to 2023 designed for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

Methods: This was an exploratory mixed methods study using CPE activities from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Provider Web Tool. The term “professional development” was used to search for CPE activities based on titles from January 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2023. Frequencies were calculated for provider and activity types. Content analysis was used to identify categories and subcategories from activity titles and learning objectives.

Results: A total of 204 CPD-related CPE activities were identified. College or School was the most common provider type, who provided 41% (n = 83) of CPD-related activities. The majority of activities were designed for pharmacists (n = 156, 76%) . Content analysis described seven categories: 1) Precepting and Teaching; 2) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); 3) Clinical Skills and Patient Safety; 4) Well-being and Resilience; 5) Peer Coaching and Career Advancement; 6) Interpersonal Skills, and 7) General Professional Development.

Conclusions: Current CPD-related CPE activities aligned with recent initiatives in pharmacy education, with fewer CPD-related activities available for pharmacy technicians. Exploring CPE provider knowledge of CPD and evaluation of learner needs related to CPD may inform how the CPD cycle can be incorporated into existing CPE activities.