16 Tex. Admin. Code § 114.50 - Continuing Education
(a) This section
applies to licensees of the department. This section does not apply to a
temporary license or a student registration.
(b) The first continuing education period
shall begin after the licensee has renewed the license for the first time.
Continuing education is not required during the initial license period.
Subsequently, a licensee shall attend continuing education activities as a
condition of renewal of a license.
(c) Continuing education periods shall be two
years in length. The period coincides with the license period.
(d) Determination of continuing education
credits.
(1) For seminars, lectures,
presentations, symposia, workshops, conferences and similar activities, 50
minutes shall be considered as one credit hour.
(2) Course work completed at or through an
accredited college or university shall be credited based on eight credits for
each semester hour completed for credit. Continuing education credit will be
granted for a grade of C or better for the continuing education period in which
the course is completed.
(e) Licensees shall attend and complete
qualifying continuing education each renewal period unless the licensee is
exempt under subsection (l).
(1) Licensees
must maintain a record of continuing education credits earned by the licensee
and proof of completion of the continuing education credits, which may include
certificates, transcripts from certifying agencies or associations, letters
from program sponsors concerning the licensee's attendance and participation,
or other documentation satisfactory to the department verifying the licensee's
attendance or participation.
(2)
Attendance and completion of the following number of continuing education
credits are required during each renewal period:
(A) prosthetist or orthotist
license--24;
(B) prosthetist and
orthotist license--40;
(C)
prosthetist or orthotist assistant--12;
(D) prosthetist and orthotist assistant--20;
and
(E) prosthetist with orthotist
assistant license or orthotist with prosthetist assistant
license--32.
(f) At least 50% of the total hours of
continuing education required must be live, instructor-directed activities.
Fifty percent or less may be self-directed study. For purposes of this section,
live or pre-recorded instructor-directed activities may be offered in-person or
using telecommunications or information technology that permits two-way
interaction between the instructor and the attendee.
(g) Continuing education hours must be
directly related to prosthetics, orthotics, physical or occupational therapy,
orthopedic, podiatric, pedorthic, physical medicine or other subjects approved
by the department.
(h) Continuing
education credits must be offered or approved by a state, regional or national
prosthetic or orthotic, or allied health organization or offered by a regional
accredited college or university.
(i) Continuing education undertaken by a licensee shall be
acceptable if the licensee attends and participates in an activity in the
following categories:
(1) academic
courses;
(2) clinical
courses;
(3) in-service educational
programs, training programs, institutes, seminars, workshops, and
conferences;
(4) self-study
modules, with or without audio and video components, and interactive
computer-generated learning activities, if a post-test is required and the
number of hours completed do not exceed 50% of the credits required;
(5) distance learning activities and
audiovisual teleconferences, provided a documented post-test is completed and
passed;
(6) instructing or
presenting in activities listed in paragraphs (1) - (3). Multiple presentations
of the same program or equivalent programs may only be counted once during a
continuing education period;
(7)
writing a book or article applicable to the practice of prosthetics or
orthotics. Four (4) credits for an article and eight (8) credits for a book
will be granted for a publication in the continuing education period in which
the book or article was published. Multiple publications of the same article or
an equivalent article may only be counted once during a continuing education
period. Publications may account for 25% or less of the required
credit;
(8) completing the human
trafficking prevention training required under Occupations Code, Chapter 116,
and §
114.40(c)(6) of
this chapter. A maximum of one (1) credit will be granted for completion of the
training during a continuing education period; and
(9) completing the jurisprudence examination
required by §
114.22(b) of
this chapter. Only one (1) self-directed study credit will be granted for
completion of the examination during a continuing education
period.
(j) Reporting of
continuing education credit.
(1) At the time
of license renewal, licensees shall file a continuing education report on a
department-approved form.
(2) The
department shall employ an audit system for continuing education reporting. The
license holder shall be responsible for maintaining a record of his or her
continuing education experiences. The certificates, diplomas, or other
documentation verifying earning of continuing education hours are not to be
forwarded to the department at the time of renewal unless the license holder
has been selected for audit.
(3)
The audit process shall be as follows:
(A)
The department shall select for audit a random sample of license holders for
each renewal month. License holders will be notified of the continuing
education audit when they receive their renewal notice.
(B) If selected for an audit, the licensee
shall submit copies of certificates, transcripts or other documentation
satisfactory to the department, verifying the licensee's attendance,
participation and completion of the continuing education. All documentation
must be provided at the time of renewal.
(C) Failure to timely furnish this
information or providing false information during the audit process or the
renewal process, are grounds for disciplinary action against the license
holder.
(D) A licensee who is
selected for continuing education audit may renew through the online renewal
process. However, the license will not be considered renewed until required
continuing education documents are received, accepted and approved by the
department.
(k)
Licenses will not be renewed until continuing education requirements have been
met.
(l) The following licensees
are exempt from the requirements of this section if the qualifying event
occurred during the twenty-four (24) months immediately preceding the license
expiration date. The licensee shall submit proof satisfactory to the
department:
(1) a licensee who suffered a
mental or physical illness or disability that prevented the licensee from
complying with the requirements of this section; or
(2) a licensee who suffered a catastrophic
event such as a flood, fire, tornado or hurricane that prevented the licensee
from complying with the requirements of this section.
(m) Licensees employed as faculty in CAAHEP
accredited programs or in programs having educational standards equal to or
greater than CAAHEP in prosthetics and orthotics shall be exempt from 50% of
the continuing education requirements in this section.
(n) Licensed practitioners who are renewing
under retired voluntary charity care status shall be exempt from 50% of the
continuing education requirements in this section.
(o) Failure to submit documentation
satisfactory to the department as required by subsection (l), shall be
considered the same as failing to meet the continuing education requirements of
this section.
(p) Untrue
documentation or information submitted to the department may subject the
licensee to disciplinary action.
(q) Activities unacceptable as continuing
education for which the department may not grant continuing education credit
are:
(1) education incidental to the
licensee's regular professional activities such as learning occurring from
experience or research;
(2)
professional organization activity such as serving on boards, committees or
councils or as an officer;
(3)
continuing education activities completed before the renewal period;
and
(4) performance of duties that
are routine job duties or requirements.
Notes
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