Maintaining Your Certification: A Comprehensive Guide to the Recertification Process

Earning a professional certification from the Council on Pharmacy Standards (CPS) is a significant achievement. It is a testament to your deep knowledge, your advanced skills, and your unwavering commitment to patient care. It is a milestone that you, your colleagues, and your patients can rightly be proud of. But we believe that true excellence is not a single destination you arrive at; it is a continuous journey of growth and learning.

The field of pharmacy is in a state of perpetual motion. New medications are approved, clinical guidelines are updated, and new technologies emerge that transform how we provide care. In this dynamic environment, a certification’s value is measured not just by the knowledge demonstrated on exam day, but by its holder’s commitment to remaining current with the evolving standards of practice.

This is the purpose and the power of recertification. It is the process that ensures a CPS credential remains the gold standard—a trusted, respected, and current symbol of expertise. As our first cohorts of certified professionals approach the end of their initial certification cycle, we have prepared this comprehensive guide to demystify the recertification process and support you in maintaining the distinguished credential you have worked so hard to achieve. 

The Philosophy of Recertification: A Commitment to Lifelong Learning

We want to be clear: our recertification requirement is not a bureaucratic hurdle. It is a structured framework designed to support and validate your commitment to lifelong learning. It is the mechanism that allows us, together, to uphold the promise we make to the public. That promise is that a CPS-certified pharmacist is not just an expert, but a current expert, equipped with the latest knowledge to provide the safest and most effective patient care.

This ongoing commitment to competence is what gives your credential its enduring power and prestige. It provides employers with the assurance that their certified staff are at the forefront of their fields. It gives patients and fellow healthcare providers confidence in your abilities. And for you, the professional, it provides a clear and rewarding pathway to stay engaged, to continue growing, and to reaffirm your status as a leader in your practice area. Maintaining your certification is an active declaration of your dedication to excellence.

Your Path to Recertification: Two Flexible Options

We recognize that professionals have different learning styles and career paths. To accommodate this, we have designed a flexible recertification program that provides two distinct pathways to maintain your credential.

All CPS certifications are valid for a period of two (2) years, beginning on the date the credential is first earned and expiring on the last day of that month two years later. To recertify, you must complete one of the following two options before your expiration date.

Option 1: Recertification by Continuing Education (CE)

This is the most common pathway and is designed for professionals who engage in ongoing learning as a natural part of their practice. This option requires the completion of continuing pharmacy education (CPE) that enhances your knowledge and skills in your specialty area.

• Total Hours Required: Certificants must complete a total of 20 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education within their two-year certification cycle.

• Specialty-Specific Hours: To ensure your learning is relevant, a minimum of 10 hours (50% of the total) must be directly related to the subject matter domains of your specific certification. For example, a Certified Medication Safety Officer (CMSO) would need at least 10 hours in topics like root cause analysis, just culture, or medication safety technology.

• Accepted CE Activities: We recognize that valuable learning happens in many forms. CPS accepts a wide variety of high-quality educational activities, including:

  • ACPE-Accredited Courses: Completion of courses from providers accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education.

  • Professional Conference Attendance: Attending sessions at relevant national conferences (e.g., ASHP, APhA, ACCP) that are specific to your practice area.

  • Scholarly Contributions: Authoring an article in a peer-reviewed professional journal or a chapter in a pharmacy textbook.

  • Professional Presentations: Developing and delivering a presentation at a state or national professional conference.

  • Service as a Subject Matter Expert: Actively serving as a CPS SME (e.g., participating in an item-writing workshop or a standard-setting study) is a recognized professional development activity.

  • Relevant Academic Coursework: Completion of a graduate-level course at an accredited college or university.

Option 2: Recertification by Examination

We also offer the option to demonstrate your continued competence by passing the current certification examination for your credential. This path may be ideal for professionals who are deeply immersed in their specialty on a daily basis and prefer a single, comprehensive assessment over tracking educational credits. By choosing this option, you are ensuring that your knowledge base is fully aligned with the most up-to-date standards and practices as defined by our latest Job Task Analysis. Candidates who choose this option must apply for and pass the examination before their certification’s expiration date.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Submitting Your Application

We have designed our online portal to make the recertification process as simple and intuitive as possible.

• Step 1: Track Your CE Throughout Your Cycle. We strongly encourage you to log your completed CE activities in your CPS online portal as you complete them. Our CE tracker tool makes it easy to upload your activities, categorize them, and see your progress toward meeting the requirements at any time. This proactive approach avoids a last-minute scramble.

• Step 2: Watch for the Recertification Window. Your official recertification application window will open 90 days before your certification’s expiration date. You will receive an email notification from us when your window is open and you are eligible to apply.

• Step 3: Complete the Online Application. Log in to your CPS profile, navigate to the “Recertification” tab, and select your chosen pathway (CE or Examination). If choosing the CE path, your previously logged activities will be pre-populated. You will complete the online form, attest that the information is accurate, and submit the recertification fee.

• Step 4: Maintain Your Records and the Audit Process. For the CE pathway, you are not required to upload every single certificate of completion with your application. However, you must retain these documents for your own records for at least one year past your recertification cycle. To ensure the integrity of the program, CPS conducts random audits of a percentage of recertification applications each year. If you are selected for an audit, you will be required to provide the documentation for all your submitted CE activities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How do I know when my certification expires? Your exact expiration date is always visible in your online profile on the CPS website. Your two-year cycle ends on the last day of the month in which your certification was earned.

Q: How do I find CE courses that are specific to my specialty? Excellent sources for specialty-specific CE include national pharmacy organizations, specialty practice groups, and ACPE-accredited education companies. The content outlines found in your certification’s Candidate Handbook are a great guide for identifying relevant topics.

Q: What happens if I miss my recertification deadline? If you do not recertify by your expiration date, your credential status will become inactive. There is a 90-day grace period during which you may still complete the recertification process by paying a late fee. After this grace period, your credential will be considered lapsed, and you will be required to re-apply for the initial certification and pass the examination to regain your credential.

Q: Can I get an extension on my deadline? Extensions may be granted for rare, extenuating circumstances such as a significant medical issue or active military deployment. All requests must be submitted in writing with supporting documentation before the expiration date and are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

More Than an Acronym: A Mark of Continued Excellence

The letters that follow your name—be they CPhP, CMSO, or any other CPS credential—are a powerful symbol. They are valuable precisely because they represent a commitment that is active, not static. The recertification process is the engine that drives that value, ensuring your credential is a true mark of continued excellence.

Thank you for your dedication to your patients, your profession, and to the principle of lifelong learning. We are proud to be your partner on this continuing journey.

The Department of Certification, Council on Pharmacy Standards (CPS)