Ohio Admin. Code 4725-9-03 - [Effective 1/1/2025] Board approval of continuing education

Continuing education programs must meet the following requirements in order to receive board approval and credit.

(A) Optometrists:

(1) Programs shall relate to the practice of optometry that will contribute to the advancement, extension and enhancement of professional skill, clinical and scientific knowledge of the participants and enable them to render continuously better and more comprehensive optometric service to the recipients of their care.

(2) Speakers, lecturers and others participating in the presentation of the programs must be recognized as possessing requisite qualifications and being expert and of recognized repute in their area of instruction.

(3) Programs shall be available to all Ohio optometrists. Limitations may be necessary based on space, time or format of presentation and must be so noted on application. Any program that is too restrictive may be denied approval.

(4) Programs cannot be used to market the sponsors/presenters products or services.

(5) The board will not approve for continuing education credit for articles written by the optometrist requesting the credit.

(6) The board, in its discretion, may approve a sponsor's continuing education documentation for a presenter to receive continuing education credit.

(7) The presenter's credit will be the same number of hours as the actual continuing education course. The maximum number of continuing education credits earned per biennial CE year is twelve hours. The continuing education credit earned shall be only one time per course with no exceptions.

(8) Practice management and/or ethics jurisprudence courses are approved for a maximum of four hours continuing education credit.

(9) Public health courses are approved for a maximum of three hours continuing education credit in any one compliance year.

(10) Written home study or electronic media (internet, webinars) courses will receive credit when the board is provided a record showing results of tests given on the course which is graded by an accredited optometric college or institution as approved by the board. No more than thirty hours credit will be granted in this category. This does not preclude a presenter from using electronic media programs in conjunction with their presentation.

(11) One hour of credit requires at least fifty minutes of instruction.

(12) Cardiopulmonary resuscitation refresher training is acceptable for up to three hours credit for any one continuing education period once every two years. The three hours can be utilized for pharmacology, continuing education compliance.

(13) Grand rounds, surgery observation, and other procedure oriented methods may be approved for continuing education credit. No more than sixteen hours credit will be granted in this category.

(14) Licensees may be granted up to no more than sixteen hours credit each CE study year by providing volunteer health care services to indigent and uninsured persons at a rate of one credit hour for each sixty minutes spent providing volunteer health care services in accordance with section 4745.04 of the Revised Code. These services shall be performed without receiving any compensation or other form of remuneration. Hours will not apply towards the twenty pharmacology hour requirement.

(15) Approved educational programs include, but are not limited to, those hereinafter listed. Approval is based on past performances and continued maintenance of acceptable standards and must meet the applicable criteria set forth in rule of the Administrative Code.

(a) Educational courses and meetings of a nationally accredited college of optometry.

(b) Educational courses and meetings that are accredited by the accreditation council for continuing medical education.

(c) Educational courses and meetings approved by the council on optometric practitioner education (COPE).

(d) Educational courses and meetings certified/approved by a Canadian province or state optometry board or its equivalent.

(e) Educational course and meetings provided for licensed optometrist serving in the active guard, or reserve components of the unifomed services of the United States. Approval shall be based on receipt of a letter from the commanding officer certifying the training meets the applicable requirements in rule of the Administrative Code.

(f) Other educational courses and meetings that are approved by the board as meeting the applicable criteria in rule of the Administrative Code, after submission of one copy of the application for optometric continuing education credit. Requests for approval of continuing education must be submitted by the sponsor and will not be considered if submitted by an individual attendee.

(B) Opticians:

(1) Applications for approval of optician continuing education not currently approved by a nationally recognized agency for credentialing of continuing education such as American board of opticianry, national contact lens examiners, shall be submitted on a form as designated by the board not less than thirty days prior to the date of the proposed program. The application shall include, but is not limited to:

(a) Sponsor name and sponsor contact information;

(b) Registration information;

(c) Speaker credentials indicating that the speaker or presenter possesses requisite qualifications and expertise in the area of instruction;

(d) Course start and end times;

(e) Summary of the types of hours requested;

(f) Presentation format and course outline;

(g) A copy of the proof of completion certificate, which includes the following information:

(i) Space for the printed name and signature of the licensee and license number;

(ii) Title and date of the program;

(iii) Name of the provider; and,

(iv) The number and type of hours earned.

(2) All continuing education shall relate to the practice of opticianry as applicable and in accordance with rules of this chapter.

(3) Continuing education related to practice management, office procedures, social legislation and any other courses not directly relating to optical dispensing may be considered for management credit.

(4) Programs shall be made available to any Ohio licensed dispensing optician.

(5) Credit shall be awarded on the basis of an academic hour. To receive an hour credit, one must attend one full academic hour. No fractional hour shall be awarded.

(6) The board, in its discretion, may approve a sponsor's continuing education documentation for a presenter to receive continuing education credit.

(7) The presenter's credit will be the same number of hours as the actual continuing education course. The maximum number of continuing education credits earned per biennial CE year is six hours. The continuing education credit earned shall be only one time per course with no exceptions.

(8) Any of the following may be used by a licensed optician to satisfy the continuing education requirements set forth in section 4725.51 of the Revised Code and this chapter of the Administrative Code:

(a) A continuing education activity which has been approved by the board;

(b) A continuing education activity which has been approved by a nationally recognized accreditation system of continuing education for opticians, such as, but not limited to:

(i) American board of opticianry (ABO);

(ii) National contact lens examiners (NCLE);

(iii) Educational courses and meetings that are accredited by a Canadian province or state opticianry board or its equivalent.

(9) The following activities shall not be used by a licensed optician to satisfy the continuing education requirements of section 4725.51 of the Revised Code and this chapter:

(a) Repetition of any education activity with identical content and course objectives within a single biennial period;

(b) An agency specific orientation or in-service program;

(c) A self-directed independent study such as reading of texts or journal articles which have not been approved by the board as an independent study;

(d) Participation in clinical practice which is not part of an approved continuing education activity;

(e) A personal development activity;

(f) Professional meetings or conventions except for those portions designated as a board-approved continuing education activity;

(g) Community service or volunteer practice;

(h) Continuing education ordered by the board pursuant to disciplinary action;

(i) Membership in an opticianry organization; or

(j) Any other as determined by the board.

(10) Continuing education program definitions for opticians:

(a) "Academic hour" means fifty to sixty minutes of continuing education.

(b) "Conference" or "seminar" means a meeting of eyecare professionals for discussing matters of common concern and an exchange of views and information for the purpose of exploring a subject.

(c) "Continuing education" means a planned learning activity that builds upon a licensee's pre-licensure education and apprenticeship which enables the license holder to acquire or improve skills, knowledge, or behavior that promotes professional and technical development and advances the licesnsee's career goals.

(d) "Program" means the presentation of the approved content of individual courses of a seminar/conference.

(e) "Proof of completion" means a legible copy of the continuing education certificate which verifies that the licensee has satisfactorily completed approved continuing education or an electronic listing from a provider with licensee name, proper format of license number, date completed, course title, type of course, number of continuing education hours, and approved organization.

(f) "Sponsor" means the planner of the conference, seminar or program.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 4725-9-03

Effective: 1/1/2025
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 11/20/2028
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 4725.09, 4725.44
Rule Amplifies: 4725.09, 4725.16, 4725.44
Prior Effective Dates: 03/10/1975, 07/28/2008, 10/01/2011, 08/30/2019, 07/18/2022, 11/30/2023