Continuing Professional Development Activities Provided by Continuing Pharmacy Education Providers

Objectives To describe continuing professional development (CPD)-related continuing pharmacy education (CPE) activities from 2018 through 2023. Methods This was an exploratory study using CPE activities offered by US-based accredited providers from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) Provider Web Tool. Activities were selected based on submission and expiration date, which included activities active from January 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2023. The words "professional development" were used to search for CPE activities based on titles. Frequencies were calculated for provider type, delivery method, and activity types. Content analysis was used to identify categories, subcategories, and elements or components of the CPD cycle from activity titles and learning objectives. Results A total of 204 activities were identified, with the most common provider type being College or School who provided 41% (n = 83) of activities. Most activities were designed for pharmacists 76% (n = 156), were primarily delivered in a live seminar format (68%; n=138), and used a single delivery method (92%; n=187). Content analysis identified seven categories and twenty-three subcategories of activities. Of the seven activity categories, only three had subcategories which reflected elements or components of CPD: Precepting and Teaching; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; and CPD Process and Principles. Conclusion This study identified that most CPE activities and learning objectives reflected educational interventions without inclusion or use of the CPD cycle or process, suggesting that additional provider education on the implementation of CPD and differentiation between CPE and CPD may be necessary.