Guidelines

Overview Course Offerings

At this time, only full-time salaried faculty with appointments in the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences may offer continuing education (CE) courses through this program. These individuals are referred to in these guidelines as "Faculty Providers."

Faculty Providers may offer CE courses to other faculty, students, preceptors, and other non-salaried or voluntary faculty in the School. The Faculty Provider is not required to be a speaker in the CE course offering (see further information on Speaker requirements below).

Description of the Process

The Faculty Provider will notify Brookie Best, the CE administrator, at least 30 days in advance of the first time each new live CE course is presented or the first date an independent study course is made available. The Notification of Coursework Form will be used for this purpose.

Notification of Coursework Form

Complete the form and email it to Mercedes Lanznaster (email: mlanznaster@ucsd.edu )and copy Brookie Best (email: brookie@ucsd.edu ).

Notification of Course Offerings (See the Checklist)

Each CE course offering must include the following items:

Course title
Date and time of the course
Contact hours for the course
Educational objectives, course content, teaching method, technique used to evaluate the course and description of the target audience
Name, title and curriculum vitae for each faculty/presenter/author
Syllabus and supportive materials
All promotional and registration materials, if applicable

Syllabus Development and Distribution

The syllabus is an essential component of all CE course offerings and will vary depending on the teaching method selected. A comprehensive syllabus must include, but is not limited to, the following:

Educational objectives
Detailed outline and/or presentation data (PowerPoint slides, articles, case-studies, etc.)
A bibliography of reading materials or a list of resources for further study

The following will be requested from the speakers for inclusion in the syllabus

goals and objectives
a detailed outline of the presentation (PowerPoint slides printed with notes sections suggested)
supplemental material, if any, for inclusion in the syllabus
self assessment test questions, at least one for each objective, with answers
selected reference list

The syllabus should be forwarded to Mercedes Lanznaster (email: mlanznaster@ucsd.edu )and copy Brookie Best (email: brookie@ucsd.edu ) with the Notification of Coursework form (30 days prior to the CE course). The syllabus must be in sufficient detail to help participants follow along at the time of the presentation and remind them about the nature and extent of subjects covered if they refer to it after completion of the course. The syllabus must be provided to participants as part of the overall course package in the independent study offerings and "live" presentations require distribution of the syllabus to participants prior to the start of the program.

Supportive Materials

If a speaker submits supportive materials (i.e. handouts, workbooks, additional reference sheets) that they think would increase participant learning, they should be forwarded to Mercedes Lanznaster (email: mlanznaster@ucsd.edu )and copy Brookie Best (email: brookie@ucsd.edu ) with the Notification of Coursework form (30 days prior to the CE course). If approved, the materials may either be added to the syllabus or printed as separate handouts – depending on the speaker's preference.

Speaker Requirements

The Faculty Provider should choose speakers based on proven competence in a given topical area and our educational minimum is a 4-year degree in the subject matter to be offered. We also require at least 2 years work experience in the specialized area. We prefer that applicants have teaching experience, but it is not absolutely required. A CV of the speaker should be forwarded to Mercedes Lanznaster (email: mlanznaster@ucsd.edu )and copy Brookie Best (email: brookie@ucsd.edu ) with the Notification of Coursework form (30 days prior to the CE course).

Record of Attendance (See sample form)

Faculty Providers must include a record of attendance for their CE course offerings.

For each course offering, the following information must be obtained:

Full contact information for all attendees (name, address, email, phone number)
Attendee RPh or Technician license number
Course title
Credit hours awarded
Date the course was completed
Expiration date of the coursework
Course number, if applicable
Name and number of the Provider
Name of the accrediting agency (CAPE)

Appropriate Course Content

The Faculty Provider should include a description of the course, statement of objectives and outline of content that a course offering is relevant to the practice of pharmacy and relates to one or more of the following:

To the scientific knowledge or technical skills required for the practice of pharmacy.
To direct and/or indirect patient care.
To the management and operation of a pharmacy practice. In those instances where the topics or subjects selected are related to administration, leadership/management education, computer application, inventory control, etc., the provider must assure that course content is explicitly related to the contemporary practice of pharmacy.

Learning experiences are expected to advance the knowledge of the pharmacist to a level above that which is required for basic licensure. An analysis of coursework should be based on the following quality criteria:

Accuracy and timeliness of content to include recent developments in the subject area being taught.
Specific applicability of the material to the contemporary practice of pharmacy.
Presentation of the material in a manner congruent with the teaching method utilized.
Educational credentials and background qualifications of the speakers/authors.
Presence of references and bibliography for further study wherever possible.

Note: Self-improvement type courses are not appropriate for CE credit.

Selection of Appropriate Teaching Methods

Courses should be designed to instruct participants on how to develop and perform skills and improve previously acquired skills. We know that in any instructional setting, learning is enhanced with methods that stimulate as many of the senses as possible. Methods of learning can vary from very structured and traditional classroom courses to hands-on experiential sessions, reflecting the following fundamental principles of adult learning:

Self-direction: Professionals are capable of defining their educational needs and taking the steps necessary to resolve them. Adults are self-motivated in the learning process.
Lifelong learning: Practicing professionals are involved in a lifelong learning process to gain information and skills needed in their daily lives.
Professional experience: Adults bring a rich variety of experiences to the learning situation that provides the contextual framework for processing new information.
Relevance: Practicing professionals are concerned about the relevance of subject matter and seek educational experiences that respond either to felt or actual needs. The adult learner’s need for relevance requires designing programs around problem areas identified by the learner.

Assessment Techniques to Identify Educational Needs and Interests

Sources of information that can be used to identify learning needs include:

Questionnaires to potential participants (to be included in program evaluations).
Suggestions from or consultations with faculty and members of the committee.
Informal requests from prospective and past participants.
Review of literature to identify future developmental needs of pharmacy professionals, predictions about health care, social trends and population trends (professional and consumer).

Methods Utilized for Determination of Hours

a. Uniform Standards

When the Faculty Provider contracts with an individual to lead a continuing education course, the faculty member is informed via confirmation letter or phone call as to the time frame available for their presentation. In providing this information to the faculty member it is also taken into account a reasonable time for questions, post testing and course evaluation, and that total becomes the hours awarded for successful completion of the course. Translation of coursework into credit hours shall conform to those set by CAPE.

One hour of CE credit will be awarded for every 50-60 minutes of coursework. Courses less than 50 minutes in length will not be accepted for credit.
One CE Hour is equal to 0.1 CE unit (CEU)

Note: The State of California requires 3.0 CEUs (30 hours) every 2 years for a pharmacist’s license renewal.

b. Independent Study

When determining hours to award for independent study courses, only the length of time needed to listen/watch/read the program one time, plus posttest and evaluation time, will be considered. Independent study coursework includes, but is not limited to, educational television, professional journal articles, audio or video cassettes, textbooks, monographs, web-based instructional modules or other learning methods that are independently accessed by participants.

Issuance of hours and credit for home study sessions will be determined by an approximation amount of time spent on the material (considering post-test and evaluation materials as well). Methods for determining the hours issued include, but are not limited to:

An "averaging" strategy involving a set of at least four qualified participants who independently study the material, complete the learning assessment instrument, and compute the total hours required. An average of the four totals is the actual hours to be awarded future course participants.
An "estimating" strategy involving the approximate amount of time the activity would require if it were delivered using a live seminar teaching method.
An "experiential" strategy whereby a group consisting of individuals both experienced and trained in development and administration of CE programs for pharmacists recommends the length of time to award for a given program based on course content.

Note: Learning assessment activities, both pre- and post-testing and evaluation tasks are essential components of the CE program. Therefore, the time needed to complete these activities should be taken into consideration when determining the amount of credit to be awarded.

Methods Utilized for Determination of Attendance Credit

For "live" programs, the following measures will be used for documenting participation

attendance rosters/sign-in sheets
completion of program evaluation forms

b. For independent study courses, a variety of techniques may be used to provide evidence of an individual’s participation in a course:

A post-test based on the stated objectives reflects direct involvement of the participant in the learning process and requires the participant to understand the course content. Problem solving, comparing and contrasting technical data, logic and other testing strategies provides evidence of the participant’s involvement with the coursework. A score of at least 70% indicates an acceptable transfer of information.
In-depth oral examination of participants yields evidence of involvement with instructional materials.
A written report that describes how educational objectives were achieved provides evidence of the participant’s direct involvement with course materials.

Granting Partial Credit

The Faculty Provider or other designated representative checks participants in and out of presentations. Our policy is to grant partial credit in increments of no less than one hour (0.1 CEU); equivalent to at least 50 minutes attendance.

Evaluating Participant Reaction to Individual Courses

Participants are required to complete an evaluation at the conclusion of each course. This evaluation is primarily centered on "satisfaction factors" to help identify and eliminate problem areas relating to the course offering.

Template of our evaluation form

The completed evaluations should be collected and used to create an Evaluation Summary Report for each course offering.

The Faculty Provider should forward the evaluation summary results to Mercedes Lanznaster (email: mlanznaster@ucsd.edu )and copy Brookie Best (email: brookie@ucsd.edu ) within 10 days of the CE course.

Evaluating Participant Attainment of Educational Objectives (Post-Test) Mandatory

The Faculty Provider is responsible for creating a post-test procedure, which typically consists of a written examination with multiple choice and/or true-false questions. On lengthy presentations (more than two hours), several questions should be asked correlating to each learning objective. For a program lasting less than two hours, one question per objective will prove adequate to assess the participants’ learning experience, with a minimum of five questions. Feedback (ie. correct answers) should be given immediately following completion, so that participants can assess their learning. A score of at least 70% indicates an acceptable transfer of information.

Development and Content of Promotional Materials

The Faculty Provider is responsible for developing promotional materials and disseminating it in a timely fashion to allow adequate time for participants to plan on attending and register, if applicable.

Publicity for all course offerings must include the following items without being misleading:

Course title, brief description of program and educational objectives
Target audience
Name and credentials of presenter/course author
Name and address of facility where the course offering will be held
Presentation date and specific time period for CE activity
Number of hours to be awarded upon successful completion
Program fees and what those fees cover, when applicable
Pre-program cancellation deadlines, when applicable
The organization’s refund policy, when applicable
An approximation of when participants will receive CE Certificates
an "accreditation statement" that includes the Provider’s
- name and number
- the name of the accrediting agency (CAPE)
- the date of course expiration (up to 3 years from the date of the presentation)

The following statement will be included on promotional material: The UCSD Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences [Provider ID # 209] is accredited by the California Accreditation of Pharmacy Education (CAPE) as a recognized provider of continuing pharmacy education. Pharmacists completing this course prior to [insert date of expiration] may receive credit. The California State Board of Pharmacy recognizes CAPE accredited program units for pharmacist license renewal.

If you hold a license from another state, please check with that state’s board of pharmacy for eligibility of CAPE units.

Issuing Statements of Credit

Upon completion of the course or within 30 days a certificate is issued to each participant that reflects the hours the participant was present. If a participant was not present for the entire presentation or course, the hours awarded will reflect only those for which the participant was present, with a minimum of one hour required. The CE Administrator is ultimately responsible for the distribution of certificates and to assure that the certificates conform to the regulations set forth by CAPE. Before documentation of successful completion is given to participants, a comparison of participant certificates with the participant log must show that each individual was present for the majority of the presentation. If an individual was not, then C.E. hours awarded is adjusted accordingly. For independent study courses, the participant must score at least 70% of the self-assessment correct to receive the CE credit. If the participant does not achieve at least 70% on the post-test, they are sent one re-test at no charge. If an attendee loses his/her statement of credit, it is our policy to provide a duplicate copy at no extra charge (sample CE Certificate).

Statements of Credit for both "live" and independent study courses must contain:

The name of the attendee
Provider name and number
Course title
Number of hours awarded
Date of completion
Expiration date of the coursework
Course number, if applicable
Name of the accrediting agency (CAPE)
Signature of the CE Administrator