653—11.4 (272C) Continuing education and training requirements for renewal or reinstatement. A licensee shall meet the requirements in this rule to qualify for renewal of a permanent or special license or reinstatement of a permanent license.
	 11.4(1) Continuing education and mandatory training for identifying and reporting abuse.
	  a.   	 Continuing education for permanent license renewal. Except as provided in these rules, a total of 40 hours of category 1 activity or board-approved equivalent shall be required for biennial renewal of a permanent license. This may include up to 20 hours of credit carried over from the previous license period and category 1 activity acquired within the current license period.
	 (1) 	 To facilitate license renewal according to birth month, a licensee’s first license may be issued for less than 24 months. The number of hours of category 1 activity required of a licensee whose license has been issued for less than 24 months shall be reduced on a pro-rata basis.
	 (2) 	 A licensee desiring to obtain credit for carryover hours shall report the carryover, not to exceed 20 hours of category 1 activity, on the renewal application.
	 (3) 	 A licensee shall maintain a file containing records documenting continuing education activities, including dates, subjects, duration of programs, registration receipts where appropriate and any other relevant material, for four years after the date of the activity. The board may audit this information at any time within the four years. If the board conducts an audit of continuing education activities, a licensee shall respond to the board and provide all materials requested, within 30 days of a request by board staff or within the extension of time if one had been granted. Failure to comply with this provision is grounds for discipline.
	  b.   	 Continuing education for special license renewal. A total of 20 hours of category 1 activity shall be required for annual renewal of a special license. No carryover hours are allowed.
	  c.   	 Mandatory training for identifying and reporting abuse for permanent or special license renewal. The licensee shall complete the training as part of a category 1 activity or an approved training program. The licensee may utilize category 1 activity credit received for this training during the license period in which the training occurred to meet continuing education requirements in paragraph 11.4(1)“a.”
	 (1) 	 A licensee who regularly provides primary health care to children shall indicate on the renewal application the completion of two hours of training in child abuse identification and reporting in the previous five years. “A licensee who regularly provides primary health care to children” means all emergency physicians, family practitioners, general practice physicians, pediatricians, and psychiatrists, and any other physician who regularly provides primary care to children.
	 (2) 	 A licensee who regularly provides primary health care to adults shall indicate on the renewal application the completion of two hours of training in dependent adult abuse identification and reporting in the previous five years. “A licensee who regularly provides primary health care to adults” means all emergency physicians, family practitioners, general practice physicians, internists, obstetricians, gynecologists, and psychiatrists, and any other physician who regularly provides primary care to adults.
	 (3) 	 A licensee who regularly provides primary health care to adults and children shall indicate on the renewal application the completion of training on the identification and reporting of abuse in dependent adults and children. This training may be completed through separate courses as identified in subparagraphs (1) and (2) above or in one combined two-hour course that includes curricula for identifying and reporting child abuse and dependent adult abuse. “A licensee who regularly provides primary health care to children and adults” means all emergency physicians, family practitioners, general practice physicians, internists, and psychiatrists, and any other physician who regularly provides primary care to children and adults.
	 (4) 	 A licensee shall maintain a file containing records documenting mandatory training for identifying and reporting abuse, including dates, subjects, duration of programs, and proof of participation, for five years after the date of the training. The board may audit this information at any time within the five-year period. If the board conducts an audit of mandatory training for identifying and reporting abuse, a licensee shall respond to the board and provide all materials requested, within 30 days of a request made by board staff or within the extension of time if one had been granted. Failure to comply with this provision is grounds for discipline.
	 11.4(2) Exemptions from renewal requirements.
	  a.   	 A licensee shall be exempt from the continuing education requirements in subrule 11.4(1) when, upon license renewal, the licensee provides evidence for:
	 (1) 	 Periods that the licensee served honorably on active duty in the military;
	 (2) 	 Periods that the licensee resided in another state or district having continuing education requirements for the profession and the licensee met all requirements of that state or district for practice therein;
	 (3) 	 Periods that the licensee was a government employee working in the licensee’s specialty and assigned to duty outside the United States; or
	 (4) 	 Other periods of active practice and absence from the state approved by the board.
	  b.   	 The requirements for mandatory training on identifying and reporting abuse for license renewal shall be suspended for a licensee who provides evidence for:
	 (1) 	 Periods described in paragraph 11.4(2)“a,” subparagraph (1), (2), (3), or (4); or
	 (2) 	 Periods that the licensee resided outside of Iowa and did not practice in Iowa.
	 11.4(3) Extension for completion of or exemption from renewal requirements. The board may, in individual cases involving physical disability or illness, grant an extension of time for completion of, or an exemption from, the renewal requirements in subrule 11.4(1).
	  a.   	 A licensee requesting an extension or exemption shall complete and submit a request form to the board that sets forth the reasons for the request and has been signed by the licensee and attending physician.
	  b.   	 The board may grant an extension of time to fulfill the requirements in subrule 11.4(1).
	  c.   	 The board may grant an exemption from the educational requirements for any period of time not to exceed one calendar year.
	  d.   	 If the physical disability or illness for which an extension or exemption was granted continues beyond the period of waiver, the licensee must reapply for a continuance of the extension or exemption.
	  e.   	 The board may, as a condition of any extension or exemption granted, require the applicant to make up a portion of the continuing education requirement by methods it prescribes.
	 11.4(4) Reinstatement requirement. An applicant for license reinstatement shall provide proof of successful completion of 80 hours of category 1 activity completed within 24 months prior to submission of the application for reinstatement or proof of successful completion of SPEX or COMVEX-USA within one year immediately prior to the submission of the application for reinstatement.
	 11.4(5) Cost of continuing education and mandatory training for identifying and reporting abuse. It is the responsibility of each licensee to finance the costs of continuing education and training.