Ala. Admin. Code r. 540-X-7-.29 - Continuing Medical Education - Physician Assistant
(1) Effective
January 1, 2025, every two calendar years, each physician assistant licensed by
the Board must earn not less than fifty (50) hours of AMA PRA Category 1
CreditsT or the equivalent as defined in this rule of continuing medical
education as a condition precedent to receiving his or her annual renewal of
license, unless he or she is exempt from the minimum continuing medical
education requirement.
(a) Effective January
1, 2025, each new applicant issued a license to practice as a physician
assistant shall complete a Board-designated course in the area of professional
boundaries within twelve (12) months of the license issue date. This
requirement must be met regardless of any existing exemption provided in these
rules.
(b) Effective January 1,
2025, all actively licensed physician assistants shall complete a
Board-designated course in the area of professional boundaries by December 31,
2025. There are no exemptions to this requirement.
(2) For the purposes of this chapter, AMA PRA
Category 1 CreditT continuing medical education shall mean those programs of
continuing medical education designated as AMA PRA Category 1 CreditT which are
sponsored or conducted by those organizations or entities accredited by the
Council on Medical Education of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama
or by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to
sponsor or conduct Category 1 continuing medical education programs.
(3) The following courses and continuing
medical education courses shall be deemed, for the purposes of this Chapter, to
be the equivalent of AMA PRA Category 1 CreditT continuing medical education:
(a) Programs of continuing medical education
designated as Category 1-A which are sponsored or conducted by organizations or
entities accredited by the American Osteopathic Association to sponsor or
conduct Category 1-A continuing medical education for osteopathic
physicians.
(b) Programs of
continuing medical education designated to confer "Prescribed credits" which
are sponsored or conducted by organizations or entities accredited by the
American Academy of Family Physicians to sponsor or conduct "Prescribed credit"
continuing medical education activities.
(c) Programs of continuing medical education
designated as such by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners.
(d) Programs of continuing medical education
designated to confer "ACOG Cognate Credits" which are sponsored or conducted by
organizations or entities which are accredited by the American College of
Obstetrics and Gynecology to sponsor or conduct approved ACOG Cognate Credit
activities on obstetrical and gynecologic related subjects.
(e) Programs of continuing medical education
designated as AAPA Category I CME Credits which are sponsored or conducted by
those organizations or entities accredited by the Education Council of the
American Academy of Physician Assistants to sponsor or conduct AAPA Category I
continuing medical education programs.
(f) Effective January 1, 2014, nationally
recognized advanced life support/resuscitation certification courses, not
otherwise accredited for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditT, for a maximum of two (2)
Category 1 credits for each course. Basic life support courses are excluded and
are not deemed to be the equivalent of Category 1 continuing medical
education.
(4) Every
physician assistant subject to the minimum continuing medical education
requirement established in these rules shall maintain records of attendance or
certificates of completion demonstrating compliance with the minimum continuing
medical education requirement. Documentation adequate to demonstrate compliance
with the minimum continuing medical education requirements of these rules shall
consist of certificates of attendance, completion certificates, proof of
registration, or similar documentation issued by the organization or entity
sponsoring or conducting the continuing medical education program. The records
shall be maintained by the physician assistant for a period of three (3) years
following the year in which the continuing medical education credits were
earned and shall be subject to examination by representatives of the State
Board of Medical Examiners upon request. Every physician assistant subject to
the continuing medical education requirements of these rules must, upon
request, submit a copy of such records to the State Board of Medical Examiners
for verification. Failure to maintain records documenting that a physician
assistant has met the minimum continuing medical education requirement, and/or
failure to provide such records upon request to the Board is hereby declared to
be unprofessional conduct and may constitute grounds for discipline of the
physician assistant's license to practice as a physician assistant, in
accordance with the statutes and regulations governing the disciplining of a
physician assistant's license.
(5)
Every physician assistant shall certify annually that he or she has met the
minimum annual continuing medical education requirement established pursuant to
these rules or that he or she is exempt. This certification will be made on a
form provided on the annual renewal of license application required to be
submitted by every physician assistant on or before December 31st of each year.
The Board shall not issue a renewed license to any physician assistant who has
not certified that he or she has met the minimum continuing medical education
requirement unless the physician assistant is exempt from the
requirement.
(6) A physician
assistant who is unable to meet the minimum continuing medical education
requirement by reason of illness, disability or other circumstances beyond his
or her control may apply to the Board for a waiver of the requirement for the
calendar year in which such illness, disability or other hardship condition
existed. A waiver may be granted or denied within the sole discretion of the
Board, and the decision of the Board shall not be considered a contested case
and shall not be subject to judicial review under the Alabama Administrative
Procedure Act. If a waiver is granted, the physician assistant shall be exempt
from the continuing medical education requirement for the calendar year in
which the illness, disability or other hardship condition existed.
(7) A physician assistant receiving his or
her initial license to practice medicine in Alabama is exempt from the minimum
continuing medical education requirement for the calendar year in which he or
she receives his or her initial license.
(8) A physician assistant who is a member of
any branch of the armed forces of the United States and who is deployed for
military service is exempt from the continuing medical education requirement
for the calendar year in which he or she is deployed.
Notes
Author: Alabama Board of Medical Examiners
Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, ยงยง 34-24-290, et. seq.
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