The phrase "continuing education," or CE, gets thrown around a lot, and sometimes not in the right way. That's why we want to break it down so you know exactly what it really is, and why it matters.  CE refers to professional development courses designed to improve your ability to do your job. In most cases, this "post-secondary education" is a requirement to maintain professional licensure, like a pharmacist taking a mandatory Medication Errors course. You take the courses, get the certificates of completion, and then submit them to whichever licensing bodies your profession relates to.

How do you know which courses to take? That depends on the licensing body. They impose the CE requirements, based on what is determined to expand a professional's knowledge in their field and what keeps them up-to-date on the newest practices and developments. 

How often you have required CE and how many you need to take also relates to your licensing body. Sometimes it is when you were born, sometimes when you got your initial licensure, and sometimes other determining factors.

What matters most to you is that you know if your licensure requires CE, what your requirements are, and when you need to meet them. To learn about get your licensure or finding your license requirements, click the button below!