Maryland Health Occupations Section 12-309

      (a)      Except as permitted in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the Board may not renew the license and issue a certificate of renewal to any pharmacist until the pharmacist presents evidence of having completed 30 hours of approved continuing pharmaceutical education within the preceding 2 years.

      (b)      The Board may renew the license and issue a certificate of renewal to a pharmacist who presents acceptable evidence that the pharmacist was unable to comply with subsection (a) of this section.

      (c)      The Board may renew the license and issue a certificate of renewal for the first renewal period following the issuance of the original license without requiring a pharmacist to complete any continuing pharmaceutical education, if the pharmacist obtains a license within 1 year of the completion of the pharmacist's pharmaceutical education.

      (d)      The Board shall evaluate and approve programs of continuing pharmaceutical education submitted to the Board by the person who intends to offer the program.

      (e)      Each program of continuing pharmaceutical education shall consist of at least 1 continuing education unit, which is 1 hour of participation in an organized continuing educational experience, including postgraduate studies, institutes, seminars, lectures, conferences, workshops, correspondence courses, cassette programs, programmed learning courses, audiovisual programs, and any other form of presentation that is approved by the Board.

      (f)      Any aspect of the practice of pharmacy may be the subject of a program of continuing pharmaceutical education, including pharmaceutics (compounding), pharmacology, pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, physiology, microbiology, pharmacy administration, and professional practice management.

      (g)      Each program of continuing pharmaceutical education submitted to the Board of Pharmacy for approval shall:

            (1)      Have a definite stated objective;

            (2)      Be presented in an organized manner by a qualified instructor or resource person; and

            (3)      Include a method of program evaluation that is suitable to the type of program being presented.

      (h)      Each person who offers a program of continuing pharmaceutical education shall:

            (1)      Provide a means for registration by the participants;

            (2)      Maintain a record of participation for at least 3 years; and

            (3)      Furnish each participant with adequate documentation of satisfactory completion of the program, including:

                  (i)      The name of the participant;

                  (ii)      The name of the sponsor;

                  (iii)      The type of program completed;

                  (iv)      The number of continuing education hours or units completed; and

                  (v)      The date of completion.

      (i)      For purposes of evaluation, members of the Board may attend and participate in any continuing pharmaceutical education program approved for credit.

      (j)      A pharmacist who completes a program of continuing pharmaceutical education that is not previously approved by the Board may request the Board, in writing, to approve the program for credit.

      (k)      The Board shall adopt regulations that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

      (l)      Any continuing education program that is currently approved by the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education automatically qualifies for continuing education credit.