CEU APPROVAL

No. 

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A licensee selected for audit of their continuing education credit/hours should be prepared to demonstrate that their continuing education meets the following elements: 

Written Certificate of Completion of Continuing Education contains:

• Course Date(s)
• Title of Course
• Contact Hours
• Sponsor Name
• Licensee’s Name
• Course Objectives or Goals
• Presenter’s Name

Recommended but not required elements on certificate:

• Designation that attendance was virtual live, in-person live, or webinar/online/recording (not live)

Consider retaining course brochures, power points, handouts or other supplemental materials to help prove the course’s instructional value and legitimacy.

• Licensee should retain the continuing education certificate for 2 years after use of their credit/hours for license renewal.
• This is true for carry over credit/hours as well. 

• Each biennium, physical therapists licensed in this state will be required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education. 
• Each biennium, physical therapist assistants licensed in this state will be required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education.

Licensees who complete continuing education hours in excess of the requirements for renewal may apply up to 50 percent of the required hours to the following renewal period. 

• Physical therapist licensees may apply a maximum of 20 hours. 
• Physical therapist assistant licensees may apply a maximum of 10 hours. 

The Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy does not provide approval for specific continuing education courses. Please review 481 IAC 803.3(2)  [PT/A]   Specific criteria. for additional information about activities that meet CEU requirements.

The Board's continuing education chapters outline the amount of hours per renewal period and the criteria for acceptable continuing education.  

Be certain the training you attend or provide

1. constitutes an organized program of learning which contributes directly to the professional competency of the licensee, 
2. pertains to subject matters which integrally relate to the practice of the profession, and 
3. is conducted by individuals who have specialized education, training and experience by reason of which said individuals should be considered qualified concerning the subject matter of the program. Remember, at the time of audit, the board may request the qualifications of presenters.

Rules regarding presenters earning CEUs are outlined in 

• 481 IAC 803.3(1)(c) Is conducted by individuals who have specialized education, training and experience by reason of which said individuals should be considered qualified concerning the subject matter of the program. At the time of audit, the board may request the qualifications of presenters;
• 481 IAC 803.3(2)(a)(5) Presenting professional programs that meet the criteria listed in this rule. Two hours of credit will be awarded for each hour of presentation for the first offering of the course. A course schedule or brochure must be maintained for audit.  

Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants 481 IAC 803.3 

481—803.3(148A,272C) Standards. 

803.3(1) General criteria. Appropriate continuing education activity for purposes of license renewal will support each of the following: 

a. Constitutes an organized program of learning that contributes directly to the professional competency of the licensee; 

b. Pertains to subject matters that integrally relate to the practice of the profession; 

c. Is conducted by individuals who have specialized education, training and experience by reason of which said individuals should be considered qualified concerning the subject matter of the program. At the time of audit, the board may request the qualifications of presenters; 

d. Fulfills stated program goals, objectives, or both; and 

e. Provides proof of attendance to licensees including: 

(1) Date, location, course title, presenter(s); 

(2) Number of program contact hours; and 

(3) Certificate of completion or evidence of successful completion of the course provided by the course sponsor.  

For more information, you may access all of the boards laws and rules online. 

The Iowa Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy does not provide approval for specific continuing education courses. Please review 481 IAC 803.3(2) [PT/A] Specific criteria. for additional information about activities that meet CEU requirements.  

The Board's continuing education chapters outline the amount of hours per renewal period and the criteria for acceptable continuing education.  Be certain the training constitutes an organized program of learning which contributes directly to the professional competency of the licensee, pertains to subject matters which integrally relate to the practice of the profession, and is conducted by individuals who have specialized education, training and experience by reason of which said individuals should be considered qualified concerning the subject matter of the program. Remember, at the time of audit, the board may request the qualifications of presenters. For more information, you may access all of the boards laws and rules online. Please advise if you have any additional questions.

Physical Therapists and Physical Therapist Assistants 481 IAC 803.3 

481—803.3(148A,272C) Standards. 803.3(1) General criteria. Appropriate continuing education activity for purposes of license renewal will support each of the following: a. Constitutes an organized program of learning that contributes directly to the professional competency of the licensee; b. Pertains to subject matters that integrally relate to the practice of the profession; c. Is conducted by individuals who have specialized education, training and experience by reason of which said individuals should be considered qualified concerning the subject matter of the program. At the time of audit, the board may request the qualifications of presenters; d. Fulfills stated program goals, objectives, or both; and e. Provides proof of attendance to licensees including: (1) Date, location, course title, presenter(s); (2) Number of program contact hours; and (3) Certificate of completion or evidence of successful completion of the course provided by the course sponsor.  

481-803.3(2) Specific criteria. 

a. Licensees may obtain continuing education hours of credit by: 

(1) Attending workshops, conferences, or symposiums. 

(2) Accessing online training, such as viewing interactive conferences, attending webinars, or completing online training courses. 

(3) Completing an American Physical Therapy Association-approved postprofessional clinical residency or fellowship. A licensee will receive 1 hour of credit for every 2 hours spent in clinical residency, up to a maximum of 20 hours. Clinical residency hours may not be used for credit if the licensee is also seeking credit hours earned for postprofessional academic coursework in the same renewal period. 

(4) Directly supervising students for clinical education if the students being supervised are from an accredited physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program and are participating in a full-time clinical experience (defined as approximately 40 hours per week, ranging from 1 to 18 weeks). One hour will be awarded for every 160 contact hours of supervision. A maximum of 8 hours for a physical therapist and 4 hours for a physical therapist assistant may be awarded per biennium. The physical therapist or physical therapist assistant must have documentation from the accredited educational program indicating the number of hours spent supervising a student. 

(5) Presenting professional programs that meet the criteria listed in this rule. Two hours of credit will be awarded for each hour of presentation for the first offering of the course. A course schedule or brochure must be maintained for audit. 

(6) Completing academic courses that directly relate to the professional competency of the licensee. Official transcripts indicating successful completion of academic courses that apply to the field of physical therapy will be necessary in order for the licensee to receive the following continuing education credits: 1 academic semester hour = 15 continuing education hours of credit 1 academic trimester hour = 12 continuing education hours of credit 1 academic quarter hour = 10 continuing education hours of credit

(7) Teaching in an approved college, university, or graduate school. The licensee may receive the following continuing education credits on a one-time basis for the first offering of a course: 1 academic semester hour = 15 continuing education hours of credit 1 academic trimester hour = 12 continuing education hours of credit 1 academic quarter hour = 10 continuing education hours of credit 

(8) Authoring research or other activities, the results of which are published in a recognized professional publication. The licensee shall receive five hours of credit per page. 

(9) Participating in professional organizations related to the practice of physical therapy, with one credit hour received for each six months of active service as an officer, delegate, or committee member, for a maximum of four hours of credit per biennium. Verification of participation must be provided by the professional organization to document the continuing education credit. 

b. Continuing education hours of credit in the following topics are not considered to be directly and primarily related to the clinical application of physical therapy and therefore must not exceed a maximum combined total of ten hours of credit for a physical therapist licensee and five hours of credit for a physical therapist assistant licensee: 

(1) Business-related topics, such as marketing, time management, government regulations, and other like topics. 

(2) Personal skills topics, such as career burnout, communication skills, human relations, and other like topics. 

(3) General health topics, such as clinical research, CPR, mandatory reporter training, and other like topics.