Technician Continuing Education
by Minnesota Board of Pharmacy on Sunday, 05 June 2011 at 15:40

The Board has been receiving a lot of questions from pharmacists and technicians concerning continuing education for pharmacy technicians. These questions have been prompted by a mailing from Pharmacist’s Letter that implies that the Board has already adopted a rule that requires all pharmacy technicians to complete 20 hours of continuing education per two-year CE cycle. In fact, the Board has not yet adopted that rule. The Board is in the final stages of adopting a large package of rule changes, some of which do involve technicians. One of the proposed rules would require all technicians to complete 20 hours of CE per two-year CE cycle, with the first cycle beginning on August 1, 2011.

The Board is going to try to formally adopt this package of rule changes in late June or early July. Unfortunately, there may be a government shutdown beginning July 1st – because there has so far been no agreement at the Capitol concerning the budget for the next biennium. If that happens and if the Board cannot get the last of the paperwork done before July 1st, adoption of the rules package may be delayed. In that case, the Board will let pharmacists and pharmacy technicians know how the delay will affect the CE requirement.

For now, pharmacists and technicians need to know that any CE credits that technicians earn before August 1, 2011 will not count towards the 20 hours that may have to be completed during the two-year CE cycle that may begin on August 1, 2011. (Of course, certified technicians have a separate requirement to complete CE in order to renew their certification – and hours earned before August 1, 2011 might count towards that requirement).

Please visit the following Web page periodically to check for updates on the rule-making process:

http://www.phcybrd.state.mn.us/rulemake2010.htm

Cody Wiberg, Pharm.D., M.S., R.Ph.

Executive Director

Minnesota Board of Pharmacy

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