What are the best online CE courses for a pharmacist to stay current?

If your goal is staying clinically current—not just accumulating required hours—I’d focus on CE platforms that are regularly updated, case-based, and aligned with current guidelines and new drug developments.

Strong online CE options for pharmacists

• ashp.org — A strong all-around option, particularly for hospital/health-system pharmacists. Its on-demand library covers disease-state management, new drug approvals, immunizations, compounding, HIV, pharmacy law, pain/opioid stewardship, and patient safety. Activities are generally short enough to fit into a workday.
• learn.pharmacist.com — Particularly useful for community/ambulatory pharmacists. The catalog includes diabetes, cardiology, vaccines, infectious disease, pain/substance-use disorders, and pharmacy practice. There are also numerous free courses, including current vaccine and CGM topics.
• accp.com — Excellent if you want deeper pharmacotherapy and clinical reasoning. ACCP offers clinical sessions in areas such as ambulatory care, critical care, emergency medicine, geriatrics, oncology and pediatrics, along with online CPE products and webinars.
• ashp.org — Better when you want structured learning rather than individual CE credits. Current certificate areas include critical care, specialty pharmacy and population health; certificates generally contain 12+ hours of content.
• elearning.ashp.org — Worth checking regularly if cost matters. ASHP currently lists hundreds of free educational activities, including topics such as GLP-1 therapy in CKD and medication safety.
• accp.com — Particularly useful for a comprehensive pharmacotherapy refresh. The 2026 course provides 26.5 hours of CPE and uses more than 200 patient cases and self-assessment questions.

What I'd use for ongoing maintenance

A practical mix would be:

Monthly: APhA/ASHP short CE → vaccines, new drugs, diabetes, infectious disease, guideline updates, etc.

Quarterly: One deeper ACCP or ASHP clinical module → reinforces therapeutic decision-making rather than simply checking a CE requirement.

Annually: A structured review in your main practice area → e.g., ambulatory care, oncology, critical care, community pharmacy, or geriatrics.

One important point: ACPE accreditation doesn't automatically mean every course satisfies every state's requirements. APhA specifically advises pharmacists to check their state board for special CE requirements.

If you tell me your practice setting (community, hospital, ambulatory care, specialty, etc.) and whether you want free-only or are willing to pay, I can narrow this to the most useful 5–10 courses available right now.

To stay current on clinical guidelines, pharmacology breakthroughs, and medication safety, pharmacists rely on ACPE-accredited online continuing education (CE) providers.

The top-rated online CE platforms for pharmacists, categorized by their strengths, include:

Top General & Clinical CE Platforms

• PowerPak : One of the most popular and extensive platforms available. It offers a massive catalog of CE modules across various therapeutic areas, featuring both free modules and paid package deals. It integrates smoothly with CPE Monitor.
• Pharmacist's Letter : Exceptional for staying genuinely current in daily practice. Rather than just ticking boxes for license renewal, it delivers concise, evidence-based clinical updates ("CE in the Letter") alongside interactive self-study modules and practical tracking tools.
• ASHP Continuing Education : Ideal for institutional, acute care, and health-system pharmacists. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists provides rigorous, high-level clinical updates, specialized certification tracks, and a selection of complimentary modules.

Best for Live & Budget-Friendly Hours

• FreeCE : A favorite for pharmacists needing a high volume of credits or live-ce hours. They offer periodic free options, or an annual subscription model that grants access to a broad calendar of live webinars and self-study courses.
• Pharmacy Times Continuing Education : Offers a robust, user-friendly library of diverse clinical topics, community-focused modules, and frequent live webinar opportunities that report directly to CPE Monitor.
• CEImpact : Known for engaging, high-quality education tailored to contemporary practice changes, offering a good mix of free offerings and subscription packages.
• RxCE : Jointly accredited for the healthcare team, providing affordable, straightforward courses that report straight to CPE Monitor and CE Broker.

Perspectives from the Field

Powerpak is the best imo they feature some free ones. They have package deals the ones singly are I think around $6 each.there's also a site called FreeCE...

I always use Freece.com. they do have some free ones every week or you can pay the $90 annual fee and get all the regular ce's you want...

If you let me know your primary practice setting (e.g., retail, hospital, specialty) or if you need live vs. home-study hours , I can recommend specific courses or subscription tiers that fit your renewal cycle.

Top online CE options for pharmacists:

• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) — Strong for clinical updates, medication safety, specialty certificates, and health-system practice. Their CE library covers disease states, new drugs, immunizations, compounding, law, and patient safety.
• American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) — Best for evidence-based pharmacotherapy, specialty practice, and BPS recertification preparation.
• Pharmacy Times Continuing Education — Convenient for short, free/low-cost CE modules and clinical refreshers.
• Pharmacist’s Letter — Useful for community pharmacists needing regular updates and practical counseling pearls.
• California Pharmacists Association — Particularly useful for California-specific CE requirements and practice topics.

For staying clinically current, prioritize CE in:

• GLP-1/GIP therapies and diabetes care
• Anticoagulation and cardiology
• Infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship
• Oncology and specialty medications
• Vaccines
• Pharmacogenomics and AI/data-driven pharmacy practice

For deeper skill building, ASHP professional certificates (e.g., diabetes management, anticoagulation, pharmacogenomics, emergency medicine) are structured options rather than one-off CE credits.

To stay current on pharmacotherapy, guidelines, and law, utilizing ACPE-accredited online continuing education (CE) providers is essential. Most of these platforms integrate directly with NABP e-Profile tracking (CPE Monitor).

The best online CE options for pharmacists range from comprehensive subscription models to robust free resource hubs:

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PowerPak (PowerPak ) is one of the most widely used platforms by pharmacists. It offers a massive catalog of both free and paid modules, covering everything from specific disease states to immunization updates. It's practical, searchable, and straightforward for knocking out bulk credits.

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Pharmacy Times Continuing Education (PTCE) (Pharmacy Times Continuing Education ) provides great disease-state-specific modules, interactive modules, and clinical updates. They frequently host free online and live webinars that count toward specific therapeutic areas.

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freeCE (freeCE ) is popular for pharmacists looking for subscription-based unlimited packages or periodic free offerings. They specialize in making it easy to track hours and routinely host live webinars, which some state boards specifically require a portion of your credits to be.

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CEImpact (CEImpact ) is highly regarded for practice-changing, high-quality education rather than just "checkbox" CE. They offer specialized subscriptions, live monthly webinars, and certificate programs that dive deep into clinical practice updates and advanced pharmacy services.

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Pharmacist's Letter / TRC Healthcare (TRC Healthcare ) is fantastic for staying current day-to-day. While often provided or subsidized by hospital systems or major retail chains, their continuous updates, recommendations, and integrated CE credits make them premier tools for clinical application.

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ASHP eLearning Portal (ASHP ) is the go-to source for institutional, acute care, and health-system pharmacists. Even non-members can access a robust selection of targeted clinical webinars, updates on sterile compounding standards, and specialized professional development.

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• Are you looking for completely free options or an unlimited subscription?
• Do you need specific topics like law, immunizations, or patient safety to meet state board requirements?

To stay current on clinical guidelines, pharmacology updates, and licensure requirements, pharmacists rely on several top-tier ACPE-accredited online continuing education (CE) platforms.

The best options vary depending on whether you are looking for deep clinical content, subscription-based live webinars, or a quick way to knock out credits:

• PowerPak is widely used for its massive catalog covering a broad spectrum of topics. It offers a mix of paid modules and a robust selection of free-to-access CE courses where you can filter specifically by profession and cost.
• Pharmacy Times Continuing Education provides an extensive library of both on-demand and regular live CE webinars. It’s particularly great for disease-state updates and new drug approvals.
• freeCE is a favorite for pharmacists who need a streamlined subscription model, especially for meeting state requirements for live CE hours through scheduled online webinars alongside their on-demand library.
• ASHP eLearning (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists) offers exceptional, high-level institutional and acute-care clinical updates. While many comprehensive packages require membership, they host a good selection of free CE activities for non-members.
• Medscape Education is ideal for bite-sized learning. They offer plenty of short, peer-reviewed, and completely free multi-disciplinary CE activities (often 0.25 to 0.75 credits) that easily fit into a busy shift or commute.
• APhA Education Hub (American Pharmacists Association) delivers trusted, practice-changing guidance tailored heavily toward ambulatory care, community practice, and federal pharmacy standards.

If you'd like, let me know:

• Your state or primary practice setting (e.g., retail, hospital, specialty)
• Whether you need specific credit types (like live hours, law credits, or immunization training)

I can narrow down which platform or specific bundle fits your renewal cycle best.

If your goal is staying clinically current—not just accumulating renewal hours—I’d prioritize CE providers that are case-based, evidence-focused, and regularly updated.

My top picks

1. ASHP — Best overall for clinical pharmacists

• Excellent for therapeutics, new drugs, medication safety, infectious diseases, ambulatory care, hospital pharmacy, and specialty practice.
• Its online CE Library has 15+ hours of on-demand material, with activities ranging from about 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• ASHP also offers deeper 6–12-hour training programs when you want to build a specific skill rather than just earn CE.
• Best for: hospital/health-system, ambulatory care, clinical pharmacists.

2. pharmacytimes.org — Best free option

• Large selection of free ACPE CE, including current drug therapies, disease states, oncology, infectious disease, managed care, and practice updates.
• The catalog currently has more than 200 activities, including virtual educational events.
• Best for: keeping up with new therapies without spending much money.

3. freece.com — Best for convenient, high-volume CE

• Particularly useful if you want to knock out CE requirements while also choosing clinically relevant topics.
• Its pharmacist plans currently include 290+ home-study courses, with higher tiers offering 45+ monthly live courses.
• If you're a Florida pharmacist, it has specific Florida consultant-pharmacist courses and reports completed courses to CE Broker.
• Best for: convenience, renewal requirements, and Florida-specific CE.

4. accp.com — Best for advanced clinical practice

• Particularly strong if you're interested in ambulatory care, critical care, emergency medicine, geriatrics, oncology, pediatrics, or pharmacotherapy.
• ACCP offers clinical sessions, webinars, and its Clinical Reasoning Series.
• Its programs are especially valuable for board-certified pharmacists needing recertification. For example, the 2026 ambulatory-care self-assessment provides 16 hours of ACPE/BPS credit.
• Best for: pharmacists who want deeper, more rigorous clinical education.

5. rxce.com — Best for free, quick CE

• Currently offers several completely free pharmacist CE courses, including topics such as obesity pharmacotherapy, MTM, and diabetes/GLP-1 therapy.
• The current free selection provides 7 contact hours across four courses.
• Best for: filling gaps in your CE requirements while learning about current therapeutic issues.

If I were building a CE routine

I'd use a mix rather than one provider:

• Monthly: 1–2 PTCE/freeCE courses on new drugs and emerging therapies.
• Every 2–3 months: an ASHP or ACCP case-based/application-based course.
• Annually: one deeper review of your primary practice area.
• When a major therapeutic area changes: take a dedicated update—for example, diabetes/GLP-1s, anticoagulation, heart failure, obesity, infectious disease, oncology, or Alzheimer's therapies.

For someone practicing in Florida, also make sure you distinguish between interesting CE and CE that actually satisfies your Florida renewal requirements; Florida has specific requirements and uses CE Broker for reporting. ASHP, for example, notes that Florida pharmacists are responsible for self-reporting applicable CPE to CE Broker.

My short ranking: ASHP → ACCP → PTCE → freeCE → RxCE, with the order changing depending on whether your priority is clinical depth, specialty practice, or inexpensive license renewal.

If you tell me your practice setting (community, hospital, ambulatory care, long-term care, etc.) and specialty, I can narrow this down to the 5–10 best specific CE courses available right now.

To stay current on clinical guidelines, pharmacology updates, and state-specific license requirements, several accredited online Continuing Education (CE) providers stand out for pharmacists. ACPE-accredited platforms range from robust, all-in-one subscription tools to extensive libraries of free courses.

Top Online CE Providers for Pharmacists

• Pharmacist's Letter (Therapeutic Research Center): Widely utilized and often provided or reimbursed by major retail and institutional employers. It features concise, practical recommendations, excellent state-specific credit tracking dashboards, and integrated CE credits tied directly to monthly updates. Check access via the Pharmacist's Letter Portal.
• PowerPak: One of the most popular platforms for finding a vast array of both free and specialized CE topics. It offers comprehensive, condition-specific modules, bite-sized articles, and straightforward credit reporting to NABP/CPE Monitor. Explore current offerings on PowerPak.
• Pharmacy Times Continuing Education (PTCE): Excellent for both on-demand modules and frequent live webinar formats covering specialty disease states, emerging therapeutics, and managed care updates. Check out available modules at PTCE.
• ASHP eLearning (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists): Ideal for clinical pharmacists, specialists, and institutional practitioners. ASHP offers rigorous clinical updates, professional development certification tracks, and robust oncology, pharmacotherapy, and health-system modules. Browse the catalog via ASHP eLearning.
• freeCE: Offers a mix of both self-paced on-demand packages and scheduled live virtual CE events, which is helpful if your state board still specifies a live credit quota. View membership options at freeCE.

Community Feedback & Strategies

Many pharmacists recommend a hybrid approach: knocking out bulk general and free credits on open directories first, and then paying out-of-pocket or utilizing employer-sponsored access for specific live or state-mandated requirements (such as law, opioid prescribing, or immunization updates).

“Pharmacists letter. It's not free but it gets the job done. Not the best UI but it has a simple dashboard to help track completions, credits needed by date for each state, and state mandatory courses.”

“Knock out all the free PowerPak CEs and then you can spend a few $ for a individual paid ones to meet any specific CE reqs.”

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• Your primary practice setting (e.g., community/retail, hospital, ambulatory care, industry)
• Which state(s) you are licensed in (to check for specific live or law requirements)

I can give you targeted course recommendations or help you find free options for your specific renewal cycle.

If your goal is staying clinically current, rather than simply accumulating renewal hours, I’d prioritize CE that is ACPE-accredited, evidence-based, case-oriented, and focused on new therapeutics/guidelines.

My top picks

1. pharmacytimes.org — Best overall for free CE

• Large catalog with 200+ free activities currently available.
• Particularly good for new drug therapies, disease-state updates, oncology, infectious disease, diabetes/obesity, and community practice.
• Mix of on-demand and live virtual programs.
• Best for: Pharmacists who want lots of current material without paying for every credit.

2. powerpak.com — Best all-around CE library

• Broad pharmacist-specific catalog covering pharmacology, drug information, patient safety, pharmacy law, immunizations, cardiology, critical care, pain management, and more.
• Its pharmacist library currently provides at least 50 CE hours and includes both home-study and live CE.
• Best for: Someone who wants one subscription/library to handle most of their CE needs.

3. futures.ashp.org — Best for health-system/clinical pharmacists

• Excellent if you work in a hospital, ambulatory care, or clinical role.
• ASHP's 2026 programming offers up to 16.25 pharmacist contact hours and is particularly useful for contemporary clinical practice.
• Best for: Hospital and clinical pharmacists who want deeper, practice-oriented education.

4. accp.com — Best for advanced clinical learning

• Particularly strong for ambulatory care, pharmacotherapy, critical care, infectious diseases, oncology, and specialty practice.
• Its 2026 ambulatory-care course, for example, uses 200+ patient cases and 200+ self-assessment questions, making it much more rigorous than typical "click-through" CE.
• Best for: Board-certified pharmacists or pharmacists considering specialty certification.

5. rxce.com — Best budget/free option

• Currently advertises several free ACPE-accredited pharmacist courses totaling 7 contact hours, including MTM and weight-management topics.
• Courses are self-paced and available on demand.
• Best for: Getting useful CE without spending much money.

One important tip

Don't choose CE solely by the number of hours. For staying current, I'd build a yearly mix around:

• New drug approvals and major label changes
• Diabetes/obesity and GLP-1 therapies
• Cardiology
• Antimicrobial stewardship
• Anticoagulation
• Oncology
• Vaccines/immunization updates
• Medication safety
• State/federal pharmacy law
• One or two deep-dive clinical/case-based courses

Also make sure the activity is appropriate for your state's renewal requirements. ACPE's P.L.A.N. catalog is specifically designed to help pharmacists find accredited CPE activities, and CPE Monitor tracks completed ACPE credits electronically.

If I were choosing just three: Pharmacy Times CE for free/current updates + PowerPak for broad coverage + ASHP/ACCP for deeper clinical education.

If you tell me whether you're community, hospital, ambulatory care, long-term care, specialty, or retail, I can narrow this to the 5 best CE programs/courses for your specific practice area, including free options.

The “best” online CE for a pharmacist depends on your practice setting (community, hospital, ambulatory care, specialty, management, etc.), but these are among the strongest options for staying clinically current and maintaining professional growth:

Top online CE providers for pharmacists

1. ashp.org — Best overall for health-system and clinical pharmacists

Best for: Hospital practice, medication safety, informatics, leadership, specialty practice

Strengths:

• Strong evidence-based clinical content
• Good coverage of: - New drug approvals
• Infectious disease
• Oncology
• Critical care
• Medication safety
• Pharmacy law
• Immunizations
• Self-paced courses and certificates available

Standout options:

• Critical Care Certificate
• Pharmacokinetics Certificate
• Oncology-focused education
• Pharmacy Informatics Certificate
• AI in Pharmacy Certificate

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2. apha.helpscoutdocs.com — Best for community pharmacists

Best for: Retail/community practice, immunization services, MTM, public health

Strengths:

• Practical topics you can apply quickly
• Strong in: - Vaccines
• OTC therapy
• Chronic disease management
• Patient counseling
• Practice advancement

Good choice if you want CE that directly improves day-to-day patient interactions.

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3. accp.com — Best for clinical specialists and board-certified pharmacists

Best for: BCPS/BCACP/BCOP/BCEMP/other specialty-focused pharmacists

Strengths:

• Deep clinical discussions
• Case-based learning
• Strong pharmacotherapy focus
• Excellent for staying current with guidelines and literature

Particularly useful for:

• Ambulatory care
• Critical care
• Oncology
• Emergency medicine
• Geriatrics
• Pediatrics

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4. freece.com — Best budget-friendly option

Best for: Meeting license renewal requirements affordably

Strengths:

• Large catalog
• Convenient for required CE hours
• Useful for law, patient safety, and general practice topics

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5. pharmacytimes.org — Best for quick updates

Best for: Busy pharmacists who want shorter activities

Strengths:

• Short, focused modules
• Good for: - New therapies
• Disease-state updates
• Clinical pearls

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If your goal is staying clinically sharp (not just completing hours)

A strong annual mix would be:

• Monthly: 1–2 short CE activities on new therapies or guidelines
• Quarterly: One deeper disease-state review (diabetes, anticoagulation, heart failure, oncology, etc.)
• Yearly: One larger certificate or intensive course

High-value topics to prioritize in 2026

• GLP-1 receptor agonists and obesity pharmacotherapy
• Diabetes guideline updates
• Anticoagulation advances
• Heart failure therapies
• Antimicrobial stewardship
• Oncology immunotherapies
• Pharmacogenomics
• Artificial intelligence in pharmacy practice
• Medication safety and error prevention

If you tell me your practice area (community, hospital, ambulatory care, industry, etc.) and state (for CE requirements), I can narrow this to the highest-yield courses.

The best online Continuing Education (CE) courses for pharmacists depend on whether you need free credits, live webinars, specialty certificates , or board recertification.

The top accredited online platforms to help you stay current, manage licensing requirements, and advance your clinical knowledge include:

🌟 Top All-Around & Subscription-Based Platforms

• freeCE : Best known for its extensive schedule of live webinars . It is ideal for pharmacists who need live credits without traveling. They offer a 100% online, self-paced format that functions seamlessly on any device.
• Pharmacist's Letter (TRC Healthcare) : The gold standard for busy retail and clinical pharmacists. It provides short, highly digestible updates on new drug approvals , drug interactions, and clinical trends. It also offers specialized packages for sterile compounding and hazardous drugs under USP <797> and <800>.
• PowerPak : Excellent for comprehensive, topic-specific certificate programs. They offer widely recognized courses in major therapeutic areas like pain management, infectious diseases, and immunization updates.

🆓 Best Platforms for Free CE

• FreeCME Pharmacy : A completely free platform with no registration or hidden subscription fees. It is highly useful for clinical updates in oncology, antimicrobial stewardship, and chronic disease pharmacotherapy.
• myCME : Provides high-quality, multimedia free CE courses (audio, video, and podcasts). They focus heavily on complex clinical topics such as precision medicine and oncology therapies.

🏛️ Best for Specialty Certificates & Board Recertification

• American Pharmacists Association (APhA) : The premier source for official Certificate Training Programs (e.g., Immunization Delivery, Medication Therapy Management) and specialized board prep/recertification.
• American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) : The best platform for hospital and health-system pharmacists. They offer comprehensive microcredentials, professional certificates , and official Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) recertification courses.
• National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) : Offers specialized, high-utility courses focusing on pharmacy law, patient safety, compounding, and workforce well-being.

💡 Platform Comparison

To narrow this down, could you tell me a bit more about your goals?

• What setting do you practice in (e.g., retail, hospital, ambulatory care)?
• Do you need a specific type of credit (e.g., live hours, law, opioid/pain management)?
• Are you pursuing or maintaining any board certifications (BPS)?

I can point you directly to the exact courses or bundles that fit your license requirements.