(a) Continuing education (CE) requirements are intended to promote continued competence, development of current knowledge and skills and enhancement of professional skills and judgment beyond the levels required for entry-level practice. CE activities must focus on increasing knowledge, skills and abilities related to the practice of athletic training. Each licensee shall earn a minimum of fifty (50) contact hours of continuing education every two (2) years. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in excess of the amount required cannot be carried over for credit in subsequent reporting periods. CEUs cannot be earned prior to certification. A license may not be renewed if the holder fails to complete the required number of continuing education credits. - (i) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) shall be the actual number of hours during which instruction was received. A CEU shall consist of not less than fifty (50) minutes of actual instruction or presentation. For academic courses, one (1) semester credit equals fifteen (15) CEUs. One (1) quarter credit equals ten (10) CEUs.
- (ii) Only those CEUs acquired during the two (2) years immediately preceding the expiration date will be considered.
- (iii) The following standards shall govern acceptability of continuing education activities:
- (A) All required CEUs may be earned through BOC approved provider programs. Activities in this category include workshops, seminars, conferences, home study courses, and other programs approved by the BOC.
- (B) A maximum of thirty (30) CEUs may be earned through other educational activities such as:
- (I) Speaking engagements. May be counted only once per topic for a maximum of 10 CEUs per topic.
- (II) Initial training for EMT (Basic) certification.
- (III) Serving as a BOC qualified examiner or model. Up to five (5) CEUs can be reported per exam with a limit of ten (10) CEUs per year earned in this category.
- (IV) Initial EMT training for a maximum of thirty (30) CEUs.
- (V) Serving as a panelist at a conference. May be counted for a maximum of five (5) CEUs per topic. The conference/seminar must be intended for an audience of healthcare professionals (i.e., ATs, PTs, RNs, PAs, PTAs, MDs). The actual content presented by a speaker or panelist must pertain to the domains identified in the Role Delineation Study, Fifth Edition.
- (VI) Published publication activities prepared for commercial distribution. A journal refers to a periodical containing scholarly articles and/or current information on research and development in a particular field. Refereed denotes that the manuscript/document has been reviewed by an editor and one or more specialist prior to publication.
- (1.) Primary author of an article in a non-refereed journal. May be counted for a maximum of five (5) CEUs per article.
- (2.) Author of an article in a refereed journal. May be counted for a maximum of fifteen (15) CEUs per article for the primary author, and ten (10) CEUs per article for a secondary author.
- (3.) Author of an abstract in a refereed journal. May be counted for a maximum of ten (10) CEUs per abstract for the primary author, and five (5) CEUs per abstract for a secondary author.
- (4.) Author of a published textbook. May be counted for a maximum of forty (40) CEUs per book for the primary author, and twenty (20) CEUs per book for a secondary author.
- (5.) A contributing author of a published textbook. May be counted for a maximum of ten (10) CEUs per book.
- (6.) Author of a poster presentation which is peer reviewed or referred. May be counted for a maximum of ten (10) CEUs for the primary presentation, and five (5) CEUs for a secondary presentation.
- (7.) Primary author of published multimedia material, such as CD-ROM, audio or video. May be counted for a maximum of fifteen (15) CEUs per publication.
- (8.) Primary author of a home study course. The maximum CEUs is as determined by a BOC reviewer.
- (V) Serving as a home study reviewer. This includes BOC home study reviewers and reviewers of refereed publications. Five (5) CEUs per review with a maximum of ten (10) CEUs per year may be counted in this category.
- (VI) Serving as an exam item writer. This includes BOC item writers and exam item writers for other healthcare professional exams. A maximum of five (5) CEUs per year may be counted in this category.
- (C) All required CEUs may be earned through post-certification college/university coursework provided the content of the course falls within the domains indentified in the Role of Delineation Study, Fifth Edition.
- (I) The college/university must be accredited by an agency recognized by the US Department of Education.
- (II) The course must be assigned credit hours and be listed on an official transcript.
- (III) Practicum courses, clinical and internship experiences are not acceptable for CEU credit.
- (IV) Twenty-five (25) CEUs are awarded per year for medical residency.
- (D) A maximum of twenty (20) CEUs may be earned through individualized options. The content of the program must fall within the domains identified in the Role Delineation Study, Fifth Edition.
- (I) One (1) CEU per contact hour may be earned by attendance at a professional program that is sponsored non- BOC approved providers.
- (II) One (1) CEU per contact hour may be earned by reviewing videos, DVDs, audiotapes, and other multimedia.
- (iv) Licensees shall attest to the number of continuing education hours completed.
- (v) Licensees shall report their continuing education activities in a manner determined by the Board.
- (A) Licensees shall maintain copies of any certificates of attendance, letters certifying attendance, transcripts, or any official documents which serve as proof of participation or attendance for at least two (2) years from the date submitted for renewal.
- (B) Proof of attendance shall contain the activity title, dates, contact hours attended, sponsor, presenter, qualifications of the presenter, the name of the licensee, and shall be signed by the sponsor or the presenter.
- (vi) Licensees are responsible for maintaining their own continuing education documentation.
- (vii) Approximately one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the renewal date the Board may send a renewal notice to the licensee's last address of record.
- (viii) Renewal applications shall not be accepted more than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the expiration date.
- (ix) Renewal applications received by the Board which are postmarked more than ninety days (90) after the expiration date, or after the next business day in cases when the ninetieth (90) day falls on a weekend or holiday, will not be accepted by the Board, and the license will become null and void for failure to timely and sufficiently secure renewal.
- (x) Failure to receive a notice for renewal from the Board does not excuse a licensee from the requirement for renewal under the Act and these rules.
(b) L.A.T.'s must be able to demonstrate ongoing certification in the competencies outlined in the BOC ECC guidelines throughout the reporting period. CEUs are not awarded for maintaining ECC. (NOTE: ECC certification must be current each year.) Depending on the ECC provider, ECC recertification may not be required each year. ECC must include the following: - (v) Airway obstruction, and
- (vi) Barrier devices (e.g., pocket mask, bag valve mask)
(c) Acceptable ECC providers are those adhering to the most current International Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care. Examples of courses that provide the above requirements include, but are not limited to: - (i) CPR/AED for the Professional Rescuer through the American Red Cross
- (ii) BLS Healthcare Provider through the American Heart Association
- (iii) Online courses are only acceptable if the practical portion is tested with an instructor.