CHAPTER 225
CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR ORTHOTISTS, PROSTHETISTS, AND PEDORTHISTS
645—225.1(148F) Definitions.
“ABC” means the American Board for Certification in Orthotics, Prosthetics and Pedorthics, Incorporated.
“Active license” means a license that is current and has not expired.
“Approved program/activity” means a continuing education program/activity meeting the standards set forth in these rules.
“Audit” means the selection of licensees for verification of satisfactory completion of continuing education requirements during a specified time period.
“Board” means the board of podiatry.
“BOC” means the Board of Certification/Accreditation, International.
“Continuing education” means planned, organized learning acts acquired during licensure designed to maintain, improve, or expand a licensee’s knowledge and skills in order for the licensee to develop new knowledge and skills relevant to the enhancement of practice, education, or theory development to improve the safety and welfare of the public.
“Hour of continuing education” means at least 50 minutes spent by a licensee in actual attendance at and completion of an approved continuing education activity.
“Inactive license” means a license that has expired because it was not renewed by the end of the grace period.
“Independent study” means a subject/program/activity that a person pursues autonomously that meets standards for approval criteria in the rules and includes a posttest.
“License” means license to practice.
“Licensee” means any person licensed to practice as an orthotist, prosthetist, or pedorthist in the state of Iowa.
[ARC 7991C, IAB 5/15/24, effective 6/19/24]
645—225.2(148F,272C) Continuing education requirements.
	225.2(1) The biennial continuing education compliance period extends for a two-year period beginning on July 1 of each even-numbered year and ending on June 30 of the next even-numbered year.
	a. 	Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as an orthotist in this state shall be required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education.
	b. 	Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as a prosthetist in this state shall be required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education.
	c. 	Each biennium, each person who is licensed to practice as a pedorthist in this state shall be required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education.
	225.2(2) Requirements for new licensees. Those persons licensed for the first time shall not be required to complete continuing education as a prerequisite for the first renewal of their licenses. Continuing education hours acquired anytime from the initial licensing until the second license renewal may be used.
	a. 	The new orthotic licensee will be required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education per biennium for each subsequent license renewal.
	b. 	The new prosthetic licensee will be required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of continuing education per biennium for each subsequent license renewal.
	c. 	The new pedorthic licensee will be required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education per biennium for each subsequent license renewal.
	225.2(3) Hours of continuing education credit may be obtained by attending and participating in a continuing education activity. These hours must be in accordance with these rules.
	225.2(4) No hours of continuing education will be carried over into the next biennium.
	225.2(5) It is the responsibility of each licensee to finance the cost of continuing education.
[ARC 7991C, IAB 5/15/24, effective 6/19/24]
645—225.3(148F,272C) Standards.
	225.3(1) General criteria. A continuing education activity that meets all of the following criteria is appropriate for continuing education credit if the continuing education activity:
	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 that 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 in attendance including:
	(1)	Date, location, course title, and 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.
	225.3(2) Specific criteria for licensees.
	a. 	Licensees may obtain continuing education hours of credit by attending workshops, conferences, symposiums, electronically transmitted courses, live interactive conferences, and academic courses that relate directly to the professional competency of the licensee. Official transcripts indicating successful completion of academic courses that apply to the field of orthotics, prosthetics, or pedorthics will be necessary in order 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
	b. 	Licensees may obtain continuing education hours of credit by teaching in an approved college, university, or graduate school. The licensee may receive credit on a one-time basis for the first offering of a course.
	c. 	Continuing education hours of credit may be granted for any of the following activities not to exceed a maximum combined total of 15 hours for orthotists and prosthetists and 10 hours for pedorthists:
	(1)	Presenting professional programs that meet the criteria listed in this rule. Two hours of credit will be awarded for each hour of presentation. A course schedule or brochure must be maintained for audit.
	(2)	Authoring research or other activities, the results of which are published in a recognized professional publication. The licensee will receive five hours of credit per page.
	(3)	Viewing videotaped presentations and electronically transmitted material that have a postcourse test if the following criteria are met:
	1.	There is a sponsoring group or agency;
	2.	There is a facilitator or program official present;
	3.	The program official is not the only attendee; and
	4.	The program meets all the criteria specified in this rule.
	(4)	Participating in home study courses that have a certificate of completion and a postcourse test.
	(5)	Participating in courses that have business-related topics: marketing, time management, government regulations, and other like topics.
	(6)	Participating in courses that have personal skills topics: career burnout, communication skills, human relations, and other like topics.
	(7)	Participating in courses that have general health topics: clinical research, CPR, child abuse reporting, and other like topics.
[ARC 7991C, IAB 5/15/24, effective 6/19/24]
645—225.4(148F,272C) Audit of continuing education report. In addition to the requirements of 645—4.11(272C), proof of current BOC or ABC certification as an orthotist, prosthetist, or pedorthist will be accepted in lieu of individual certificates of completion for an audit.
[ARC 7991C, IAB 5/15/24, effective 6/19/24]
These rules are intended to implement Iowa Code section 272C.2 and chapter 148F.
[Filed ARC 1192C (Notice ARC 0942C, IAB 8/7/13), IAB 11/27/13, effective 1/1/14]
[Filed ARC 7991C (Notice ARC 7180C, IAB 12/13/23), IAB 5/15/24, effective 6/19/24]