The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) recently released a new set of accreditation standards for schools and colleges of pharmacy (termed Standards 2007). The new standards now require schools to ensure that preceptors are adequately trained “prior to assuming responsibilities”.  This new standard also requires schools to provide “ongoing training and development” for preceptors.

In 2008, representatives from the three schools of pharmacy in North Carolina—UNC-Chapel Hill, Campbell University, and Wingate University—worked collaboratively to design a Web-based preceptor training program that will become the standard training requirement for all preceptors in North Carolina. To attain or maintain preceptor status for the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, preceptors will be required to complete this free online preceptor training program by August 1, 2009. If you have also participated in UNC’s Training Pharmacy Preceptors workshop or plan to in 2009, you will still be required to complete the online program. We also recommend and highly encourage our out-of-state preceptors to complete this Web-based training. 

Preceptors will receive 1.5 hours of ACPE-approved continuing education credit (non-contact) for completion of the online program. For individuals who precept for more than one school, completion of this program will be recognized by all three of the schools in North Carolina. Out-of-state preceptors who complete this program should check with the non-North Carolina schools with which you are affiliated to see if this program will meet their preceptor training requirement.

Click here for more information regarding the content of our online preceptor training program and details on how to complete the program. To start the program, go to http://clinicalresearchtraining.politeview.com using Internet Explorer. At the bottom left corner of the page you will see “If you are not yet a registered member, click here”. Register your full user information and put preceptor in the Passcode field. In about one minute the system will e-mail your password, which will allow you to log in to the training modules.

All preceptors in North Carolina will also be required to complete up to 2 hours of ongoing preceptor training over a two-year period. UNC’s Training Pharmacy Preceptors workshop will meet this requirement.  Additionally, the three schools of pharmacy in North Carolina are collaboratively planning additional regional and statewide opportunities to meet the requirement for “ongoing training and development”.