Final Text
18VAC105-20-70. Requirements for continuing education.
A. Each license renewal shall be conditioned upon submission of evidence to the board of 16 hours of continuing education taken by the applicant during the previous license period.
1. Fourteen of the 16 hours shall pertain directly to the care of the patient. The 16 hours may include up to two hours of recordkeeping for patient care and up to two hours of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
2. For optometrists who are certified in the use of therapeutic
pharmaceutical agents, at least two of the required continuing education hours
shall be directly related to the prescribing and administration of such
drugs treatment of the human eye and its adnexa with pharmaceutical
agents.
3. Courses that are solely designed for which the
primary purpose is to promote the sale of specific instruments or products
and courses offering instruction on augmenting income are excluded and will not
receive credit by the board.
B. Each licensee shall attest to fulfillment of continuing education hours on the required annual renewal form. All continuing education shall be completed prior to December 31 unless an extension or waiver has been granted by the Continuing Education Committee. A request for an extension or waiver shall be received prior to December 31 of each year.
C. All continuing education courses shall be offered by an
approved sponsor [ or accrediting body ] listed in subsection
G [ or accredited as provided in subsection H ] of this
section. Courses that are not approved by a board-recognized sponsor in advance
shall not be accepted for continuing education credit. For those courses that
have a post-test requirement, credit will only be given if the optometrist
receives a passing grade as indicated on the certificate.
D. Licensees shall maintain continuing education documentation for a period of not less than three years. A random audit of licensees may be conducted by the board which will require that the licensee provide evidence substantiating participation in required continuing education courses within 14 days of the renewal date.
E. Documentation of hours shall clearly indicate the name of
the continuing education provider and its affiliation with an approved sponsor
[ or accrediting body ] as listed in subsection G [ or
accredited as provided in subsection H ] of this section.
Documents that do not have the required information shall not be accepted by
the board for determining compliance. Correspondence courses shall be credited
according to the date on which the post-test was graded as indicated on the
continuing education certificate.
F. A licensee shall be exempt from the continuing competency requirements for the first renewal following the date of initial licensure by examination in Virginia.
G. An approved continuing education course or program, whether offered by correspondence, electronically or in person, shall be sponsored [ , accredited, ] or approved by one of the following:
1. The American Optometric Association and its constituent organizations.
2. Regional optometric organizations.
3. State optometric associations and their affiliate local societies.
4. Accredited colleges and universities providing optometric or medical courses.
5. The American Academy of Optometry and its affiliate organizations.
6. The American Academy of Ophthalmology and its affiliate organizations.
7. The Virginia Academy of Optometry.
[ 8. Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (C.O.P.E.). ]
[ 9. 8. ] State or federal
governmental agencies.
[ 10. 9. ] College of
Optometrists in Vision Development.
[ 11. The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education
of the American Medical Association for Category 1 ] or Category 2 [ credit. ]
[ 10. 12. ] Providers of
training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
[ 11. 13. ] Optometric Extension
Program.
[ H. Courses accredited by the Council on
Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE) or the Accreditation Council for
Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) of the American Medical Association for
Category 1 or Category 2 credit shall be approved.
I. H. ] In order to maintain
approval for continuing education courses, providers or sponsors shall:
1. Provide a certificate of attendance that shows the date,
location, presenter or lecturer, content hours of the course and contact
information of the provider/sponsor for verification. The certificate of
attendance shall be based on verification by the sponsor of the attendee's
presence throughout the course, either provided by a post-test or by
[ an independent a designated ] monitor.
2. Maintain documentation about the course and attendance for at least three years following its completion.
[ J. I. ] Falsifying the
attestation of compliance with continuing education on a renewal form or
failure to comply with continuing education requirements may subject a licensee
to disciplinary action by the board, consistent with ยง54.1-3215 of the Code of
Virginia.