Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 500-5-.01 - Continuing Education Hours. Amended

(1) The purpose of continuing education hours for podiatrists is to maintain and enhance the professional competence of podiatrists licensed to practice in Georgia for the protection of the health and welfare of the people of the State of Georgia.

(2) As a requirement for the biennial renewal of his/her license, a podiatrist must certify to the Georgia State Board of Podiatry Examiners the completion of not less than fifty (50) hours of approved continuing education in the preceding two (2) years prior to the license expiration date.

(a) No more than twenty-five (25) hours shall be obtained from online courses/correspondence courses/webinar, and such courses must be approved by the Council of Podiatric Medical Education (CPME).

(b) Up to ten (10) hours may be obtained live (in person) from any healthcare related source.

(c) At least thirty (30) continuing medical education hours must be approved by the Council of Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) and/or the Georgia Podiatric Medical Association (GPMA).

(d) Every Podiatrist who maintains an active DEA certificate and prescribes controlled substances, except those holding a residency training permit, shall complete, at least one time, three (3) hours of CME that is specifically designed to address controlled substance prescribing practices. The controlled substance prescribing CME shall include instruction on controlled substance prescribing guidelines, recognizing signs of the abuse or misuse of controlled substances, and controlled substance prescribing for acute pain management.

(i) Beginning the biennium ending August 31, 2023, Podiatrists must certify on their renewal application that the controlled substance prescribing CME requirement has been met. Once completed, this specific CME requirement shall not be required for subsequent renewals.

(ii) Any controlled substance prescribing guidelines coursework that meets the requirements of this rule will count toward completion of this requirement provided that the podiatrist can submit documentation of such to the satisfaction of the Board.

(iii) Completion of this requirement may count toward the CME requirement for license renewal if submitted during the biennium in which the coursework was taken.

(3) A podiatrist who has obtained a Georgia license by reciprocity, reinstatement or by examination, and who must renew his or her Georgia license for the first time, shall obtain the following number of continuing education hours prior to renewal of the license:

(a) If the license was issued or reinstated during the first six (6) months of the biennial renewal period, from September of the odd numbered year to the end of the following February, the full fifty (50) hours of continuing education shall be required for renewal in accordance with (2)(a-d) of this rule;

(b) If the license was issued or reinstated during the following twelve (12) months of the biennial renewal period, from March of the even numbered year to February of the odd numbered year of the licensure period, thirty (30) hours of continuing education shall be required for the license renewal;

(i) No more than five (5) hours shall be obtained from online courses/correspondence courses/webinar, and such courses must be approved by the Council of Podiatric Medical Education (CPME).

(ii) Up to five (5) hours may be obtained live (in person) from any healthcare related source.

(iii) At least twenty (20) continuing medical education hours must be approved by the Council of Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) and/or the Georgia Podiatric Medical Association (GPMA) and must be obtained live (in person).

(iv) Podiatrist who maintain an active DEA certificate and prescribes controlled substances, except those holding a residency training permit, shall complete, at least one time, three (3) hours of CME that is specifically designed to address controlled substance prescribing practices. The controlled substance prescribing CME shall include instruction on controlled substance prescribing guidelines, recognizing signs of the abuse or misuse of controlled substances, and controlled substance prescribing for pain management. Completion of this requirement may count toward the CME requirement for license renewal if submitted during the biennium in which the coursework was taken.

(c) If the license was issued or reinstated during the last six (6) months of the biennial renewal period, from March of the odd numbered year to August of the odd numbered year, the licensee shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements for that biennial licensing cycle and no continuing education hours shall be required to renew the license.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 500-5-.01

O.C.G.A. §§ 43-1-4, 43-1-25, 43-35-9, 43-35-15.

Original Rule entitled "General Requirements" adopted. F. Sept. 7, 1989; eff. Sept. 27, 1989. Repealed: New Rule of same title adopted. F. May 15, 1995; eff. June 4, 1995. Repealed: New Rule entitled "Continuing Education Hours" adopted. F. May 7, 2012; eff. May 27, 2012. Amended: F. Sep. 4, 2015; eff. Sept. 24, 2015. Amended: F. Mar. 1, 2017; eff. Mar. 21, 2017. Amended: F. Nov. 22, 2022; eff. Dec. 12, 2022. Note: Rule 500-5-.01, correction of a recently discovered typographical error as requested by the Board, in subparagraph (2)(c), "At least thirty (30) continuing medical education hours must be approved by the Council of Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) and/or the Georgia Podiatric Medical Association (GPMA) and must be obtained live (in person)." corrected to "At least thirty (30) continuing medical education hours must be approved by the Council of Podiatric Medical Education (CPME) and/or the Georgia Podiatric Medical Association (GPMA)." The text "... and must be obtained live (in person)" was deleted to reflect the Rule as originally promulgated and adopted. Effective March 15, 2023.