Education FAQs

Thank you for your interest in APhA’s Continuing Education. APhA is committed to providing top-notch customer service for our learners, so if you still have questions after reviewing this page, please contact us at education@aphanet.org.  You can expect to receive a response within 24-hours of your inquiry during normal business hours.

HHS PREP Act and APhA's 20-hour Immunization Program

Under the Authority granted to it by the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has authorized pharmacists to order and administer (and interns to administer) COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved or licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to all individuals age 3 or older. Pharmacist interns must do so while acting under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist. Additionally, HHS has authorized licensed pharmacists (and interns) to provide all vaccines recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and approved or licensed by the FDA, to all children ages 3 to 18 during the COVID-19 pandemic, regardless of state laws and regulations to the contrary.

Both of these authorizations by HHS require that pharmacists (and interns) complete a practical training program of at least 20 hours that is approved by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE). This training program must include hands-on injection technique, clinical evaluation of indications and contraindications of vaccines, and the recognition and treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines.

The APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Certificate Training Program provides 20 hours of training, including hand-on injection technique, clinical evaluation of indications and contraindications of vaccines, and the recognition and treatment of emergency reactions to vaccines. The APhA Pharmacy-Based immunization Delivery Certificate Training Program meets the 20 hour training requirement contained in the two HHS authorizations.

How to Find or Request a Certificate to be Reissued

The Certificate of Achievement looks like a certificate. It is not a Transcript of CPE or Statement of Credit. Although there is no expiration date, the pharmacist should maintain current continuing professional development in the area of their training.

Can I reprint my certificate?
  • Course Completed 2013 or After? You are able to print your Certificate of Achievement from your My Training page.
    1. Left Click on your name found UNDER the words Advocacy / Get Involved
    2. Click My Account
    3. Select the tab Transcript
    4. Select the tab Credits Earned
    5. Click the Print icon
    6. Please note: If you have had double accounts and they have been merged, then you will need to contact APhA.
  • Not There? - This may indicate either:
    • Course was completed BEFORE 2013
      • If so, please see How to request a certificate to be reissued
    • You have more than one APhA profile / account. If two or more accounts are possible, please contact APhA's Customer Service Team.
How to request a certificate to be reissued
  • Download and complete: CoA Reissuing Instructions and Request Form
    • If paying by check, please download and mail the completed form as directed.
    • If paying by credit card, please provide the information requested on the form above and reach out to APhA's Customer Service Team.
    • The form can also be faxed to 844.390.3782 
      • For your security, do NOT provide your credit card information in an email or on a fax.
    • You can call the APhA Customer Service Team at 1.800.237.2742 to also request your certificate. However, you will need to provide the information in the form above over the phone.  In the event of high volume of requests, you may be asked to email the completed form.
Where is my reissued certificate?
  • Requests are being processed within 24 - 48 hours.
  • Once request is processed, the reissued certificate will be uploaded to your APhA profile / account and you should receive an email from Education@aphanet.org that it has been uploaded.
  • If you have already submitted the request, and it has been over two days, please login and click on My Account, click on Biography & Attachments where you should find your certificate. If you do not see the attachment, contact APhA's Customer Service Team.
To verify a pharmacist's training
  • Download and complete: Verification of Training Program Completion Request Form
  • Submit the completed form as directed on the form. 
  • A written release is required.
  • A $25 non-refundable fee per person being verified.
  • The form can also be faxed to 844.390.3782
  • If you are interested in verifying the training status of many pharmacists, please email info@pharmacyprofiles.com. Pharmacy Profiles provides credentials verification services for pharmacist licensure, sanctions, advanced credentials like certificate training programs, and state practice requirement tracking. Bulk discounts available.
House your Professional Credentials

Pharmacy Profiles provides a free, convenient, secure way for pharmacists to keep track of all professional credentials, including completion of certificate training programs, BPS certification, licensure, and more. Claim your free Pharmacy Profiles account then update and add your credentials, certificates of completion, and other information you need to demonstrate that you trained to provide patient care services.

Who can enroll for an APhA learning activity?

To participate in an APhA Education program or home study, there are two ways to enroll and get access to the course materials.

  • If you are registering directly through APhA's website, you will be able to click Add to Cart or Enroll, pay online (if there is a fee), and find the course on your My Training page, and click on the title to gain access to the required course materials.
  • If you have registered for the APhA program through one of our licensed partners which is hosting the APhA Program - that Organization's coordinator will provide you with an enrollment code to gain access to the required course materials. You can redeem your enrollment code by going to My Training.
Is an APhA membership required to take an APhA learning activity?

Many APhA Education activities do not require an APhA membership. However, you have to be logged into APhA's website to enroll into any course. If you are not a member and have never had an account with APhA, then you can create a online account at no charge.

Do I already have an account?

You have an account if any of the following apply:

  • You have been an APhA student member and/or an APhA member in the past
  • Completed any APhA education course
  • Receive any APhA publications, such as Pharmacy Today

It is strongly encouraged that you do not create multiple accounts, as your APhA profile has your record of CPE that you have earned through the years. This could impact any verification that your employer or you may want in the future.

If you have forgotten your username or the email address from your previous account, contact APhA's InfoCenter or call 800.237.2742. Mention that you may need to update the email address on your account.

Not a Pharmacist? No problem!

Anyone can take an APhA learning activity.

  • Create a CPE Monitor account and obtain a NABP ID Number at NABP.net/CPE Monitor
  • Create an APhA profile (if you do not have one already).
  • CLAIM credit for any completed activity. You can submit the resulting Transcript of CPE to your respective board.
CPE and CE Broker Information

Each ACPE-Accredited organization, such as APhA, is required to file a learner's successfully completed activity to CPE Monitor. APhA does this through the Claim button after every ACPE-accredited activity. If the learner does not click the claim button, then their CPE does not get passed to CPE Monitor. If you have any questions, please email education@aphanet.org.

CPE Monitor
When you CLAIM your credit after each learning activity, your credit hours are immediately passed over to CPE Monitor.
  • CPE Monitor uploads to individual accounts three times a day.
  • Transcripts of CPE are available on your CPE Monitor account, at the most, 12 hours from the time the credit is claimed.
  • To log into your CPE Monitor account, go to NAPB.net/CPE Monitor
  • ACPE Policy: Home study credit has to be claimed BEFORE the expiration date of the activity.  Credit from a live CPE activity must be claimed WITHIN 60 days from the date of the live event.

CE Broker

If your FL pharmacist license number is notated on your APhA profile/online account, APhA transfers CPE data to the Florida CE Broker system twice a month.

  • To verify if APhA has your FL license number, log into APhA's Website and click My Account at the top of home page and check under License Information.
  • CE Broker does allow pharmacists to self-report their CPE.
  • Still have questions? Contact Education - CE Broker Question. Be sure to include your FL pharmacist license number.
I am a Student. Do I need to claim credit?

Yes - The action of claiming credit also updates your APhA profile with your completion. This impacts future verification of completion to employers, as well as, any future request for a certificate to be reissued.

  • Create a CPE Monitor account and obtain a NABP e-profile ID at NABP.net/CPE Monitor.
  • IMPORTANT: Only select CPE Monitor for the reason for the NABP e-profile at this time, unless your instructor tells you otherwise. This NABP e-profile is yours for the rest of your career.
  • CLAIM credit for any completed activity.
  • If your instructor wants a transcript of CPE (not a certificate), you can print this from your CPE Monitor account at NABP.net/CPE Monitor.
Pennsylvania Immunizers

The Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy requires all PA pharmacists who want to immunize in the state of Pennsylvania to submit an online application within two years from the date of the program they attended.  As of 2018, there is no longer any “Page 2” required. The PA Board is very firm that the online application, a copy of the certificate of achievement, and any other required documents are submitted within the 2 year time frame.

If the 2 year deadline is not met, the pharmacist is required to retake the 20 CPE Immunization course again if they want to immunize in PA.

Moved to Pennsylvania / New PA pharmacist license?

If you have recently moved to Pennsylvania and/or received your PA pharmacist license, and you have previously attended an APhA Immunization program in another state WITHIN the past 2 years, please submit the online application found on the PA Board's website, Online Application on www.dos.pa.gov. You will need to have an account on the Pennsylvania Board website which you can access here: PA Board Login Page.

Took the APhA Immunization program over two years ago
The PA Board is very firm about the two year deadline when registering with their board. If it has been over two years from the date of the program, the PA Board will no longer accept any online application. The pharmacist is required to retake the 20 CPE Immunization course again if they want to immunize in Pennsylvania.

 

PA Board Resources

Online Application on www.dos.pa.gov - Pennsylvania Board of Pharmacy has many forms/applications. You can find the registration under Authorization to Administer Injectables

www.licensepa.state.pa.us – A pharmacist can verify that the PA Board has received all appropriate paperwork.

NPI - National Provider Identifier FAQs

As the role of the pharmacist as a healthcare provider evolves, connecting a practitioner’s education and training to their primary practice site will enable entities to verify practice eligibility to provide specific services.

APhA is asking for your Primary Practice NPI and/or an Individual NPI. Accuracy is crucial! This number may be used to verify continuing education completion by employers.

What is my Primary Practice NPI?

A National Provider Identifier or NPI is a unique 10-digit identification number issued to health care providers in the United States by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in order to identify themselves in a standard way throughout the industry.

  • Work at multiple sites within one organization (example, a chain)?  The Primary Practice site will be the one that issues the paycheck.
  • Work at multiple entities, such as a hospital and a chain? Notate both, separated by a comma.
  • Notate an individual NPI if you have one.
  • The NPI Registry Public Search is a very intuitive search engine if you do not know the number.
  • Do not have an NPI or do not work for a healthcare provider? Enter 10 zeros.
Resources / Useful Information
Certificate Training Program versus a Certification

Certificate Programs are practice-based continuing pharmacy education (CPE) activities that impart knowledge, skills, attitudes, and performance behaviors designed to meet specific pharmacy practice objectives. After successful completion of assessments, there may be a certificate of achievement.

Certification is the process by which a non-governmental agency, such as a professional association, grants recognition to an individual who has met certain predetermined qualifications, that includes an experience and education component and requires passing an exam. It allows a practitioner to put letters after his or her name (ie, BCACP, BCNP), and validates that the pharmacist has the advanced knowledge and experience to optimize patient outcomes. In addition, certification requires recertification, which ensures that practitioners stay current in their field through continuing education. The successful completion of one or more Practice-based CPE activities may be among the requirements for certification or re-certification, as determined by the organization granting certification.

Who to Contact
For assistance with your APhA profile

Please contact APhA's InfoCenter OR 800-237-APhA (2742) Monday-Friday between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM ET if you have any of the following questions:

  • If you do not remember the email address that is on your APhA profile, or if you have any question about your APhA profile
  • If you cannot find a learning activity in which you have recently enrolled, please DO NOT create another profile/online account
For CPE Monitor or NABP e-profile ID questions
  • All CPE must be Claimed in order for the credit to pass from the completed APhA learning activity to CPE Monitor. CPE Monitor then updates profiles 3 times a day. If you do not see your CPE credit after 12 hours, please go back to enrollment in your My Training page, and verify the credit has been claimed. If claimed, contact NABP Customer Service at 847-391-4406, Monday-Friday between 8:45 AM and 5:00 PM CT.
  • If you have inadvertently put in the wrong NABP ID or the wrong birth month / day when claiming your credit, or in your APhA profile, please contact APhA's InfoCenter OR 800-237-APhA (2742) Monday-Friday between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM ET.
For Technical Support
  • For Technology Requirements and TroubleShooting Tips for Checking Pop Up Blocker Settings and Clearing Internet Cache, click on Technology / Troubleshooting.
  • If you still have questions while downloading material from your learning activity, or receiving any error when trying to access the learning activity, you can contact our elearning vendor at Toll Free: 877-399-4925, Monday - Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm EST or knowledge.connection.help@conduent.com
  • Please provide as much information, including:
    • your name
    • the time of error
    • course title
    • description of problem
    • and if possible, a screenshot.

For general education questions

Your email will be answered within 24 hours excluding weekends and holidays. Please provide a very specific and clear message so we may assist you as quickly as possible.  education@aphanet.org

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