Statement of Need

Significant increases in worldwide antimicrobial resistance has created an urgent need for the appropriate use and management of antimicrobial prescribing. Hence the concept of Antimicrobial Stewardship has become the primary driving mechanism for the optimization of patient care and the preservation of our antimicrobial armament. Guidelines for developing and enhancing antimicrobial stewardship from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (Dellit et al. CID 2007;44:159-77.) have highlighted the need for Infectious Diseases trained clinical pharmacists as a core component for the development and maintenance of an appropriate antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP). The limited amount of clinical pharmacy residencies in infectious diseases, however, cannot appropriately train the amount of skilled clinicians needed to take on these important clinical roles. The MAD-ID Antimicrobial Stewardship Certificate Program is designed to help practitioners who are residency trained (or equivalent experience) who are currently or planning to pursue antimicrobial stewardship activities.

Stewardship Program Logistics

* Program Description *

There are three components to the program: an internet learning module which covers basic concepts (9 credit hours), live programming consisting of further online lessons and associated teleconferences with faculty (7 credit hours) addressing more advanced concepts and principles, application and implementation issues, and finally, a practical component/exercise (3 credit hours). Upon completion of the three components a certificate of completion is awarded, and applicants will receive 19 hours of ACPE continuing education credits.

* Process *

The first/online component provides basic information and must be successfully completed prior to participating in the second online/live component (starting in the summer of 2010). After successfully completing the live component, the participant must then complete the skills acquisition or practical component to complete the full program.

* First Internet Component Description: *

This component consists of 5 modules:

  • Background reading- 3 articles
  • Four interactive sessions:
    • Antimicrobial Stewardship Overview
    • Basic microbiology and PK/PD principles
    • Mechanism(s) of antimicrobial resistance
    • Antimicrobial resistance surveillance/antibiograms

After reviewing the learning objectives and completing the lessons, the applicant will take a multiple-choice quiz regarding the material to document learning, and must achieve a score of 80% in order to move into the next module. If a score of less than 80% is achieved, the applicant will be asked to repeat the module until they are able to obtain the minimal passing score. After satisfactory completion of all 5 modules, the applicant will be eligible to participate in the live portion of the training program. Confirmation of completion for the internet component will be supplied via email from MAD-ID.

* Second Internet/Live Programming *

Beginning in the summer of 2010, participants may also complete these lessons via online lessons coupled with post-lesson quizzes (again, minimum passing grades of 80% are required) and live teleconferences during which participants will have the opportunity to interact live with the faculty. The participant will be required to document satisfactory learning via a multiple-choice quiz for each learning session (minimum passing grade: 80%), to be completed after each session is taken.

* Practical Component *

In order to participate in the practical component, satisfactory completion of the online and live components must be achieved. Applicants choose from a list of activities to assess skills acquisitions, which are completed at the participant's home institution. Documentation of skills activity will be submitted to the MAD-ID Scientific Committee for assessment and feedback.

**The practical component must be completed within 6 months of attending the Annual MAD-ID meeting in May, OR 6 months from the date(s) of the internet online sessions. *For more detailed information and specific instructions on completing the practical component, click here:

* Certificate of Completion *

A certificate of completion will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the program, which MAD-ID will then mail to the successful participant.

* Continuing Education Credit *

MAD-ID is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education. Continuing education credit will be award for all successfully completed online lessons and live sessions regardless of whether the full program in completed. Additional information on the MAD-ID Antimicrobial Stewardship Training Program may be found on the links to the left.

The development of the first online component of the MAD-ID Antimicrobial Stewardship Training Program was supported by an educational grant from PriCara, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., administered by Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC.

The development of the second online component of the MAD-ID Antimicrobial Stewardship Training Program was supported by an educational grant from Cubist Pharmaceuticals.