COLORADO DOES NOT REQUIRE PRE-APPROVAL FOR CE PROGRAMS
The purpose of this rule is to establish the continuing education requirements for a chiropractor as required in Section 12-33-116, C.R.S.
A. Every Chiropractor with an active license shall complete a minimum educational requirement of 15 hours of continuing education (CE) annually. The requirement of 15 CE hours annually runs from November 1st through October 31st of each year. Because the renewal period is every two years, at renewal time every chiropractor will attest to the 15 CE hours during each of the two years in the renewal period.
B. Inactive licensees need not complete CE requirements. Upon reactivation of a chiropractic license, CE requirements must be met as outlined in Rule 1.
C. Continuing education must have as its primary objective the increase of professional competence of licensed chiropractors, and include scientific clinics, forums, or chiropractic educational study consisting of subjects basic to the field of the healing arts. A licensee is responsible for ensuring that CE courses comply with the requirements and 12-33-116, C.R.S. The Board does not pre-approve CE courses, curriculum or programs.
D. The number of credit hours may be determined by counting the credit hours of instruction and rounding to the nearest quarter hour, except as otherwise indicated below for college/university courses. The CE conversion table for college/university courses which meet the CE requirements in this Rule is as follows:
1 semester hour = 15 CE credit hours
1 quarter hour = 8.5 CE credit hours
E. Program sponsors shall present continuing chiropractic education that constitutes a meritorious learning experience and complies with § 12-33-116 C.R.S. If a sponsor falsified information regarding the course, the Board may require the sponsor’s future courses be pre-approved.
F. Any excess CE hours above the minimum educational requirement in any applicable compliance period may not be “carried over” in order to meet the minimum educational requirements in any succeeding compliance period. A licensee shall only count CE hours completed for the renewal period.
G. Each actively licensed Colorado chiropractor is required to maintain “Health Provider Level Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” (CPR), as provided by the American Heart Association or substantially similar nationally or internationally recognized organization. All active licensees must maintain proof of current and valid CPR certification. The hours necessary to maintain this CPR certification may be used towards the CE hours required by this Rule.
H. If a licensee has been licensed for a period of twelve (12) months or less before the first license renewal period, the licensee is not required to submit CE for license renewal. If a licensee has been licensed for longer than twelve (12) months before the first license renewal period, the licensee is required to submit fifteen (15) of the CE credit hours; recordkeeping and documentation CEs are not required to be part of this 15 hours.
I. Courses in the promotion of practice building or office management do not satisfy the requirements of this Rule. Courses in practices which are outside the chiropractic scope of practice do not satisfy the requirements of this Rule. At least fours of the 30 required hours per renewal period shall be in recordkeeping and documentation.
J. For every license renewal period, up to ten (10) CE hours may be obtained through distance learning programs. These may include, but are not limited to, internet education programs, CDs, DVDs, video and audio tapes. To obtain CE credit for distance learning, successful completion of a proficiency testing component is required.
K. Licensees must maintain in their own files the following information: (1) the dates of the CE program; (2) the certificate of attendance, including the hours in attendance; (3) a synopsis of the course content; and (4) the identity of the course sponsor. These records must be kept for a period of four years.
L. The Board may conduct a random compliance audit of renewal applicants to verify CE course content and number of hours completed. Licensees must comply with the audit process requested by the Board. If a licensee does not comply, disciplinary action for failure to comply with § 12-33-117(f) C.R.S. may be considered by the Board.
M. If any licensed chiropractor is unable to comply with this section on account of dire emergency and for good cause shown, the Board may waive the provisions of § 12-33-116, C.R.S. A licensee requesting waiver must send a written petition to the Board, outlining the reasons for the request. The licensee will be notified of the Board’s decision in writing.
Distance Allowed: 12 hours per renewal cycle. subject matter defined in statute; requires courses on subject examined for licensure and specialties