Continuing Education Questions and Answers

Yes. In New York State, upon satisfaction of the eligibility requirements, a "license" is awarded. Licensure is for life unless suspended, revoked or annulled for reasons of misconduct.

To practice the profession of chiropractic in New York, a licensee must be currently "registered". Registration is for a three-year period.

Yes. Every chiropractor using his/her New York license must take continuing education. As a practicing chiropractor, you are required to complete 36 hours of continuing education during each three-year registration period.

The Department may grant an adjustment to the requirement for reasons, which in the Department's judgment, make it impossible for the licensee to comply. An adjustment may be granted for reasons of health certified by an appropriate health care professional, for extended active duty with the armed forces of the United States, or for other good cause acceptable to the Department which may prevent compliance. You may complete and submit the  Registration Remittance Addendum (97 KB). For more information regarding an adjustment to this requirement, please contact the Office of the State Board for Chiropractic.

No. You are not required to take continuing education during your first three-year registration period of initial licensure. After that, you must take 36 hours of continuing education in each subsequent registration period.

Yes. If you received your New York State license by endorsement, you will be required to complete 36 hours of continuing education during your first three-year registration period.

You will need to report continuing education when you renew your registration triannually.

No, registration periods may be adjusted so that subsequent renewals will occur during a licensee's month of birth. If your registration period is less than three-years, to determine the number of contact hours required, count the number of months of the registration period. You must complete 1 contact hour of continuing education for each month. For example, if your registration period is from 01/01/04 to 06/30/06. This registration period is a 30-month period; therefore, you are required to complete 30 contact hours of continuing education.

An hour is one contact hour of at least 50 minutes duration, however, some courses may be given in continuing education units. One continuing education unit (CEU) equals 10 contact hours. Therefore, .1 CEU equals one contact hour, .2 CEUs equals two contact hours, and so on.

One semester hour of college-level course work taken over the course of a college semester equals 15 contact hours. One-quarter hour of college-level course work taken over the course of a college semester equals 10 contact hours.

No, continuing education contact hours may not be carried over to subsequent registration periods.

The continuing education must be taken in appropriate subject areas offered by approved sponsors. Since you are already actively practicing your profession, you will be able to count acceptable continuing education credits earned up to 36 months prior to the month in which you reactivate your registration.

The continuing education must be taken in appropriate subject areas offered by approved sponsors. Since you are not actively practicing your professions, you will only be able to count acceptable continuing education credits earned up to 12 months prior to the month in which you reactivate your registration. In addition, you must complete the regular continuing education requirements for the new registration period at a rate of 1 hour per month until your next registration period, up to a maximum of 36 hours.

No. As long as you complete the required number of hours prior to the expiration date of your registration, you may take all courses in one year, if you wish.

Chiropractors may earn up to a maximum of 10 continuing education credits for experience gained as a clinical instructor of a New York state approved chiropractic continuing education course, where such experience demonstrates that the instructor has met competency standards. These credits may be applied once during each three year registration period. Preceptors seeking to claim continuing education credit should download, complete, and keep the  Preceptor Evaluation Form with their continuing education records.

To be acceptable the courses must be administered:

• by an approved New York State sponsor (provider) and
• in an approved subject area
• See question #15 for a listing of approved sponsors and question #16 for a listing of approved subject areas.

Of the total contact hours required:

• two-thirds (24 hours) must be formal courses A formal course is a course in which a student must have the opportunity for immediate interaction with an instructor, e.g. a seminar, workshop, lecture, etc.
• no more than one-third (12 hours) may be in formal self-study courses. A formal self-study course is a course in an approved subject area, that contains structured study based on audio, audio-visual, written, online, or other media, and does not meet the criteria established for live instruction described above. In addition, a self-study program must have a testing instrument, which is completed by the licensee and returned to the sponsor for scoring. A passing grade is required before a sponsor may award continuing education credit. This requirement should not be construed as requiring continuing education testing or continuing education certification.

NOTE: Any course in which a sponsor requires the use of a self-reporting form will not be accepted for NYS continuing education credit.

There are two types of approved sponsors (providers):

1. Any chiropractic college that is accredited by the Council on Chiropractic Education (CCE) and any higher education institution that offers programs that are registered in New York State as leading to licensure in chiropractic are deemed approved sponsors.
2. Sponsors (providers) may also be approved directly by the Education Department.

Within New York State there are two postsecondary institutions that are deemed approved sponsors of Mandatory Continuing Education for Chiropractors:

Northeast College of Health Sciences (Formerly New York Chiropractic College)
2360 State Rt 89
Seneca Falls. NY 13148
Phone: 800-234-6922

D'Youville College
320 Porter Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14201
Phone: 716-829-8000

Providers of Approved Continuing Education (PACE)
Phone: 970-356-3500
Website: https://pacex.fclb.org/
PACE Course Catalog

For a list of other deemed approved sponsors please see www.cce-usa.org ("Directory of CCE Accredited Doctor of Chiropractic Programs and Solitary Purpose Chiropractic Institutions").

For information on sponsors (providers) approved directly by the Department, see below or contact the State Board for Chiropractic by telephone at 518-474-3817 ext. 190, fax at 518-473-0567, e-mail at chirobd@nysed.gov.

NOTE: Courses offered by approved sponsors will only receive continuing education credit if they are in approved subject areas.

Yes. The subject matter must contribute to your professional and clinical skills. Of the 36 hours required, at least one-third (12 hours) must be in the areas of patient communications, record keeping, and matters of law and/or ethics which contribute to professional practice in chiropractic and the health and safety, and/or welfare of the public. The balance may be in chiropractic technique, diagnosis, clinical interventions/evidence-based models, neurological testing, philosophy and principles of chiropractic, basic and clinical sciences and other sciences related to chiropractic practice or other topics which contribute to professional and clinical skills in accordance with the practice of chiropractic as defined in section 6551 of the Education Law. Also please note that subjects that are specifically designed solely to maximize the profits of a chiropractic practice will not be acceptable as formal continuing education.

No. Independent study or informal group "study clubs" of chiropractors that are not approved sponsors can not be accepted. Only formal courses or self-study courses offered by approved sponsors may be counted toward the continuing education requirement. Formal courses offered by approved sponsors assure course content, effective evaluation, and record keeping by the provider.

No. If you wish, all the courses may be formal courses in which you interact with an instructor. Of the total number of CE hours required, no more than one-third (12 hours) may be self-study courses.

No; however, you must be able to interact with the instructor. Examples include: a live lecture, a telecourse or teleconference in which you and the instructor can speak directly with each other; a course in which you and the other practitioners discuss a taped presentation with a facilitator's assistance; a computerized course in which you are able to interact directly with the instructor. On the other hand, a televised lecture with no means of direct interaction would not be acceptable as a live course even if it were a live telecast.

Sponsors must provide a Certificate of Completion to licensees who completed courses for continuing education credit. The information on each course should be retained in your records for six years from the date of completion.

A Certificate of Completion should include the following information:

1. name of licensee and licensee number
2. title of the course or program, subject area, and any identification number assigned to it by the sponsor
3. number of hours completed
4. the sponsor's name and any identifying number
5. verification by the sponsor of your attendance
6. the date and location of the course or activity

Send your completed registration form, on which you will attest that you completed the required continuing education hours, together with the registration fee, which is currently $179, and the continuing education fee, which is currently $45, for a total of $224.

No. On the registration renewal form you will be required to certify that you have completed the required coursework. You should retain your CE records in your files for a period of 6 years. However, you are required to make your continuing education records available for inspection by the Education Department upon our request. We audit random samples of mandatory continuing education records to assure compliance with the continuing education requirement.

Upon request, you must provide the Department with your records of completion for each approved continuing education course or activity. In no cases will self-reporting forms be acceptable for New York State credit.

You may be subject to disciplinary proceedings for professional misconduct. Willfully making or filing a false report is unprofessional conduct, according to Section 29.1 of the Rules of the Board of Regents. Penalties may include censure and reprimand, fine, and/or suspension or revocation of your license.

If you request, the Department, at its discretion, may issue you a conditional registration. The conditional registration is valid for one year only and is not renewable. To be granted a conditional registration you would have to:

1. agree to complete the required hours of continuing education from the previous registration period during the period of conditional registration,
2. complete the regular continuing education requirement at a rate of 1 hour per month,
3. complete and submit the Registration Remittance Addendum (97 KB), and
4. pay the fee for the conditional registration, which is currently $224.

At the end of the conditional registration period, you must submit to the Department, your continuing education records certifying that you have completed the required continuing education and pay the regular registration fee, which is currently $179, and the continuing education fee, which is currently $45, for a total of $224, for the remaining two years of the registration period.

Please contact the Office of the State Board for Chiropractic, New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions, State Education Building - 2nd Floor West Wing, 89 Washington Ave., Albany, New York, 12234, phone 518-474-3817 ext. 190, fax 518-473-0567, email chirobd@nysed.gov.

American Chiropractic Association
1701 Clarendon Blvd, Suite 200
Arlington, VA 22209
(703) 276-8800
www.acatoday.org
Approved through 10/24

International Chiropractic Pediatric Association
327 N Middletown Road
Media, PA 19063
(610) 565-2360
www.icpa4kids.com
Approved through 1/28

New York Chiropractic Council
5500 Bartel Road Ste. 5
Brewerton, NY 13029
Phone: 718-497-0970
Web: www.nycouncil.com
Approved through 12/24