What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “continuing education”?
For many pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, it’s not inspiration, but stress.
Do I have enough hours?
Did I meet the law requirement?
When is my deadline?
Continuing education has long been treated as a checkbox, or something to complete just in time to maintain your license or certification. But in today’s pharmacy environment, that mindset is quickly becoming outdated.
That’s because CE is no longer just about maintaining competence. It’s about proving it.
What CE Was Designed to Do…and What It Became.
At its core, continuing education (CE) was created to ensure that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians stay current, competent, and capable in a constantly evolving healthcare landscape. Structured learning, grounded in real-world application, was intended to support professional growth and improve patient care.
But over time, CE became something else.
When practice issues emerged, state boards started layering requirements to address issues such as patient safety, law updates, opioid management, and compounding standards. Each new challenge added another requirement, another category, and another box to check.
The result has become a system designed for compliance rather than a system optimized for competence. And while compliance matters, it doesn’t always translate into meaningful learning or patient care, especially when every pharmacist’s practice is different.
Why CE Matters Today More Than Ever
Today, pharmacy is changing faster than ever before.
Independent pharmacies are expanding into clinical services. Technicians are taking on more advanced roles. New therapies, technologies, and care models are reshaping what’s possible in practice.
At the same time, many states are moving toward, or seriously exploring, a standard of care model. This fundamentally changes the question pharmacists and technicians must ask.
It’s no longer, “Am I allowed to do this?”
Instead, we’re asking, “Am I trained, competent, and confident enough to do this?”
This is a significant change. It moves responsibility away from rigid rules and toward professional judgment. And that professional accountability must be backed by something tangible, which is education, training, and documented competency.
In other words, CE is no longer just about maintaining your license or certification. It’s about supporting and backing the decisions you make every day in patient care.
A Real-World Example
As an example of CE driving the care we provide, consider this common scenario:
Marcus is a pharmacist in a small-town independent pharmacy. He recognizes a growing need in his community – patients are waiting hours, or driving long distances, for access to basic testing and treatment. Urgent care is limited and primary care is overwhelmed.
So, he decides to respond by launching a test-and-treat service for common conditions like influenza, strep, UTIs, and COVID-19.
Through conversations with peers who have implemented similar services, he identifies what’s required. He needs:
Clinical knowledge of testing protocols
Understanding of treatment algorithms
Confidence in patient assessment
Clear documentation and workflows
Staff training, including technicians
All of that comes from intentional, relevant education that directly applies to his practice. In this scenario, CE becomes more than a requirement. It is the foundation and the steppingstone for expanding the care he provides in his community.
Where Technicians Fit In
For too long, conversations about CE have focused almost exclusively on pharmacists. But pharmacy technicians are an essential part of this evolution as well.
As workflows become more complex and services expand, technicians are increasingly responsible for:
Supporting clinical services
Managing patient interactions
Handling technology and documentation
Ensuring operational efficiency
Their competence directly impacts patient outcomes and pharmacy performance. In many cases, they are the operational backbone that determines whether new services succeed or fail. And just like pharmacists, technicians need education that goes beyond minimum requirements needed for recertification. They need opportunities to build confidence, expand skills, and grow within their roles.
When both pharmacists and technicians are learning intentionally, the entire pharmacy operates at a higher level.
The Problem with “Enough” CE
One of the most common questions pharmacists and technicians ask is, “Do I have enough CE?” It’s a fair question, but I believe it’s the wrong one.
Because “enough” typically means:
Enough hours to renew a license
Enough credits in the right categories
Enough coursework to avoid penalties
But in a world where pharmacists are expected to make complex clinical decisions, enough doesn’t necessarily mean prepared.
Instead, a better question might be, “Do I have the right CE for what I need to do?”
The mindset shift from quantity to relevance is where real professional growth happens.
How to Approach CE Differently
If CE is no longer just a requirement, how should we as pharmacy professionals approach it? It starts with intention.
- Align your CE with your practice goals
Whether it’s expanding clinical services, improving workflow, or strengthening patient counseling, CE should support where your practice is going, not just where it’s been.
- Think beyond individual learning to team-based development
Pharmacies don’t operate in silos. When teams learn together, both pharmacists and technicians, workflows and service offerings become faster and more effective.
- Prioritize practical application
The most valuable education isn’t just meant to improve your knowledge; it should be actionable. What you learn should translate directly into better decisions, better processes, and better care.
- Use systems that support accuracy
With multiple providers and formats, tracking CE can become complicated. Tools like CPE Monitor ensure that all of your completed education is captured in one place, giving you a reliable, up-to-date record of your progress toward your requirements.
The Role of Organizations: Investing in Education
Thinking about CE in this way isn’t just an individual responsibility, it’s also an organizational one.
Independent pharmacy owners and leaders face a critical decision:
Is CE a cost, or is it an investment?
When approached as a cost, CE is transactional or something employees complete on their own time, often with minimal impact.
But when treated as an investment, CE has the power to become a strategic advantage, not just for compliance, but for growth.
Teams are more confident and capable
Services are implemented more successfully
Patient care improves
The pharmacy becomes more competitive
In an industry where margins are tight and expectations are rising, investing in the development of both pharmacists and technicians is one of the most effective ways we can drive long-term success.
From Compliance to Capability
Continuing education isn’t going away. If anything, its importance is only increasing. But its purpose is evolving.
What was once a regulatory requirement is becoming a professional responsibility.
What was once about hours is becoming about outcomes.
And what was once individual is becoming team-based.
For pharmacists and pharmacy technicians alike, the opportunity to move beyond simply completing CE to using CE as a tool to build confidence, expand capability, and deliver better care, is more important than ever.
In today’s pharmacy environment, the question isn’t whether you have enough CE. It’s whether your education is helping you and your team become what your patients need you to be.
Jen Moulton, BSPharm, RPh
President + Founder, CEimpact
CEimpact.com
CE Podcast
Related reading: Explore more coverage in our Operations section and browse the latest analysis on Dispense Times.
