Continuing Competence Regulations

1399.669. Continuing Competence Required
1399.670. Approved Continuing Education Programs.
1399.671. Criteria for Approval of Courses.
1399.672. Continuing Education for Acupuncture Practice.
1399.673. Survey of Need and Self-Assessment Required.
1399.674. Withdrawal of Approval; Appeal Procedure.
1399.675. Continuing Competence Course.
1399.676. Audit and Sanctions for Noncompliance.
1399.677. Credit for Teaching.
1399.678. Waiver of Requirement.
1399.679. Inactive License.

1399.669. Continuing Competence Required.

(a) Each doctor of podiatric medicine is required to complete 50 hours of approved continuing education, including a minimum of 12 hours in subjects related to the lower extremity muscular skeletal system, and one of the continuing competence pathways specified in Business and Professions Code Section 2496(a) through (h), during each two (2) year renewal period.
(b) Each doctor of podiatric medicine renewing his or her license under the provisions of Section 2423 of the code may be required to submit proof satisfactory to the board of compliance with the provisions of this article every two (2) years.
(c) Each doctor of podiatric medicine in order to renew his or her license at each renewal period shall report compliance with the provisions of this article by signing and returning the declaration contained in the license renewal application.
(d) Any doctor of podiatric medicine who cannot comply with the provisions of this article during a two (2) year period shall be ineligible for the next renewal of his or her license unless such licensee applies for and obtains a waiver pursuant to Section 1399.678 below.
NOTE: Authority and reference cited: Section 2496, Business and Professions Code.
HISTORY:

1399.670. Approved Continuing Education Programs.

Only scientific courses relating directly to patient care under the following categories are approved for continuing medical education credit:
(a) Programs approved by the California Podiatric Medical Association or the American Podiatric Medical Association and their affiliated organizations.
(b) Programs approved for Category 1 credit of the American Medical Association, the California Medical Association, or their affiliated organizations, and programs approved by the American Osteopathic Association, or the California Osteopathic Association or their affiliated organizations.
(c) Programs offered by approved colleges or schools of podiatric medicine, medicine and osteopathic medicine.
(d) Programs approved by a government agency.
(e) Completion of a podiatric residency program or clinical fellowship in a hospital approved under Section 1399.667 shall be credited for 50 hours of approved continuing education.
(f) Programs offered by other individuals, organizations and institutions approved by the board pursuant to Section 1399.671 below.
NOTE: Authority and reference cited: Section 2496, Business and Professions Code.
HISTORY:

1399.671. Criteria for Approval of Courses.

(a) Only those individuals, organizations or institutions seeking approval by the board of continuing education courses or programs under Section 1399.671, subs. (e), above, shall apply for such approval on a form provided by the board. Those individuals, organizations and institutions approved under Section 1399.671, subsections (a) through (d) need not apply to the board for approval.
(b) Those individuals, organizations and institutions applying for approval of course or program offerings by the board under Section 1399.671, subs. (e), shall submit such documents and other evidence as may be needed by the board to determine compliance with the criteria set forth below, including but not limited to, catalogues, course descriptions, curricula plans and bulletins.
(c) Those courses or programs referred to in Section 1399.671, subs. (e), shall meet the following criteria in order to be approved by the board on an hour-for-hour basis:

• (1)Faculty-The course or program organizer(s) shall have a faculty appointment in a public university or state college or in a private postsecondary educational institution authorized or approved pursuant to Section 94310 of the Education Code. The appointment may be in disciplines other than medicine but directly related to the practice of podiatric medicine or medicine. The curriculum vitae of all faculty members and all other organizers shall be kept on file.
• (2)Rationale-The need for the course and how the need was determined shall be clearly stated and maintained on file.
• (3)Course Content-The content of the course and how the need was determined shall be clearly stated and maintained on file.
• (4)Educational Objectives-Each course or program shall clearly state educational objectives that can be realistically accomplished within the framework of the course.
• (5)Method of Instruction-Teaching methods for each course or program shall be described, e.g., lecture, seminar, audio-visual simulation, etc.
• (6)Attendance-Course organizers shall maintain a record of attendance of each participant.

NOTE: Authority and reference cited: Section 2496, Business and Professions Code.

HISTORY:

1399.672. Continuing Education for Acupuncture Practice.

(a) A doctor of podiatric medicine may engage in the practice of acupuncture as part of the practice of podiatric medicine if he or she has completed a course of instruction as provided in this section.
(b) The course of instruction shall have a minimum of 25 hours of training and include the following subject areas:

• (1)Survey of traditional Oriental medicine: ''Traditional Oriental Medicine'' is the theory and practice of traditional diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. It is the basis of oriental diagnosis and encompasses the differentiation of syndromes according to symptom complexes of blood, chi and humor, and classical and contemporary literature on acupuncture and Chinese medicine;
• (2)Acupuncture points of the lower extremities;
• (3)Acupuncture techniques.

(c) The course of instruction shall be obtained from one of the following:

• (1)College or school of podiatric medicine approved under Section 1399.661;
• (2)A college or school of acupuncture approved by the Acupuncture Board;
• (3)A program approved under Section 1399.670.

(d) A course of instruction in acupuncture which meets the requirements of this section shall be credited toward required hours of continuing education.
NOTE: Authority cited: Section 2496, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 2496 and 4947, Business and Professions Code.
HISTORY:

1399.673. Survey of Need and Self-Assessment Required.

In addition to any other requirements for approval, all approved individuals, organizations, institutions, and other continuing education providers listed in Section 1399.671, with the exception of residency programs and clinical fellowships, may
(a) Utilize a survey of the podiatric medical community in order to determine those areas of clinical practice in which there is the greatest need in terms of demonstrated and expressed needs for additional information and instruction directly relevant to quality patient care and developments in the practice of podiatric medicine; and
(b) Provide a self-assessment evaluation in an objective format for each participant which pertains to the course content of the particular continuing education program. The evaluations shall be reviewed by the program providers to measure educational needs and to determine whether the objectives of the program have been met, and shall be made available to each participant for his or her review. Evaluations shall not be submitted to the board.
NOTE: Authority and reference cited: Section 2496, Business and Professions Code.
HISTORY:

1399.674. Withdrawal of Approval; Appeal Procedure.

(a) Any individual, organization, institution, or other continuing education provider approved by the board in Section 1399.671 may have its approval withdrawn by the board for failure to comply with the provisions of this article.
(b) Any provider who is denied approval by the board as a continuing education provider or any continuing education provider whose approval is withdrawn by the board, or any doctor of podiatric medicine who is denied credit for continuing education coursework or whose license to practice podiatric medicine is not renewed after failure to comply with these continuing education rules may appeal such denial, withdrawal or suspension to the board. The board in its discretion may consider such an appeal with or without a hearing.
NOTE: Authority and reference cited: Section 2496, Business and Professions Code.
HISTORY:

1399.675. Continuing Competence Course.

(a) Extended courses of study approved by the board pursuant to Section 2496(g) of the code shall be in addition and supplementary to those taken to meet the continuing education requirement.
(b) Such courses shall provide didactic and clinical training that refreshes and updates knowledge and skills in common podiatric medical and surgical procedures.
(c) Such courses shall examine and test each candidate prior to graduation and certify graduation directly to the board.
(d) The application fee for board approval of each course shall be that specified in Section 2499.5(m) of the Business and Professions Code.
NOTE: Authority and reference cited: Section 2496, Business and Professions Code.
HISTORY:

1399.676. Audit and Sanctions for Noncompliance.

(a) Each doctor of podiatric medicine at the time of license renewal shall sign a statement under penalty of perjury that he or she has or has not complied with the requirements of this article.
(b) The board may audit once each year a random sample of doctors of podiatric medicine who have reported compliance with the requirements. No doctor of podiatric medicine shall be subject to audit more than once every two (2) years. Those licensees selected for audit shall be required to document their compliance with the requirements of this article.
(c) Any doctor of podiatric medicine who is found out of compliance shall be required to document compliance prior to the next biennial renewal. Such licensees shall document to the board the completion of any deficient hours identified by audit. Any doctor of podiatric medicine who fails to make up the deficient hours, in addition to the hours required for the current renewal period, shall be ineligible for renewal of his or her license to practice podiatric medicine until such time as all the required hours of continuing education are completed and documented to the board in addition to the requirement of one of the continuing competence pathways.
(d) It shall constitute unprofessional conduct for any doctor of podiatric medicine to misrepresent compliance with the provisions of this article.
(e) Any doctor of podiatric medicine selected for audit who has been certified as complying with the continuing education requirements of this article by those organizations listed in Section 1399.671, subsections (a), (b), (c) and (d), will not be required to submit documentation or records of continuing education coursework received, but the board may obtain such records directly from the certifying organizations or institutions.
(f) The board requires that each doctor of podiatric medicine retain records for a minimum of four (4) years of all continuing education programs attended which indicate the title of the course or program, the sponsoring organization or individual and the accrediting organization, if any.
NOTE: Authority and reference cited: Section 2496, Business and Professions Code.
HISTORY:

1399.677. Credit for Teaching.

A maximum of one-third of the required hours of continuing education may be satisfied by teaching or otherwise presenting a course or program offered by an approved continuing education provider.
NOTE: Authority and reference cited: Section 2525.9, Business and Professions Code.

1399.678. Waiver of Requirement.

(a) The board in its discretion may exempt permanently or temporarily from the continuing education requirement, any licensee who for reasons of retirement, health, military service, or undue hardship cannot meet those requirements. Applications for waivers shall be submitted on a provided form to the board for its consideration.
(b) Any licensee so exempted by reason of retirement may not engage in the practice of podiatric medicine.
(c) Any licensee who submits an application for waiver which is denied by the board, may be ineligible for renewal of his or her license to practice podiatric medicine under the provisions of Section 1399.676.
(d) Any newly licensed doctor of podiatric medicine who is licensed for less than six (6) months of the year shall be exempt from the continuing education requirement for that year.
NOTE: Authority and reference cited: Section 2496, Business and Professions Code.
HISTORY:

1399.679. Inactive License.

(a) Any doctor of podiatric medicine desiring an inactive license pursuant to the provisions of Article 9 (commencing with Section 700) of Chapter 1 of Division 2 of the code or to restore an inactive license to active status shall submit an application to the board on a form provided by it. The applicant need not submit his or her certificate or copy thereof to the board with the application.
(b) "Board" as used in Section 701 of the code means the California Podiatric Medical Board of California.
(c) In order to restore an inactive license to active status, the licensee shall have completed a minimum of fifty (50) hours of approved continuing education within the last two (2) years and meet one of the continuing competence pathways in compliance with this article.
(d) All licensees who are in inactive status shall continue to pay to the board the required biennial renewal fees.
(e) The inactive status of any licensee shall not deprive the board of its authority to institute or continue a disciplinary proceeding against the licensee upon any ground provided by law or to enter an order suspending or revoking a certificate or otherwise taking disciplinary action against the licensee on any such ground.
NOTE: Authority cited: Section 2470 and 2496, Business and Professions Code. Reference: Sections 700-704 and 2529, Business and Professions Code.
HISTORY: