For a pharmacist, getting the licence is not the end but the start of continuous learning. Continuing pharmacy education (CPE/CPD) is what pharmacists must accumulate as credits over time to maintain their professional status. The common problem is scattered certificates, forgotten entries, and discovering credits are short only as the cycle approaches.
This article covers what CPE/CPD is, which activities earn credits, why systematic tracking matters, and how the CPD credit management feature in CuraLink’s Pro tier helps a pharmacist see their credit status and record activity in one place. Official requirements should always be referenced from the Pharmacy Council and the continuing-education centre.
What CPE/CPD is and why you must earn it
CPE (Continuing Pharmacy Education) and the broader CPD (Continuing Professional Development) concept are the ongoing development of a pharmacist’s knowledge and skills after graduation, to keep pace with advances in medicine and patient care.
Pharmacists have a duty to accumulate continuing-education credits as set by the Pharmacy Council — a key condition for maintaining their licence. Not tracking credits well can mean finding them short as the filing cycle nears, which is hard to fix on short notice.
Which activities earn credits
Continuing-education credits can be earned from many kinds of activity, not just academic conferences. Knowing which activities count helps a pharmacist plan to accumulate them throughout the year:
- Conferences and academic seminars
- Hands-on workshops
- Online courses
- Self-study
- Research and publication
- Teaching or knowledge sharing
Why systematic tracking matters
The big problem with earning credits is not finding activities but tracking and storing the evidence. Many pharmacists keep certificates scattered across email, paper and files; when it is time to total them up, they hunt one by one — and sometimes find credits short with little time left.
Having one place that records every credit as it is earned, showing the running total and progress against a target, lets you plan ahead, avoid last-minute scrambles, and be confident the evidence is complete when you file.
Managing CPD credits in CuraLink (Pro)
CuraLink offers CPD credit management in the Smart Pharmacy (Pro) tier, letting a pharmacist see their credit status and record activity in one place instead of keeping it scattered. A dashboard shows the current credit balance with a progress bar and alerts based on how you are tracking against the target.
Pharmacists can record newly earned credits, edit existing entries, and view the full credit history, classified by activity type — conference, workshop, online course, self-study, research, publication and teaching — and track each entry’s verification status. There is also a catalogue of CPD courses to view and enrol in.
- Credit dashboard with running balance and progress bar
- Alerts based on compliance level against the target
- Record, edit and view credit history by activity type
- Track the verification status of each credit
- Catalogue of CPD courses to view and enrol in
Connected to whole-team development
Knowledge development is not limited to the pharmacist — it includes front-of-shop staff too. CuraLink also has a Training system that tracks progress by category, such as Thai drug categories, OTC counselling, POS use, inventory management, customer service and regulatory compliance, with modules, quizzes and certificates on completion.
Having both pharmacist CPD management and staff training in one system lets an owner look after professional status and team quality at once — part of raising the shop to standard over the long term.
Frequently asked questions
How many CPE/CPD credits must a pharmacist earn per cycle?
The number of credits and the cycle follow the Pharmacy Council’s requirements, which may change, so check the current criteria directly with the Pharmacy Council and the continuing-education centre. The system helps you track your running total against the target you set.
Can I earn credits from online courses or self-study?
Yes. Many activity types can count — online courses, self-study, conferences, workshops, research and teaching — subject to each activity’s accreditation. In the system you can classify records by activity type.
Which plan includes CPD credit management?
CPD credit management is part of the Smart Pharmacy (Pro) tier. See the details and plan comparison on the plans and pricing page.
Does the system file credits with the Pharmacy Council for me?
It does not file for you, but it helps you record, track and store credit evidence systematically in one place, with the running total and verification status — making it easier to prepare for filing. Official filing follows the Pharmacy Council’s channels.
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