engleski

Continuing Education of Pharmacists in Croatia

After completing the 4-year long course of pharmaceutical studies, one-year professional practice in a pharmacy, with a strictly defined program of work and of skill acquisition (8 month – drug dispensing practice at a community pharmacy, 2 month – preparation of extemporaneous and galenic drugs, 1 month – hospital pharmacy practice, and 1 month – analytical laboratory practice), the pharmacist may take the state exam. The state exam, comprising a professional and legal part, is taken before the Examining Board of the Ministry of Health. After passing the state exam, the pharmacist is automatically granted the first licence – approval for independent practice by the Croatian Pharmaceutical Chamber. Pursuant to the applicable regulations of 1993 (Health Protection Act), the licence has to be renewed every 6 years. During the licence period, the pharmacist has to take part in continuing education. In case he/she fails to fulfil this obligation, the level of his/hers professional efficiency will be evaluated by a special, very strict exam. The following programs and forms of continuing education are foreseen by the Pharmaceutical Chamber: training courses, seminars, symposia, conferences, lectures, as well as writing and publishing of professional and scientific papers. A points-system has been introduced for a systematic monitoring of pharmacists’ participation in education and their acquisition of new knowledge. The Pharmaceutical Chamber has appointed a special Board to assign points to the offered programs and forms of continuing education. In accordance with the regulations of the Croatian Pharmaceutical Chamber, organization of the continuing education courses is primarily entrusted to the Croatian Pharmaceutical Society, Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry and the Croatian Pharmaceutical Chamber, though the points-system is applied also to the courses and lectures organized by medical associations and pharmaceutical industry. Pharmacists have to collect at least 30 points, or 5 points per year, during the 6-year licence period. One or two-days long courses comprise lectures, workshops, tests and evaluation of the course itself. At the end of the course, the participants get a certificate of attendance and are awarded a certain number of points according to the decision of the Board for Continuing Education of the Croatian Pharmaceutical Chamber. Some courses are organized in conjunction with medical associations and are aimed at preparing pharmacists for EuroPharm Forum projects and their inclusion into national programs for protection from some non-communicable chronic diseases (Diabetes, Asthma).

Continuing education of pharmacists; Training courses; CE Points-system

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