Howmany continuing education hours are required during a reporting period?
PTslicensed in New Jersey must compete thirty(30) credits of continuing education every two (2) years.
NewLicensees: An applicant for biennial license renewalas a licensed PT or as a licensed PTA who receives an initial license in thefirst year of a biennial period shall complete a minimum of fifteen (15) of thethirty (30) required credits of continuing education during that biennialrenewal period.
An applicant for bienniallicense renewal as a licensed PT or as a licensed PTA who receives an initiallicense in the second year of a biennial period shall be exempt from completingcontinuing education credits during that biennial renewal period.
PTAslicensed in New Jersey must complete thirty(30) credits of continuing education every two (2) years.
Howis credit hour defined?
An hour of continuingeducation means sixty (60) minutes of instructional time spent in learningactivities, exclusive of breaks, meals, pre-tests, or vendor exhibits.
CanCE credits be carried over into the next reporting period?
Unclear. “A licensee applying for biennial licensurerenewal shall complete, during the preceding biennial period, the continuingeducation requirement”.
Arethere any specific requirements for continuing education?
Four (4) hours ofjurisprudence and professional ethics.
Licenseesmust complete a 1.5-credit JurisprudenceAssessment Module offered by oneof the sponsors listed on the New Jersey State Board of Physical TherapyExaminers’ website for the jurisprudence portion of the requirement. Licenseescan complete any ethics course (distance learning or live) of 2.5 credits ormore to meet the four-credit jurisprudence and professional ethics requirement.
Whattypes of activities can be used for the continuing education requirements?
| Completion of a Post-Graduate Course | |
| Description | Successful completion of a post-graduate course in a physical therapy program leading to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree for the licensed physical therapist or a three-credit course in an entry level physical therapy program for the licensed physical therapist assistant. Such programs must be in institutions of higher learning, which are accredited by the United States Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education or their approved agencies. |
| Hours Earned | Fifteen (15) credits for each course credit awarded. |
| Maximum | N/A |
| Academic Course | |
| Description | Successful completion of a course in an academic program related to the practice of physical therapy provided that such course is not part of the physical therapy program completed by the licensee to meet the educational requirements for initial licensure under N.J.A.C. 13:39A-5.1 or 5.2. |
| Hours Earned | Fifteen (15) creditsfor each course credit awarded. |
| Maximum | N/A |
| Continuing Education Course | |
| Description | Successful completion of a continuing education course sponsored by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), or the American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey (APTANJ). |
| Hours Earned | One (1) credit for each hour of the course. |
| Maximum | N/A |
The Board shall granta maximum of ten (10) of the mandatory thirty (30) continuing education creditsrequired in a biennial renewal period of licensed physical therapists andlicensed physical therapist assistants from any or all of the following:
| Correspondence Course | |
| Description | Successful completion of videotape, audiotape, computer media, Internet, journal, or correspondence courses, programs or seminars. Credit for correspondence and other individual study courses or programs shall be provided only in the renewal period in which the course is completed with a successful final examination. |
| Hours Earned | One (1) credit for each hour of the course. |
| Maximum | Ten (10) credit hours. |
| Courses consisting of Hands-on Demonstrations of Instrumentation | |
| Description | Successful completion of courses, programs or seminars consisting of hands-on demonstrations of instrumentation when accompanied by didactic lectures. |
| Hours Earned | One-half (0.5) credit for each hour of attendance. |
| Maximum | Ten (10) credit hours. |
| Presentation of a Board-approved Continuing Professional Education Course | |
| Description | Preparation and presentation of a Board-approved continuing professional education course, program or seminar. For purposes of this subsection, "new" means a course, program or seminar that the licensee has not taught previously in any educational setting. |
| Hours Earned | Two (2) credits for each hour of a new presentation. One (1) credit for each hour of a presentation shall be given for subsequent sessions involving substantially identical subject matter. |
| Maximum | Ten (10) credit hours. |
| Preparation of an Educational or Scientific Article | |
| Description | Preparation of an educational or scientific article authored and published in a professional refereed journal. |
| Hours Earned | Three (3) credits per article as approved by the Board. |
| Maximum | Ten (10) credit hours. |
| PT Practice Management | |
| Description | Courses, programs or seminars in physical therapy practice management. |
| Hours Earned | One (1) credit for each hour of attendance. |
| Maximum | Ten (10) credit hours |
| Writing a Chapter is a Textbook | |
| Description | Writing a chapter of a published textbook related to physical therapy. |
| Hours Earned | Three (3) credits per chapter. |
| Maximum | Ten (10) credit hours. |
| Editing a Published Text Book | |
| Description | Editing a published textbook related to physical therapy. |
| Hours Earned | Five (5) credits per book. |
| Maximum | Ten (10) credit hours. |
| Certification in a Clinical Specialty | |
| Description | A licensed physical therapist who becomes certified or recertified in a clinical specialty by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties. |
| Hours Earned | Fifteen (15) continuing education credits for the biennial licensure period in which it takes place. |
| Maximum | N/A |
| Residency or Fellowship | |
| Description | A licensed physical therapist who successfully completes a residency or fellowship approved by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). |
| Hours Earned | Fifteen (15) continuing education credits for the biennial licensure period in which the residency takes place. |
| Maximum | N/A |
| Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy Practice Review Tool | |
| Description | A licensed physical therapist who completes the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) Practice Review Tool (PRT). |
| Hours Earned | Ten (10) continuing education credits for the biennial licensure period in which the PRT is taken. |
| Maximum | N/A |
| Clinical Instruction | |
| Description | A licensed physical therapist or licensed physical therapist assistant who provides clinical instruction to a student in a clinical facility that is affiliated with a physical therapy program that is approved for the education and training of physical therapists or licensed physical therapist assistants by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, Office of Postsecondary Education. |
| Hours Earned | One (1) credit for each forty (40) hours of clinical instruction. |
| Maximum | Four (4) credits per biennial period |
Arethere limitations on the types of courses that can be taken?
A maximum of ten (10) ofthe mandatory thirty (30) continuing education credits from any or all of thefollowing:
- Videotape,audiotape, computer media, Internet, journal, or correspondence courses,programs or seminars: a maximum of ten (10) credits per course, program or seminar.The course, program or seminar shall include an examination at its end.
- Programsor seminars consisting of hands-on demonstrations of instrumentation whenaccompanied by didactic lectures: one-half (0.5) credit for each hour ofattendance.
- Preparationand presentation of a Board-approved continuing education course, program orseminar: two (2) credits for each hour of new presentation up to a maximum of ten(10) credits. “New” means a course,program or seminar that the licensee has not taught previously in anyeducational setting. One (1) credit for each hour of a presentation shall begiven for subsequent sessions involving substantially identical subject matterup to a maximum of ten (10) credits, provided the original material has beenupdated and subject to the credit limits of N.J.A.C. 13:39A-9.3.
- Preparationof an educational or scientific article authored and published in aprofessional refereed journal: three credits per article as approved by theBoard.
- Courses,programs or seminars in physical therapy practice management: one credit foreach hour of attendance.
Whattype of approval is needed for the courses?
Courses offered by theAPTA or the APTANJ are automatically preapproved. All other course must be preapproved by theboard.
Whattype of courses or activities are not allowed?
Not Specified.
Whatare the reporting requirements?
Each licensee shallmaintain a record of all continuing education activity completed and shallsubmit evidence of completion of the credit requirements to the Board uponrequest.
Whatdocumentation needs to be retained?
Each licensee shallobtain from the continuing education course, program or seminar provider andretain for a period of at least four (4) years following the license renewal arecord of attendance which shall include, at a minimum, the following:
- Theparticipant's name and State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners' licensenumber;
- Thetitle and, if the title does not adequately describe the educational content,subject matter of the course, program or seminar;
- Thename of the instructor;
- Thecourse, program or seminar provider;
- Thedate and location of the course, program or seminar;
- Thenumber of continuing education credits awarded; and
- Thesignature of a course, program or seminar official or other verification ofsuccessful completion by the course, program or seminar provider.
Howlong must continuing education records be retained?
Four (4) Years
CanI get a waiver or extension on my CE requirements?
TheBoard may waive, extend or otherwise modify the time period for completion ofthe continuing education requirements on an individual basis for reasons ofhardship, such as illness, disability or active service in the military.
Alicensee who seeks a waiver, extension or modification of the time period forthe completion of the continuing education requirements shall provide to theBoard in writing, no less than two (2) months prior to the end of the licensureperiod, the specific reasons for requesting the waiver, extension ormodification and such additional information as the Board may require insupport of the request.
What happens if I am audited?
TheBoard shall monitor compliance with the mandatory continuing educationrequirement by conducting a random audit of licensees, who, upon request, shallprovide proof of successful completion of continuing education credits.
References
NJAC13:39A-9.1
NJAC13:39A-9.2
NJAC13:39A-9.3
NJAC13:39A-9.4
NJAC13:39A-9.5
