The Importance of Constantly Learning and Being On Top of Your Game

Staying current and constantly learning new skills is critical for any job or career, but even more so when you work as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician.

After all, healthcare itself is changing every day and pharmacy is no different. You don’t want to wake up one morning and find that you’ve become irrelevant or worse: a danger to your patients.

Technology today makes it easier for those working in the pharmacy profession to keep their continuing education credits up-to-date. Many companies offer online courses for the continuing education credits mandated by the profession, as well as by the pharmacy board of the state in which you’re working. 

Online courses allow you to take your CE courses when and where it’s convenient for you, but you also can take CE courses at a local college, through a pharmacy organization or association, pharmacy school, even via drug manufacturers (who tend to provide classes so that pharmacists can better understand the drugs they offer).

The occasional seminar and conference on a pharmacy topic also often is CE-approved.

Every state requires that a pharmacist pursue continuing education credits, yet even if a pharmacist wasn’t required to, it would be wise to seek out courses and certifications anyway, just because (as mentioned above) not doing so could lead to the pharmacist’s obsolescence.

To make sure you’re taking the minimum mandated CE courses, check with your state’s Board of Pharmacy. 

As far as which courses to take, that will depend on your current professional situation as well as your goals. Your current employer also may have certain courses it wants you to take.

Check the associations/organizations of which you’re a member (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, the Professional Compounding Centers of America, and so on). Each undoubtedly will have CE courses of interest to its members.

Make sure you keep good records regarding your courses. It’s wise to keep them for a least one or two years after you recertify. Documents that are accepted as proof of CE include college courses, transcripts and grades.

You more than likely wouldn’t have become a pharmacist or pharm tech if you didn’t enjoy learning for learning’s sake. Continuing with your education improves your career outlook, the pharmaceutical outcomes of your patients and your “just because I love learning about pharmacy” attitude.

If you recently received recertification, update your resume and send it to the recruiters at Rx relief®. We have many temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire jobs for pharmacists and pharm techs. Contact us today.