Pediatric pharmacy education from THE ONLY association solely dedicated to pediatric pharmacists.
PPA University BCPPS Recertification Program
The Pediatric Pharmacy Association offers a BCPPS Recertification program, approved Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS).
Overview
The PPA-sponsored BCPPS Recertification Program is designed in a multi-faceted approach that allows the participant to utilize both live and home study formats over the seven-year recertification period to maintain high-level professional competence and develop additional skills. Additionally, the intent of the program design is to allow numerous exposure options for each domain during the seven-year recertification cycle to allow expansion of the participants’ knowledge base while providing up-to-date patient care and management education.
Program Highlights
Learning Opportunities
BCPPS Board Review and Recertification Course (Live and Online)
[up to 40 Hours over the 7-year Recertification Cycle]
The Review and Recertification Course will be offered live during the Fall meeting. The live course consists of education sessions that include didactic and active learning approaches, involving application and adaptive activities including case simulations. All program faculty for given topics are experts in those specialty practices with qualifications and credentials including post-graduate residency and/or fellowship training, board certification (e.g., BCPP, BCNSP, and when available, BCPPS) and disease management certification (e.g., AE-C, CDE). The review course is organized based on specialty areas and includes coverage of all four domains of contemporary Pediatric Pharmacy practice. In addition to the live board preparation course, this session will be offered as recorded material, offered in conjunction with a comprehensive interactive learning module for home study, the Pediatric PharmPrep Advanced Guide. Participants may complete either live or home study board preparation/recertification course twice in a certification cycle (7-year period).
To learn more about our Review and Recertification Course, click here.
Education Sessions (Annual and Fall National Meetings)
[Up to 140 hours over the 7-year Recertification Cycle]
PPAG offers ACPE-accredited continuing education programming each Spring at the organization’s annual meeting with two tracks that target either entry-level or advanced-level practitioners. Starting in the Spring of 2016, ten (10) hours of the advanced-track programming will be delegated to BCPPS recertification opportunities (8 hours within the main program and 2 hours from critical evaluations of Research/Best Practice sessions)
Each PPA meeting is themed to focus on two sub-specialty topics. Eight core subspecialty topics have been identified based on memberships’ practice areas and BPS domain coverage; Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU), Pediatric Intensive Care (PICU), General Pediatrics, Hematology/Oncology/Transplant, Infectious Disease, Nutrition/Gastrointestinal Conditions, Medication Safety/Technology, and Ambulatory Care. To ensure adequate opportunities for education in each of these fields, a system was designed to allow each topic to be covered every other year. NICU, Nutrition/Gastrointestinal Conditions, General Pediatrics, and Hematology/Oncology/Transplant will be offered on even numbered years with the remaining topics covered on odd numbered years.
Research/Best Practice Platform Sessions
In addition to Education Sessions, critical evaluation of pediatric pharmacy research and best practice platform presentations will be offered as two hours of BCPPS continuing pharmacy education credit at each Spring meeting annually during the seven-year period. Accepted platform presenters will be required to develop ACPE and BCPPS recertification appropriate, continuing pharmacy education assessment questions. Pediatric pharmacy research and best practice platforms that will be selected for recertification credit will be those that demonstrate potential impact on patient care and outcomes and are of high quality with sound research design. This programming will be solely offered as a live session activity and not designated for home study. This is because of the nature and value of participating in the investigator question/answer portion as a live session versus recorded for home study.
To learn about the Annual/Spring Meeting, click here.
To learn about the Fall Conference, click here.
Webinars
[Up to 28 hours over the 7-year Recertification Cycle]
Currently, PPA offers webinars annually and each opportunity allows the attendee to actively participate via polling questions and a hosted question/answer session. Starting in January 2016, one webinar in each quarter of the year will be designated for recertification credit (4 credit hours). Topics selected cover material out of one or more of the domains for each session. Annually at least one webinar will focus on a research development topic and an additional webinar will focus on an education topic (e.g., precepting resident/students, assessment techniques, etc.). The remaining topics will be selected to compliment the needs of the BCPPS participant and may include advocacy, patient education, patient education, or practice management. Following attendance at the webinar session (or electronic viewing of select taped sessions), participants will be required to complete an exam.
For more information about our Webinars, click here.
Special Interest Group Home-Study Modules
[Up to 16.5 hours over the 7-year Recertification Cycle]
Within PPA there are member groups, based on special interests such as sub-specialties (e.g., pulmonary) in pediatric pharmacy practice. Beginning in 2017, our Special Interest Groups (SIGs), on a rotating schedule, will develop home study programs based the up-to-date literature (e.g., major clinical studies/trials, guidelines, etc.) paired with case and application-based assessment. The rotating schedule of SIGs will help offer a variety of subspecialty recertification credit opportunities as part of our recertification program. SIG Home study materials and assessment tools will be developed by experts in said subspecialties from the SIGs and peer-reviewed by the Recertification and Education Committees to verify that materials meet recertification curriculum standards, based on the domains and knowledge points of contemporary Pediatric Pharmacy practice. Additionally, the modules will undergo peer-review by journal publication standards, as the modules will be offered through publication in the Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics (JPPT).
Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics Home Study Modules
[Up to 16.5 hours over the 7-year Recertification Cycle]
The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics (JPPT) is the official journal of PPA. Since 1996, JPPT is a peer-reviewed, multi-disciplinary journal that is devoted to promoting the safe and effective use of medications in infants and children. JPPT publishes practical information for all practitioners who provide care to pediatric patients. Each issue of JPPT includes review articles, original clinical investigations, case reports, editorials, and other information relevant to pediatric medication therapy.
Beginning in 2017, Home-study modules based on select submitted and accepted manuscripts (e.g., review articles) will be offered at scheduled intervals throughout the seven-year recertification cycle. Manuscripts that support the domains and knowledge points outlined for BCPPS will be accompanied by an online learning assessment (exam) for recertification credit.
For more information about our JPPT Home Study Modules, click here.
Pediatric Pharmacy Portfolio (PPAG Innovative Pilot Program)
[Up to 8 hours over the initial 7-year Recertification Cycle, for interested participants]
We plan to offer an innovative, longitudinal modality of BCPPS recertification credit, in the form of a portfolio program using a Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Model. This pilot program, as opposed to traditional approaches towards recertification, our portfolio/MOC program will be strongly application-based and provide an avenue for quality improvement (QI) efforts of board certified pediatric pharmacy specialists to be recognized as an important part of continuous professional development. Not only does this approach offer opportunities to help improve and develop best practices, but also meets the domains related to patient management, practice management, information management and patient advocacy.
Modalities for recertification credit will include QI initiatives (i.e., development, dissemination/implementation, and evaluation) that are program-wide as well as individual in nature. For example, a program-wide initiative may be standardization of intravenous high-risk medication concentrations and an individual initiative may be development of a pharmacist-driven dosing protocol for the management of a chronic disease. Our Recertification Committee, in conjunction with our Education, Research, and Advocacy Committees will collaborate in reviewing submitted QI projects for evaluation for BCPPS continuing pharmacy education credit.
The Pediatric Pharmacy Portfolio program project will begin in 2021.
Curriculum Guide for Specialty Area
PPAG University Recertification Program offers a focused approach based on your professional and personal interests. We have designed example "curriculum guide" based on our eight core subspecialty areas. These "tracks" are NOT required. They simply serve as a way to help guide your Recertification program.
Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU)
Pediatric Intensive Care (PICU)
General Pediatrics
Hematology/Oncology/Transplant
Infectious Disease
Nutrition/Gastrointestinal Conditions
Medication Safety/Technology
Ambulatory Care
Program Chairs
The Chairs of Board Recertification and Program Development are Sarah Scarpace Lucas, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, FCSHP, FPPAG, Lauren Buenger, PharmD, BCPS, BCPPS, and Kay Kyllonen, PharmD, FPPA. With their expertise, they will be leading subcommittees in new content development, post program evaluation and analysis, and reporting and monitoring to BPS and the specialty council. Lauren Henretty, PPA Manager of Education, is our Program Coordinator.
Sarah Scarpace Lucas Pharm.D. BCPS, BCPPS is a pediatric clinical pharmacist and senior pharmacist supervisor at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital/UCSF Medical Center. Dr. Lucas earned her BS Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from University of Wisconsin-Madison and completed a Pediatric Specialty Residency at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Dr. Lucas is a Clinical Professor at UCSF School of Pharmacy and teaches didactically along with precepting students, PGY1 and PGY2 residents. Her primary practice interests include Pediatric Intensive Care, Medication Safety and Management.
Lauren Buenger is the pediatric clinical specialist for the emergency department at Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in Indianapolis, Indiana. She attended Butler University and completed her PGY1 and PGY2 in pediatrics at IU Health. She has been in her current position for 7 years and is board certified in both pharmacotherapy and pediatrics. Lauren serves as a facilitator for the PGY1 residency program at IU Health and as the coordinator for the PGY2 Pediatric residency program at Riley Hospital for Children.
Program Cost
Our Recertification Curriculum allows members and education program participants to obtain recertification in pediatric pharmacy practice “in-passing.” By completing live conferences, webinar programs, and online programs that they would normally participate in over the course of 7 years, you will have ample opportunity to earn recertification hours without increased time-burden or indirect expenditures. PPA does anticipate that the direct-cost for recertification will be between twenty ($20.00) and twenty-five ($25.00) per credit hour per member (non-members will not have access to discounted fees).
Earning Credit
Most BCPPS Recertification Programs will require participation in a learning activity (live attendance, reading material, viewing material), followed by a Post-Test (exam). Our Recertification Exams will be online, unless alternative modality is requested. PPAG will directly report your earned Recertification Credit to the Board of Pharmacy Specialties. Your "MyPPAG" account will also help you track your earned credit.
It is important to note that you can develop your own program and receive credit from any of the three BCPPS Professional Development Program Providers (PPAG, ACCP, and/or ASHP).
The Pediatric Pharmacy Association is an international, nonprofit, professional association representing the interests of pediatric pharmacists and their patients. The mission of the Pediatric Pharmacy Association is to promote safe and effective medication use in children through Collaboration, Advocacy, Research, and Education.
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