16 Tex. Admin. Code § 112.70 - Continuing Education-Hours, Courses, and Methods of Delivery
(a) This section applies to a hearing
instrument fitter and dispenser license holder.
(b) Except as provided under subsection (i),
a license holder must complete 20 continuing education hours during each
license term. The hours may be completed through the continuing education
methods prescribed under subsections (c) - (g).
(c) A license holder may earn the required
continuing education hours by completing continuing education courses offered
in-person, online, or virtually. The following conditions apply:
(1) A continuing education course must be
provided by a continuing education provider that holds a current department
registration.
(2) A license holder
may not receive more than 10 hours of continuing education credit per license
term from online courses offered by registered continuing education providers.
Virtual courses are not considered to be online courses.
(3) A license holder may not receive more
than 10 hours of continuing education credit per license term from in-person,
online, or virtual courses offered by registered manufacturer continuing
education providers.
(4) A license
holder will not receive credit for completing the same continuing education
course more than once during the same license term. If a provider offers the
same course content through different methods of delivery (in-person, online,
or virtual), the course is considered to be the same course.
(5) A license holder will not receive credit
unless the license holder attended the full continuing education course. A
license holder who is late or who leaves early will not receive credit for
attending the continuing education course. There is no partial credit for
attending less than the full course.
(d) A license holder may be credited with
continuing education hours for a published book or article written by the
license holder that contributes to the license holder's professional
competence.
(1) The department may approve
credit hours based on the degree that the published book or article advanced
knowledge regarding the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments.
(2) A license holder may not
receive more than 5 hours of continuing education credit per license term for
preparation of the published books or articles under this subsection.
(e) A license holder may
be credited with continuing education hours for completion of academic courses
at an accredited college or university in areas directly supporting development
of skills and competence in the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments.
(1) To receive credit for completion of
academic work, the license holder must submit an official transcript(s) from
accredited school(s)showing completion of hours in appropriate areas for which
the license holder received a passing grade.
(2) A license holder may not receive more
than the total number of academic credit hours earned per license term for the
completion of academic courses at an accredited college or university in areas
directly supporting development of skills and competence in the fitting and
dispensing of hearing instruments.
(f) A license holder may be credited with
continuing education hours for participating in or teaching programs directly
related to the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments, which are offered
by an accredited college or university.
(1)
These programs may include institutes, seminars, workshops, or conferences, but
not academic courses for students.
(2) To receive credit for participating in or
teaching programs, the license holder must submit to the department evidence
sufficient to prove a direct relation between teaching programs claimed for
continuing education credit directly relate to the fitting and dispensing of
hearing instruments. The department resolves all questions of evidentiary
sufficiency.
(3) A license holder
may not receive more than 5 hours of continuing education credit per license
term for participating in or teaching programs under this subsection.
(g) A license holder may
be credited with in-person continuing education hours by serving as a proctor
for the practical test, not to exceed one hour of in-person continuing
education credit for each test date and with a maximum of four hours of
in-person continuing education credit earned each license term.
(h) The department will not approve
continuing education credit for any license holder for:
(1) education incidental to the regular
professional activities of a license holder such as knowledge gained through
experience or research;
(2)
organization activity such as serving on committees or councils or as an
officer in a professional organization; and
(3) any program which is not described in, or
in compliance with, this section.
(i) Pursuant to Texas Occupations Code §
402.305, the
department may renew the license of a license holder who has not complied with
the continuing education requirements if the license holder:
(1) submits proof from an attending physician
that the license holder suffered a serious disabling illness or physical
disability that prevented compliance with the continuing education requirements
during the 24 months before the end of the license term; or
(2) was licensed for the first time during
the 24 months before the end of the license term.
Notes
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
(a) This section applies to a hearing instrument fitter and dispenser license holder.
(b) Except as provided under subsection (j), a license holder must complete 20 continuing education hours during each license term.
(c) Pursuant to 16 Texas Administrative Code (TAC), Chapter 59, a continuing education hour shall be 50 minutes of attendance in an approved continuing education course.
(d) No more than 10 continuing education hours per license term may be earned from an approved online continuing education course offered by an approved continuing education provider .
(e) No more than 5 continuing education hours per license term may be earned from an approved continuing education course offered by an approved manufacturer continuing education provider .
(f) A license holder may be credited with continuing education hours for a published book or article written by the license holder that contributes to the license holder's professional competence. The department may approve credit hours based on the degree that the published book or article advanced knowledge regarding the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments. No more than 5 contact hours per license term may be approved for preparation of a publication.
(g) Continuing education shall be acceptable if the education is described in subsection (f) or falls in one or more of the following categories:
(1) participation in approved continuing education courses offered by approved continuing education providers;
(2) completion of academic courses at an accredited college or university in areas directly supporting development of skills and competence in the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments;
(3) participation or teaching in programs directly related to the fitting and dispensing of hearing instruments (e.g., institutes, seminars, workshops, or conferences), which are approved or offered by an accredited college or university; and/or
(4) serving as a Proctor for the practical test, not to exceed one continuing education hour of continuing education credit for each test date and with a maximum of four continuing education hours of credit earned each license term.
(h) To receive credit for completion of academic work the license holder must submit an official transcript(s) from accredited school(s) showing completion of hours in appropriate areas for which the license holder received a passing grade.
(i) The department will not approve continuing education credit for any license holder for:
(1) education incidental to the regular professional activities of a license holder such as knowledge gained through experience or research;
(2) organization activity such as serving on committees or councils or as an officer in a professional organization; and
(3) any program which is not described in, or in compliance with, this section.
(j) Pursuant to Texas Occupations Code § 402.305, the department may renew the license of a license holder who has not complied with the continuing education requirements if the license holder:
(1) submits proof from an attending physician that the license holder suffered a serious disabling illness or physical disability that prevented compliance with the continuing education requirements during the twenty-four (24) months before the end of the license term; or
(2) was licensed for the first time during the twenty-four (24) months before the end of the license term.