Continuing Education Insight
California Physical Therapy: New CE Requirements
Beautiful California has a handful of little known laws. Here are a few - In Santa Monica, you may not play percussion instruments on the beach. In Blythe, you’re not permitted to wear cowboy boots unless you already own at least two cows. In Chico, detonating a nuclear device within the city limits results in a $500 fine. As for the newest addition to the rules? The PT Board of CA requires that all PTs & PTAs must complete a set number of continuing competency hours during their renewal period. I know, I know – the latter isn’t near as entertaining as the previously mentioned laws, but its details are little known and I had to work it in somehow. ;)
The number of contact hours required varies based on your individual license expiration date. This is California’s way of transitioning. Eventually, all PTs and PTAs will need 30 contact hours. In the state of California, the entire requirement can be easily achieved by taking online CE courses. Take a look at the chart below, taken directly from The Physical Therapy Board of California website (http://www.ptbc.ca.gov/), to figure how many contact hours you will need for this renewal period:
New Licensees
If you are in your first 13-24 months of licensure in California and renewing your license for the first time, use this chart to help you determine the number of continuing competency hours required (if you are not a new licensee use the chart below under NOT a New Licensee).
Renewal Payment Was Submitted to the PTBC |
Basic Life Support Hours |
Ethics, Laws and Regulations Hours |
Other Hours of Coursework Needed* |
Total Hours Required |
*Other as used here means continuing competency activity from a traditional or alternate pathway pursuant to Section 1399.94 of the California Code of Regulations. |
||||
On or Before the License Expiration Date |
4 Hours |
2 Hours |
9 Hours |
15 Hours |
After the License Expiration Date |
4 Hours |
2 Hours |
24 Hours |
30 Hours |
NOT a New Licensees
If you are a Licensee that has renewed your license one (1) or more times, use this chart to help you determine the number of continuing competency hours required.
License Expiration Date |
Renewal Payment Was Submitted to the PTBC |
Basic Life Support Hrs |
Ethics, Laws & Reg. Hrs |
Other Hours of Coursework Needed* |
Total Hours Required |
||
*Other as used here means continuing competency activity from a traditional or alternate pathway pursuant to Section 1399.94 of the California Code of Regulations. |
|||||||
On or Before 9/30/2010 |
N/A |
None |
None |
None |
None |
||
Between 10/31/10 & 10/31/11 |
On or Before the Expiration Date |
4 Hours |
2 Hours |
9 Hours |
15 Hours |
||
On or After 11/1/11 |
Before OR After the Expiration Date |
4 Hours |
2 Hours |
24 Hours |
30 Hours |
||
There are several ways to complete the California continuing competence requirement and be a ‘law-abiding citizen’. So go ahead and knock out your continuing competency today with online courses… and try to keep any seashore piano-playing on the quiet side.
This material was provided by Lindsey, from HomeCEUConnection.com:https://www.homeceuconnection.com/ceu/home
The information above is correct, to the best of our knowledge, as of December 2010.
Please check with your state board to verify, as rules are always changing.
HomeCEUConnection.com offers the mandatory ethics course for CA PTs/PTAs.
HomeCEUConnection.com CA PT/PTA courses are approved through Synergy Physical
Therapy Rehabilitation Network, Inc.
