Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 360-5-.07 - Continuing Education Requirements
(1) Physician assistants licensed to practice
pursuant to O.C.G.A.
43-34-103shall complete Board approved continuing medical education of not less than
forty (40) hours biennially. Effective with the 2009-2010 biennium, at least
ten (10) hours shall be directly related to the specialty of the Board approved
primary supervising physician. Physician assistants who are authorized to issue
prescription drug orders shall be required as a part of the number of hours of
continuing education required herein, to complete a minimum of three (3) hours
in practice specific pharmaceuticals in which the physician assistant has
prescription order privileges.
(a) Physician
assistants who are initially licensed by the Board and who have not renewed
their license for the first time shall not be required to complete the 40 hours
of continuing education during their first renewal, but physician assistants
who have to issue prescriptive drug orders shall be required to complete the 3
hours of continuing education in practice specific pharmaceuticals in which the
physician assistant has prescription order privileges.
(b) Physician assistants whose licenses are
not active, such as those who are inactive or revoked are not required to
complete the continuing education until such time as they are seeking
reactivation or reinstatement.
(c)
Except for the three hours of continuing education relating to pharmaceuticals,
the Board is authorized to waive the continuing education required for renewal
in cases of hardship, disability, illness, service in the United States
Congress or Georgia General Assembly, military service or other circumstances
as the Board deems appropriate if supported by adequate documentation
acceptable to the Board.
1. Physician
assistants seeking such an exemption must submit a written request and
documentation to support their eligibility for such an exemption.
2. Said request for an exemption shall be
submitted to the Board not less than 60 days prior to the expiration of the
license to receive a determination from the Board as to whether an exemption
would be granted.
(2) The Board accepts the A.M.A. (American
Medical Association) Category 1, the A.O.A. (American Osteopathic Association)
Category 1, A.A.A.A. (American Academy of Anesthesiologist's Assistants)
Category 1, AAFP (American Academy of Family Physicians) Category I, and the
A.A.P.A. (American Academy of Physician Assistants) Category 1 credit as
meeting its requirement for Board approval. It is the responsibility of the
physician assistant to verify approval with the source of the program, not with
the Board, and the physician assistant shall verify approval before taking the
course.
(3) Each licensed physician
assistant must maintain records of attendance and supporting documents for
continuing education for a period of 5 years from the date of attendance. At a
minimum, the following must be kept:
(a) Name
of Provider;
(b) Date of
completion;
(c) Evidence of A.M.A.
Category 1 credit; A.O.A. Category 1 credit; A.A.P.A, AAFP, Category 1 credit;
or A.A.A.A. Category 1 credit.
(4) The Board will audit a fixed percentage
of randomly selected renewal applications to monitor compliance with the
continuing education requirements. Any licensee so audited shall be required to
furnish documentation of compliance as provided in paragraph (4) of this rule.
Any licensee so audited who has been found to be out of compliance with the
Board's continuing requirements may be subject to disciplinary
action.
(5) If the licensee has not
complied with the continuing education requirement by the expiration of the
license, his/her license shall not be renewed and the licensee shall not
practice as a physician assistant. A licensee may late renew during the three
(3) months following the expiration date of his or her license by presenting
satisfactory evidence to the Board of completion of the requisite number of
hours of Board approved continuing education and the late renewal fee. Licenses
that are not renewed within three (3) months following the expiration date of
the license shall be revoked for failure to renew. In order to obtain a valid
license after revocation for failure to renew, an applicant must apply for
reinstatement.
(6) Continuing
education hours that are used to satisfy a deficiency for the previous biennial
renewal may not be used for purposes of renewal for the next
biennium.
Notes
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