49 Pa. Code § 40.63 - Continuing education for direct access certificateholder
(a)
Definitions. The
following word, when used in this section, has the following meaning, unless
the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Certificateholder-A licensed physical therapist who holds a certificate of authorization to practice physical therapy without a referral.
(b)
Continuing education requirement for renewal of certificate of
authorization. Beginning after the first renewal of the certificate of
authorization, as a condition of certificate renewal, a physical therapist
shall have completed during the preceding biennium a minimum of 30 contact
hours of physical therapy continuing education related to keeping the
certificateholder apprised of advancements and new developments in the practice
of the physical therapy profession. At least 10 of the 30 contact hours shall
be in evaluative procedures to treat a person without a referral. During
renewal periods prior to January 1, 2013, a direct access certificateholder
need complete only 20 hours of continuing education, including at least 10
hours in evaluative procedures.
(c)
Reports to the Board. A certificateholder shall certify
compliance with the continuing education hours requirement at the time of
biennial renewal of the certificate. A certificateholder shall retain proof of
completion of continuing education for 5 years after completion of the
continuing education or after the completion of the renewal period during which
the continuing education was required or applied, whichever is later. These
records are subject to audit by the Board.
(d)
Approved courses and
programs.
(1) Courses and programs
approved by the Board will be accepted as satisfying the continuing education
requirement. It is the responsibility of the certificateholder to ascertain the
approval status of the course or program before undertaking a continuing
education activity.
(2)
Irrespective of the sponsor, the Board reserves the right to reject a
continuing education course or program submitted by a certificateholder if it
is outside the scope of practice of physical therapy. The Board will not accept
courses or programs which are unrelated to the actual practice of physical
therapy-for example, instruction in office management or practice building. A
certificate-holder will be notified of a rejected course or program in writing,
along with the reason for the rejection.
(3) Sponsors of physical therapy continuing
education seeking Board approval of individual courses and programs shall
submit an application at least 60 days prior to the date the continuing
education course or program is due to take place on forms provided by the Board
and pay the required fee. The applicant will be notified of approval or
disapproval in writing. Notifications of disapproval will set forth reasons.
The Board will not approve a course or program unless the sponsor:
(i) Offers courses or programs, or both, with
specific learning objectives geared to improve the professional competence of
the participant.
(ii) Verifies
attendance of the course.
(iii)
Provides each attendee with a certificate which includes participant's name,
date, place, course title, presenter and number of contact hours.
(4) The Board may withdraw
approval of a sponsor for cause. The sponsor will be notified in writing of the
reasons for withdrawal of approval.
(5) A sponsor seeking approval who is unable
to submit the application at least 60 days prior to the date the course or
program is given may request a waiver in writing setting forth the reasons why
the 60-day requirement could not be met.
(6) Approval of a course or program shall be
valid for 1 year after approval. In the event that the sponsor is scheduling
multiple courses or programs, the sponsor shall indicate on the application
each date the course or program is to be given.
(e)
Distance education. A
certificateholder may accrue all required hours in distance education courses
offered by approved sponsors of continuing education as long as the course
sponsor evaluates and assesses the extent of learning that has taken
place.
(f)
Reinstatement of
certificate. Reinstatement of certificate shall be subject to the
following conditions:
(1) A person whose
certificate has lapsed or been inactive shall show compliance with the
continuing education requirement during the biennium immediately preceding the
request for reinstatement.
(2) A
person whose certificate has been suspended or restricted shall show compliance
with the continuing education requirement during the entire period of
suspension or restriction.
(g)
Waivers; exemptions for
continuing education. The Board may, in individual cases involving
physical disability or illness, or undue hardship, grant a waiver of the
continuing education requirements or grant an extension of time to complete the
requirements. A waiver or extension of time will not be granted unless a
written request is submitted by or on behalf of the licensee. In case of
physical disability or illness, the request must include supporting
documentation provided by a physician licensed in this Commonwealth or another
state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia and whose
license is in good standing. Necessary documentation must be received by the
Board no later than 90 days preceding the biennial renewal. If the physical
disability or illness or undue hardship for which the waiver has been granted
continues beyond the period of the waiver, the licensee shall reapply for an
extension of the waiver. The Board may, as a condition of any waiver granted,
require the licensee to make up all or part of the continuing education
involved.
(h)
Preapproved
sponsors. In addition to sponsors whose specific courses and programs
are approved, the Board finds the following entities have currently met the
standards for approved courses and programs. Accordingly, courses or programs
that otherwise meet all requirements for required continuing education are
approved when offered by the following sponsors:
(1) APTA and its components.
(2) FSBPT and its jurisdictions.
(3) Graduate education programs accredited by
CAPTE.
(4) Postentry level
doctorate of physical therapy programs in an academic institution accredited by
a regional accrediting organization recognized by the Council of Regional
Accrediting Commissions on behalf of the Council for Higher Education
Accreditation.
(i)
General continuing education requirement. Hours of continuing
education applied to satisfy the requirement of this section may also be
applied to satisfy the requirement of §
40.67 (relating to continuing
education for licensed physical therapist). Satisfaction of the continuing
education requirement in this section will be deemed to establish satisfaction
of the continuing education requirement in §
40.67.
Notes
The provisions of this § 40.63 issued under sections 3 and 9(c) of the Physical Therapy Practice Act (63 P. S. §§ 1303 and 1309(a)); and section 812.1 of The Administrative Code of 1929 (71 P. S. § 279.3a); amended under section 3(a), 4(a), 6, 7.2, 9.1 and 11(a) of the Physical Therapy Practice Act (63 P. S. §§ 1303(a), 1304(a), 1306, 1307.2, 1309.1 and 1311(a)); and section 16 of the act of July 4, 2008 (P. L. 293, No. 38).
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