Current through Register Vol. 6, March 22, 2024
(1) Continuing
education (CE) is required to ensure continued competence throughout a physical
therapist or physical therapist assistant career. Training for entry into the
physical therapy field is not considered adequate assurance of continued
competence.
(2) All licensees
shall obtain 30 hours/credits of CE in each 24-month period prior to the
renewal date in odd-numbered years.
(3) Licensees shall affirm an understanding
of their recurring duty to comply with CE requirements as a part of license
renewal.
(4) Licensees renewing for
the first time are exempt from CE requirements.
(5) The board may randomly audit up to 50
percent of renewed licensees in each odd-numbered year.
(6) Licensees must establish and maintain
detailed records of completed CE in the form of programs and certificates of
attendance and make the records available upon board request.
(7) CE programs must have significant
intellectual or practical content and deal primarily with substantive physical
therapy issues as physical therapy is defined in Montana.
(a) Sixty minutes of instruction equals one
CE hour/credit.
(b) Coursework may
be live, by correspondence, video conferencing, internet, or
satellite-based.
(c) Programs
promoting a company, individual, or product, or the subject of which is
practicing economics are not qualifying CE, except programs specifically
addressing workers' compensation, public health, Medicare, or insurance
coverage.
(d) Activities excluded
from CE credits include staff meetings, teaching physical therapy-related
courses when teaching is the licensee's primary occupation, regularly scheduled
institutional activities such as rounds or case conferences, and repeating or
retaking an activity and/or coursework.
(8) The board/staff does not preapprove any
activities or sponsors for CE credits. All accepted CE hours/credits in
category A must meet the standards set by the American Physical Therapy
Association (APTA) or the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy
(FSBPT). It is the responsibility of the licensee to select programs that
contribute to knowledge and competence in the physical therapy field, and meet
the qualifications specified in this rule.
(9) Qualifying continuing education
hours/credits:
(a) Category A activities: A
minimum of 15 of the 30 CE hours/credits must be obtained in this category in
each two-year cycle: CE courses, physical therapy clinical specialty
certification coursework, physical therapy clinical residency coursework, and
postgraduate physical therapy education, including, but not limited to,
postdoctor of physical therapy course work. The postgraduate physical therapy
course work must be passed with a grade of "C" or higher or "pass" if a
"pass/fail" course. Category A activities are distinguished from category B
activities in that they are approved or offered CE hours/credits by one of the
following, whether classroom-based, online, or home study:
(i) an accredited medical, physical therapy,
or healthcare education program;
(ii) a national or state medical, physical
therapy, or healthcare board or association, or a component of that board or
association; or
(iii) a national,
medical, physical therapy, or healthcare specialty society.
(b) Category B Activities: Up to
15 of the 30 CE credits may be obtained in this category in each two-year
cycle:
(i) any course pertaining to physical
therapy, but not approved or offered through an accredited medical, physical
therapy, and/or healthcare education program as identified in (9)(a);
(ii) teaching or lecturing principally for
healthcare professionals, if teaching or lecturing is not the licensee's
primary occupation. One CE credit may be granted per one hour of lecture or
teaching. Max hour/credit five;
(iii) current membership in the American
Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Max hour/credit one;
(iv) performing as an APTA-certified clinical
instructor in each two-year cycle. Max hour/credit five;
(v) performing clinical mentoring in a
credential clinical residency or fellowship program. Max hour/credit
five;
(vi) being a recognized
committee member or serving on the Montana Board of Physical Therapy Examiners,
the board of the Montana Chapter of American Physical Therapy Association
(MAPTA), or nationally on the board of the APTA or the FSBPT in each two-year
cycle. Max hour/credit five;
(vii)
being published in an area that pertains to physical therapy, if publishing is
not a requirement for a licensee's primary occupation. Max hour/credit five;
(viii) taking and passing the
jurisprudence exam in each two-year cycle. Max hour/credit one; and
(ix) taking and satisfactorily completing the
FSBPT's current competency evaluation tool(s). Max hour/credit one.
(10) Licensees found to
be in noncompliance with CE requirements may be subject to administrative
suspension.
AUTH:
37-1-131,
37-1-319, MCA;
IMP:
37-1-131,
37-1-306,
37-1-319,
37-1-321,
MCA