Alabama Administrative Code
Title 540 - ALABAMA BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS
Chapter 540-X-7 - ASSISTANTS TO PHYSICIANS
Section 540-X-7-.62 - Continuing Medical Education - Anesthesiologist Assistant (A.A.)

Universal Citation: AL Admin Code R 540-X-7-.62

Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 11, August 30, 2024

(1) Effective January 1, 2025, every two calendar years, each anesthesiologist assistant licensed by the Board must earn not less than fifty (50) hours of AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsT or the equivalent as defined in this rule of continuing medical education as a condition precedent to receiving his or her annual renewal of license, unless he or she is exempt from the minimum continuing medical education requirement.

(a) Effective January 1, 2025, each new applicant issued a license to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant shall complete a Board-designated course in the area of professional boundaries within twelve (12) months of the license issue date. This requirement must be met regardless of any existing exemption provided in these rules.

(b) Effective January 1, 2025, all actively licensed anesthesiologist assistants shall complete a Board-designated course in the area of professional boundaries by December 31, 2025. There are no exemptions to this requirement.

(2) For the purposes of this chapter, AMA PRA Category 1 CreditT continuing medical education shall mean those programs of continuing medical education designated as AMA PRA Category 1 CreditT which are sponsored or conducted by those organizations or entities accredited by the Council on Medical Education of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama or by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to sponsor or conduct Category 1 continuing medical education programs.

(3) The following courses and continuing medical education courses shall be deemed, for the purposes of this Chapter, to be the equivalent of AMA PRA Category 1 CreditT continuing medical education:

(a) Programs of continuing medical education designated as Category 1-A which are sponsored or conducted by organizations or entities accredited by the American Osteopathic Association to sponsor or conduct Category 1-A continuing medical education for osteopathic physicians.

(b) Programs of continuing medical education designated to confer "Prescribed credits" which are sponsored or conducted by organizations or entities accredited by the American Academy of Family Physicians to sponsor or conduct "Prescribed credit" continuing medical education activities.

(c) Programs of continuing medical education designated as such by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners.

(d) Programs of continuing medical education designated to confer "ACOG Cognate Credits" which are sponsored or conducted by organizations or entities which are accredited by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology to sponsor or conduct approved ACOG Cognate Credit activities on obstetrical and gynecologic related subjects.

(e) Effective January 1, 2014, nationally recognized advanced life support/resuscitation certification courses, not otherwise accredited for AMA PRA Category 1 CreditT, for a maximum of two (2) Category 1 credits for each course. Basic life support courses are excluded and are not deemed to be the equivalent of Category 1 continuing medical education.

(f) Programs accredited by the Federation for Advancement of Anesthesia Care Team (FAACT) are deemed to be equivalent of Category 1 credits only for Anesthesiologist Assistants.

(4) Every anesthesiologist assistant subject to the minimum continuing medical education requirement established in these rules shall maintain records of attendance or certificates of completion demonstrating compliance with the minimum continuing medical education requirement. Documentation adequate to demonstrate compliance with the minimum continuing medical education requirements of these rules shall consist of certificates of attendance, completion certificates, proof of registration, or similar documentation issued by the organization or entity sponsoring or conducting the continuing medical education program. The records shall be maintained by the anesthesiologist assistant for a period of three (3) years following the year in which the continuing medical education credits were earned and shall be subject to examination by representatives of the State Board of Medical Examiners upon request. Every anesthesiologist assistant subject to the continuing medical education requirements of these rules must, upon request, submit a copy of such records to the State Board of Medical Examiners for verification. Failure to maintain records documenting that an anesthesiologist assistant has met the minimum continuing medical education requirement, and/or failure to provide such records upon request to the Board is hereby declared to be unprofessional conduct and may constitute grounds for discipline of the anesthesiologist assistant's license to practice as an anesthesiologist assistant, in accordance with the statutes and regulations governing the disciplining of an anesthesiologist assistant's license.

(5) Every anesthesiologist assistant shall certify annually that he or she has met the minimum annual continuing medical education requirement established pursuant to these rules or that he or she is exempt. This certification will be made on a form provided on the annual renewal of license application required to be submitted by every anesthesiologist assistant on or before December 31st of each year. The Board shall not issue a renewed license to any anesthesiologist assistant who has not certified that he or she has met the minimum continuing medical education requirement unless the anesthesiologist assistant is exempt from the requirement.

(6) An anesthesiologist assistant who is unable to meet the minimum continuing medical education requirement by reason of illness, disability or other circumstances beyond his control may apply to the Board for a waiver of the requirement for the calendar year in which such illness, disability or other hardship condition existed. A waiver may be granted or denied within the sole discretion of the Board, and the decision of the Board shall not be considered a contested case and shall not be subject to judicial review under the Alabama Administrative Procedure Act. If a waiver is granted, the anesthesiologist assistant shall be exempt from the continuing medical education requirement for the calendar year in which the illness, disability or other hardship condition existed.

(7) An anesthesiologist assistant receiving his or her initial license to practice medicine in Alabama is exempt from the minimum continuing medical education requirement for the calendar year in which he or she receives his initial license.

(8) An anesthesiologist assistant who is a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States and who is deployed for military service is exempt from the continuing medical education requirement for the calendar year in which he or she is deployed.

Previous Rule 540-X-7-.59 was renumbered to .62 as per certification filed September 11, 2008; effective October 16, 2008.

Author: Alabama Board of Medical Examiners

Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 34-24-290, et. seq.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Alabama may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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