About the Continuing Education Program
Medicines Australia’s Continuing Education Program (CEP) is designed to educate medical representatives to a recognised industry standard.
The CEP is primarily directed at medical representatives working within the prescription medicines industry, but is also recommended to people who may not be currently employed within the industry but would like to pursue a career as a medical representative. It is also available to personnel working for organisations interacting with the pharmaceutical industry.
The CEP is currently offered online through the University of Tasmania’s Unit for Medication Outcomes Research and Education (UMORE), which is housed in the University’s Pharmacy Division.
For more information regarding program content or for enrolment details, please visit the University of Tasmania’s CEP website.
Hear from CEP graduates on their learning experience and how it positively impacted their confidence and knowledge of the industry.
Subjects
The Continuing Education Program contains six core programs, designed to guide medical representatives through the information, knowledge and skills required in the performance of their professional duties. The core programs do not necessarily need to be taken as a package, they can be taken as stand-alone program should this be of interest or relevance to your role in the profession.
The core programs are:
- Program 1: The Medicines Australia Code of Conduct – ethical practices within the pharmaceutical industry, including the obligations and practices of companies in their relationship with the health care industry and the public;
- Program 2: The Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Industry – the historic development of the industry, government regulatory processes and the industry’s role in the Australian health care system;
- Program 3: Human Anatomy and Physiology – introductory anatomy, physiology, cellular life, tissues, defence mechanisms, and an overview of nine body systems. This program is a pre-requisite for ‘Introduction to Pharmacology’. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) may be available for this course for students who have relevant qualifications;
- Program 4: An Introduction to Pharmacology – pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, how drugs are administered, transported through the body and absorbed;
- Program 5: Understanding Product Information – an overview of the scientific, medical and therapeutic information contained in Product Information, including how the information is structured to comply with Therapeutic Goods Administration requirements; and
- Program 6: Understanding Clinical Evidence – a systematic approach to the analysis of published clinical papers, including how clinical trials are designed and conducted, and the four phases of clinical trials.
Code of Conduct Bridging Course
Medicines Australia makes available a short bridging course which provides an overview of the Code of Conduct and the key provisions it contains, as well as detailing changes made with any new edition of the Code. This program is designed for people who have an interest in the Code of Conduct and it’s application, as well as for returning students who have completed Program 1 of the CEP in 2018 or any year after.
The Code of Conduct Bridging Course is not compulsory, and does not form part of the core CEP subjects. However it is recommended that students undertake this program to keep up-to-date with changes to the Code of Conduct as it evolves over time. Records for the completion of any update/refresher or bridging courses are not held by Medicines Australia and therefore it will not appear on any student transcripts issued by Medicines Australia.
New – Foundations of Vaccine Immunology Course
The University of Tasmania has released a new course starting January 2022. Foundations of Vaccine Immunology provides an opportunity to gain a comprehensive understanding of vaccines at a time when this subject is a critical focus for the pharmaceutical industry and community health.
The program covers different and emerging types of vaccines; immune responses; pharmacology; epidemiology (mechanisms of disease in individuals and populations); and the social response to vaccines. It also provides accurate and up-to-date information on vaccination and vaccine products, designed to help medical representatives communicate effectively and with confidence about vaccines.
This course is not compulsory and does not form part of the core CEP subjects. Records for the completion of this course is not held by Medicines Australia and therefore it will not appear on any student transcripts issued by Medicines Australia.