Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1155-02-.12 - CONTINUING EDUCATION

(1) The Board requires each licensed podiatrist to complete fifteen (15) clock hours of continuing education each calendar year (January 1 - December 31).

(a) Twelve (12) hours of the fifteen (15) clock hour requirement shall be clinical, scientific, or related to patient care. If the licensee is performing ankle surgery pursuant to T.C.A. § 63-3-101(b) (1), ten (10) of these twelve (12) hours shall pertain to the ankle surgery.

(b) Unless exempt under T.C.A. 63-1-402(c), all podiatrists holding a current Tennessee license shall complete a minimum of two (2) hours of continuing education biennially related to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department's treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol and may include topics such as medicine addiction, risk management tools, and other topics approved by the Board.

(c) Ten (10) hours of the fifteen (15) clock hour requirement must be completed in the traditional "lecture / classroom" format.

(d) Five (5) hours of the fifteen (15) clock hour requirement may be completed in any of the following multi-media formats:

1. The Internet

2. Closed circuit television

3. Satellite broadcasts

4. Correspondence courses

5. Videotapes

6. CD-ROM

7. DVD

8. Teleconferencing

9. Videoconferencing

10. Distance learning

(2) Acceptable continuing education shall consist of courses provided or sponsored by the APMA, APMA approved colleges of podiatric medicine, state, regional (zone), national and affiliated specialty groups, the U.S. federal government, or other education programs approved by the Board.

(3) Course Approval

(a) Courses to be offered for credit toward the required continuing education hours must, unless otherwise provided pursuant to 1155-02-.12(2), receive prior approval from the Board.

(b) Prior approval of a course may be obtained by submitting the following information to the Board's administrative office at least forty-five (45) days prior to the scheduled date of the course.

1. A course description or outline;

2. Names of all lecturers;

3. Brief resume of all lecturers;

4. Number of hours of educational credit requested;

5. Date of course;

6. How certification of attendance is to be documented.

(4) Documentation

(a) Each licensee must retain proof of attendance and completion of all continuing education requirements. This documentation must be retained for a period of four years from the end of the calendar year in which the continuing education was acquired. This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the Board during its verification process.

(b) Each licensee must, within thirty (30) days of a request from the Board, provide evidence of continuing education requirements. Such evidence must be by submission of one or more of the following:

1. Certificates verifying the licensee's attendance at continuing education program(s). The certificate must include the following: continuing education program's sponsor, date, clock hours awarded (continuing education units must be converted to clock hours), program title, licensee's name, license number and social security number.

2. An original letter on official stationery from the continuing education program's sponsor indicating, date, clock hours awarded (CE units must be converted to clock hours), program title, licensee's name, license number and social security number.

(c) If a person submits documentation for training that is not clearly identifiable as appropriate continuing education, the Board will request a written description of the training and how it applies to the practice of podiatry. If the Board determines that the training cannot be considered appropriate continuing education, the individual will be given ninety (90) days to replace the hours not allowed. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and cannot be counted during the next renewal period.

(5) Persons who are full-time residents in a graduate training program approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education and individuals who have been students of a Podiatry College during the year they obtain their Tennessee license shall be exempt from the CME requirements during that calendar year.

(6) Continuing education credit will not be allowed for the following:

(a) Regular work activities, administrative staff meetings, case staffing/reporting, etc.

(b) Membership in, holding office in, or participation on boards or committees, business meetings of professional organizations, or banquet speeches.

(7) Revocation of license for non-compliance with continuing education:

(a) If the continuing education requirement is not met, a letter is issued to the last known address of the individual requiring him to show cause why his license should not be revoked for failure to comply with the continuing education requirements.

(b) The licensee has 30 days from the date of notification to respond to the show cause letter and prepare for any hearing on the matter

(8) Continuing Education for Reactivation of Retired or Revoked License.

(a) Reactivation of Retired Licensure

1. An individual whose license has been retired for less than one year will be required to fulfill continuing education requirements as outlined in this rule as a prerequisite to reinstatement. Those hours will be considered replacement hours and can not be counted toward meeting the calendar year end requirement.

2. Any individual requesting reactivation of a license which has been retired for one or more years must submit, along with the reactivation request, verification which indicates the attendance and completion of fifteen (15) hours of continuing education for each year in which the license was retired or the equivalent of this state's requirement multiplied by the number of years in retirement. The continuing education hours must have been begun and successfully completed before the date of reinstatement.

(b) Reactivation of Revoked License.

1. No person whose license has been revoked for failure to comply with continuing education may have his license reinstated without complying with all the requirements. The required clock hours of continuing education must have been begun and completed before the date of reinstatement.

(9) Violations

(a) Any licensee who falsely certifies attendance and completion of the required hours of continuing education requirements may be subject to disciplinary action.

(b) Any licensee who fails to show compliance with the required continuing education hours in response to the notice contemplated by subparagraph (7) (a) above may be subject to disciplinary action.

(10) Waiver of Continuing Education

(a) The Board may grant a waiver of the need to attend and complete the required hours of continuing education if it can be shown to the Board that the failure to comply was not attributed to or was beyond the physical capabilities of the person seeking the waiver.

(b) Waivers will be considered only on an individual basis and may be requested by submitting the following items to the Board's administrative office:

1. A written request for a waiver which specifies what requirements are sought to be waived and a written and signed explanation of the reason for the request.

2. Any documentation which supports the reason for the waiver requested or which is subsequently requested by the Board.

(c) A waiver approved by the Board is effective only for the calendar year for which the waiver is sought.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1155-02-.12

Original rule filed November 10, 1998; effective January 14, 1999. Amendment filed August 23, 2001; effective November 6, 2001. Amendment filed July 22, 2002; effective October 5, 2002. Amendment filed April 26, 2006; effective July 10, 2006. Amendment filed March 23, 2007; effective June 6, 2007. Amendment filed August 9, 2007; effective October 23, 2007. Amendment filed January 20, 2012; effective April 19, 2012. Amendments filed January 31, 2017; effective 5/1/2017.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 63-1-107, 63-1-402, 63-3-101, 63-3-106, 63-3-109, 63-3-115, 63-3-116, and 63-3-119.