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If a learning activity was accredited at the time I completed it and the accreditation is now expired, can I still document it as accredited learning?
Yes, if the learning activity was accredited at the time you completed it, you can document it as accredited learning. Learning activities must occur within the last year (past 12 months) of your renewal date to be considered current.
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If I complete more than the minimum hours of accredited learning activities for my current yearly renewal, can I use the additional accredited hours for my next renewal?
No, the completion date of the learning activities must occur within the 12 months prior to your individual renewal date, even though the accreditation is still valid (not expired) beyond that date.
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If I have more than the minimum hours and/or Learning Records, can I use the additional hours/Learning Records for my next renewal?
No, hours and Learning Records cannot be carried over from year to year. Learning has to take place within the 12 months prior to your individual renewal date.
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What are my Continuing Education (CE) requirements for registration renewal?
To fulfill your CE requirements for renewal, you must:
- successfully complete at least 15 hours of learning activities documented on a minimum of 6 Learning Records of which a minimum 5 hours must be accredited learning, (supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record(s) it pertains to). Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
- complete all learning activities in the most recent 12 months of your registration renewal date
- successfully complete at least 15 hours of learning activities documented on a minimum of 6 Learning Records of which a minimum 5 hours must be accredited learning, (supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record(s) it pertains to). Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
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If I am renewing as a non-practicing registrant, do I still need to complete Continuing Education (CE)?
No. CE is only required for registrants that are renewing registration as a full registrant.
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If I am planning to become a former registrant, do I still need to complete Continuing Education (CE)?
No. CE is only required for registrants that are renewing registration as a full registrant.
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Are the Continuing Education (CE) requirements for Registration Renewal different for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians?
No. The CE requirements are the same for both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians that are renewing their registration as a full registrant.
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Can all my Learning Records/Activities be accredited learning?
Yes, all learning can be accredited as there are no minimum requirements for non-accredited learning.
To fulfill your Continuing Education (CE) requirements for registration renewal, you must:
- successfully complete at least 15 hours of learning activities documented on a minimum of 6 Learning Records of which a minimum 5 hours must be accredited learning, (supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record(s) it pertains to). Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
- complete all learning activities in the most recent 12 months of your registration renewal date
- successfully complete at least 15 hours of learning activities documented on a minimum of 6 Learning Records of which a minimum 5 hours must be accredited learning, (supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record(s) it pertains to). Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
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What if I spend more time on a learning activity than what it is accredited for?
Document the hours the activity is accredited for under the “Accredited Hours” field. Any additional time spent beyond what the activity is accredited for, can be recorded as “Non-Accredited Hours” using increments of 0.25 hours (15 minutes).
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What is my current PDAP cycle?
The current PDAP cycle year is displayed on the PDAP Portal based on when your cycle started.
For example, if your registration renewal date is August 31, 2020, you must submit through the PDAP Portal, Continuing Education (CE) activities undertaken during September 1, 2019-August 31, 2020. Your current PDAP Cycle would be 2019.
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What type of electronic files are accepted as supporting documentation?
The PDAP portal accepts common text and image file types such as .pdf, .txt, .doc, .docx, .jpeg, .jpg, .gif, .png. Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
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What supporting documentation should I submit along with my Learning Records?
For accredited learning:
Uploading supporting documentation including certificates, letters of completion, or school transcripts is required to provide confirmation of successful completion of accredited learning activity.
Supporting documentation with your name, the accrediting body, the number of accredited hours assigned, the date of completion, date accreditation is valid until, is issued by the course provider. If unsure, confirm with the course provider. Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
For non-accredited learning:
Uploading supporting documentation is not required for non-accredited learning. You may choose to upload a photocopy of the cover of your reading material, flyer advertising an event you attended, an email verifying a meeting or conversation for your own record-keeping purposes.
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How long should I retain my original supporting documentation?
Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
For example, if your registration renewal date is August 31, 2020, you must submit through the PDAP Portal, Continuing Education (CE) activities undertaken during September 1, 2019-August 31, 2020. You would keep the original supporting documentation at least until August 31, 2022
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What should I do if I have satisfied the CE requirements on the PDAP Portal but see a message saying “You must satisfy your Continuing Education (CE) Requirements in order to complete your Registration Renewal.” when I try to renew registration?
Please contact the PDAP Department: (604) 733-2440, or email us at: [email protected] for assistance.
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What should I do if my Learning Records are not counting towards my minimum Continuing Education (CE) requirements?
Please ensure that you have “Submitted” your Learning Records as only “Submitted” Learning Records “count” towards satisfying your CE requirements. A Learning Record may be:
- In Progress: required information is missing from specific fields. Learning Record cannot be “Submitted”.
- Complete: all required information has been entered. Learning Record can be “Submitted”.
- In Progress: required information is missing from specific fields. Learning Record cannot be “Submitted”.
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How do I “Submit” my Learning Records on the PDAP Portal?
You can “Submit” your Learning Records one by one, as you complete them, or you may choose to “Submit” them all at once.
Select the Learning Record(s) you wish to “Submit” by clicking on the box(es) on the left hand side and press “Submit”.
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What is the minimum amount of time I can record for a learning activity?
You can record activities in 0.25 hours (15 minutes) increments, with the shortest activity being 0.25 hours.
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How do I access Learning Records from previous cycle years on the PDAP Portal?
Once you are logged in to the PDAP Portal, click on “Complete Learning Records” then under “Select Renewal Year to view” and choose your desired cycle year from the drop down menu. The portal will display the Learning Records for that cycle year.
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I recently completed a Practice Review. Can I use that towards my Continuing Education (CE) requirements?
You can include any educational activities undertaken to prepare for the Practice Reviews, or as a result of the Practice Review towards your CE requirements and record them accordingly on the PDAP Portal.
For example: if you read the comprehensive outlines of focus areas for Pharmacy Professionals Reviews on the PRP Support Tools in order to get ready for the Practice Review, you would record that as non-accredited learning and document the actual time spent on the activity.
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Will there be any changes to the continuing education requirements for 2024?
Currently, there are no changes to the CE requirements for 2024. Submission of CE continues to be mandatory for all pharmacy professionals to renew their registration on or before February 28, 2025.
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How will CE requirements be affected during the transition to a single renewal date?
At the first single renewal date (registration renewal deadline of March 31, 2025), submission of CE requirements will not be required to proceed with renewal.
A new cycle for completing CE will resume on April 1, 2025, and submission of CE will be required to renew registration on March 31, 2026.
Although CE will not need to be submitted at the registration renewal deadline of March 31, 2025, registrants are reminded of their ongoing responsibility under the Code of Ethics Standard 10(a) to “keep up to date with new pharmacy knowledge and practices by participating in continuous lifelong learning.” To support this, the PDAP portal will continue to be available for registrants to document and track their learning during the transition to the single renewal date. Any CE completed prior to April 1, 2025 cannot be carried over for your March 31, 2026 renewal.
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What will be the Continuing Education requirements starting April 1, 2025?
At this time, there are no changes to CE requirements after the transition to a single renewal date. Registrants will be required to submit their CE once the single renewal date is implemented.
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What is a Learning Record?
A Learning Record is an online form that assists you in documenting your learning activities. Registrants must complete and submit a minimum of 15 hours of learning documented on a minimum of 6 Learning Records prior to registration renewal each year, if they are renewing registration as a full registrant. A minimum of 5 hours must be accredited learning and supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record(s) it pertains to. Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
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Can I put all my 6 learning goals and activities for the year on one learning record?
No, you must identify, fill out and submit at least 6 separate Learning Records - one for each goal - every year. Individual learning activities that you have undertaken during the year can be combined based on the goal and documented on one of these 6 Learning Records. You must have a minimum of 15 hours of learning documented on a minimum of 6 Learning Records. A minimum of 5 hours must be accredited learning and supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record(s) it pertains to. Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
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When are my Continuing Education (CE) submissions due?
Your CE Submissions along with all your other registration renewal requirements are due just before midnight on your registration renewal date. You renew registration for the following year by submitting your CE learning activities undertaken within the most recent 12 months of your registration renewal date.
For example, if your registration renewal date is August 31, 2020, to be able to renew registration for period September 1, 2020-August 31, 2021, you must submit through the PDAP Portal, CE activities undertaken during September 1, 2019-August 31, 2020, along with all other registration renewal requirements, at the latest by 11:59pm on August 31, 2020.
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Do I have to complete my Continuing Education (CE) before I can pay for my renewal for the next year?
Besides CE, there are many other requirements for renewal, including payment. You can begin the renewal process at any time, but in order to complete the renewal process, including payment, you must have completed and submitted your CE requirements for the most recent 12 months of your registration renewal date.
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What is the difference between accredited and non-accredited hours?
Accredited learning activities have been reviewed using stringent criteria to ensure they are of high quality, unbiased, and clearly identify learning objectives for participants. Accredited programs indicate the number of accredited hours assigned, and identify the accrediting body (such as CCCEP, UBC CPPD, ACPE, MAINPRO, etc.). Supporting documentation that states the registrant’s name, the accrediting body, the number of accredited hours assigned, the date of completion, date accreditation is valid until, etc. is received upon successful completion.
Non-accredited hours are accumulated through informal learning. If you are doing self-study or on the job training, this will be classified as non-accredited hours. For example, if you identify a learning need in the area of compounding, and you choose to read a publication on compounding and incorporate this learning into your practice, you can document the actual time spent on the learning activity using increments of 0.25 hours (15 minutes).
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Do I have to have a specific amount of accredited vs non-accredited hours?
A minimum of 5 hours must be accredited learning and supporting documentation needs to be provided as part of the Learning Record (s) it pertains to. Supporting documentation that states the registrant’s name, the accrediting body, the number of accredited hours assigned, the date of completion, date accreditation is valid until, etc. is received upon successful completion. Document the hours the activity is accredited for under the “Accredited Hours” field in the PDAP Portal. Any additional time spent beyond what the activity is accredited for, can be recorded as “Non-Accredited Hours” using increments of 0.25 hours (15 minutes). Please retain all original supporting documentation for at least 2 years from your registration renewal deadline.
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Do CEU’s (Continuing Education Units) count?
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are assigned by the accrediting body to a specific learning activity. The “conversion” of CEUs into accredited hours varies between different accrediting bodies; the requirement is for accredited hours. You should confirm with the course provider the number of hours the activity is accredited for.
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Does out of country learning count?
Yes, learning from any source is acceptable as long as it is within your scope of practice as a pharmacist or pharmacy technician.
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How do I know if I have completed all the requirements?
The following will be displayed on your device screen once the continuing education (CE) requirements have been satisfied.
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What happens if I do not complete all the requirements by my renewal date?
If you do not renew your registration by the registration expiry date, you will no longer be registered with the College and will become a “former” registrant. This means that you will not be a registered pharmacist or pharmacy technician in BC, you will not be allowed to practice pharmacy in BC and your access to PharmaNet will be terminated. If you are also a manager of a pharmacy, your pharmacy licence will be cancelled. If you wish to become a registrant again, you will have to complete the reinstatement process applicable to your registration class (pharmacist or pharmacy technician) and pay applicable fees.
The specific reinstatement requirement depends on the time period lapsed between your registration expiry date and the time you apply for full registration. Your Continuing Education submissions for reinstatement will require up to 5 business days to review; you will be advised via email of their status, or if additional information is required. More information can be found here.