Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 16, § 361 - Continuing Education Requirements

(a) For purposes of this section, "implementation date" means two years following June 8, 2011.

(b) For license renewals that expire on or after the implementation date, the number of required hours of continuing education courses shall be twenty-four (24). For license renewals that expire prior to the implementation date, the number of required hours of continuing education courses shall be twelve (12).

(c) For license renewals that expire on or after the implementation date, a maximum of twelve (12) continuing education hours may be completed through distance learning as defined in Section 363.1. For license renewals that expire prior to the implementation date, a maximum of six (6) continuing education hours may be completed through distance learning as defined in Section 363.1.

(d) Any continuing education hours accumulated before June 8, 2011 that meet the requirements in effect on the date the hours were accumulated, will be accepted by the board for license renewals.

(e) On or after the implementation date, licensees shall complete a minimum of two (2) hours in subdivision (g)(11) -- Ethics and Law, a minimum of four (4) hours in any one of, or a combination of, the subject areas specified in subdivision (g)(3) -- History Taking and Physical Examination Procedures, subdivision (g)(5) -- Chiropractic Adjustive Techniques or Chiropractic Manipulation Techniques, or subdivision (g)(10) -- Proper and Ethical Billing and Coding.

(f) With the exception of the mandatory hours referenced in subdivision (e), the remaining eighteen (18) hours of additional continuing education requirements may be met by taking courses in any of the subject areas listed in subdivision (g) or courses taken pursuant to subdivision (h). The eighteen (18) hours may include any combination of continuing education courses in subject areas specified in either subdivision (g) or approved by agencies specified in subdivision (h). By way of example, a licensee may take eight (8) hours of continuing education courses in subject areas listed in subdivision (g), that are approved by the board, and ten (10) hours of continuing education courses that are approved by the California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers Compensation pursuant to subparagraph (1) of subdivision (h).

(g) Courses approved by the board shall be limited to the following subject areas:

1. Philosophy of chiropractic, including the historical development of chiropractic as an art and science and health care approach; the vertebral subluxation complex and somato-visceral reflexes including their relationships between disease and health; and other chiropractic theory and philosophy.

2. Instruction in basic sciences of anatomy, histology, neurology, physiology, nutrition, pathology, biochemistry or toxicology.

3. Instruction in various basic to comprehensive history taking and physical examination procedures, including but not limited to orthopedic, neurological and general diagnosis related to evaluation of the neuro-musculoskeletal systems, and includes general diagnosis and differential diagnosis of all conditions that affect the human body.

4. Diagnostic testing procedures, interpretation and technologies that aid in differential diagnosis of all conditions that affect the human body.

5. Chiropractic adjustive techniques or chiropractic manipulation techniques.

6. Pain management theory, including, but not limited to, current trends in treatment and instruction in the physiology and anatomy of acute, sub-acute and chronic pain.

7. Physiotherapy.

8. Instruction in Manipulation Under Anesthesia including the safe handling of patients under anesthesia.

9. Instruction in the aspects of special population care, including, but not limited to, geriatric, pediatric, and athletic care as related to the practice of chiropractic.

10. Instruction in proper and ethical billing and coding, including accurate and effective record keeping and documentation of evaluation, treatment and progress of a patient. This is not to include practice building or patient recruitment/retention or business techniques or principles that teach concepts to increase patient visits or patient fees per case.

11. Ethics and law: including but not limited to: truth in advertising; professional boundaries; mandatory reporting requirements for child abuse/neglect, elder abuse/neglect; spousal or cohabitant abuse/neglect; sexual boundaries between patient and doctors; review of the specific laws, rules and regulations related to the practice of chiropractic in the State of California.

12. Adverse event avoidance, including reduction of potential malpractice issues.

13. Pharmacology, including side effects, drug interactions and the pharmodynamics of various commonly prescribed and over-the-counter drugs; drug reactions and interactions with herbs, vitamins and nutritional supplements; blood and urinalysis testing used in the diagnosis and detection of disease, including use of and interpretation of drug testing strips or kits utilizing urinalysis, saliva, hair and nail clippings.

14. A licensee may earn up to a maximum of two (2) hours of continuing education credit in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, basic life support or use of an automated external defibrillator.

15. Board Meeting: A licensee may earn a maximum of four (4) hours of continuing education credit per renewal period for attending a full board meeting that includes the hearing of cases related to petitioners seeking the reinstatement of revoked licenses or early termination of probationary licenses. A petitioner may not earn any continuing education hours for attending a board meeting on the same day in which said petitioner's hearing is conducted. The attendance of a licensee at a board meeting under this subparagraph shall be monitored and confirmed by board staff designated by the Executive Officer.

16. Any of the following as related to the practice of chiropractic:

(A) Principles of practice.

(B) Wellness. (prevention, health maintenance)

(C) Rehabilitation.

(D) Public health.

(h) With the exception of the mandatory courses specified in subdivision (e), the remaining continuing education requirements may be met by taking continuing education courses, including distance learning, that are approved by either of the following:

(1) The California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers Compensation.

(2) Any Healing Arts Board or Bureau within Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code or approved by any organization authorized to approve continuing education by any Healing Arts Board or Bureau in Division 2 of the Business and Professions Code.

(i) The continuing education providers and courses referenced in subdivision (h) do not need to be approved by the Board for credit to be granted nor do they need to meet the requirements contained in Sections 362, 363, and 363.1.

Notes

Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 16, § 361

1. Renumbering of former section 356 to section 361, including amendment of section heading, repealer and new section and amendment of NOTE, filed 5-9-2011; operative 6-8-2011 (Register 2011, No. 19).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 1000- 4(b) and 1000- 4(e), Business and Professions Code (Chiropractic Initiative Act of California Stats. 1923 p. 1xxxviii). Reference: Sections 1000- 4(b) and 1000- 10(a), Business and Professions Code (Chiropractic Initiative Act of California Stats. 1923 p. 1xxxviii).

1. Renumbering of former section 356 to section 361, including amendment of section heading, repealer and new section and amendment of Note, filed 5-9-2011; operative 6-8-2011 (Register 2011, No. 19).