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Continuing Education Providers "Deemed Approved"

Continuing Education Provider Approval under Section 77.10(i)(2) of the Regulations of the Commissioner

For those entities that have been "Deemed Approved" in the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education

An organization must comply with the applicable requirements of Section 77.10(i)(2) of the Commissioner's Regulations to obtain State Education Department approval as a provider of continuing education for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. Providers are expected to meet or exceed the standards detailed below.

To register to become an approved provider, you must complete and submit an Approved Provider Registration Form to the address at the end of the form or sumit it electronically along with any supporting materials requested. Providers are required to keep records on the continuing education programs that they offer (see Standard 5 - Records).

Should you have questions concerning the requirements, please contact the State Board for Physical Therapy at 89 Washington Avenue, 2nd floor, Albany, NY 12234-1000 or by calling 518-474-3817 ext. 180 or by e-mailing ptbd@nysed.gov.

Standards

Standard 1 - Organization

Section 77.10(i)(2) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education requires the Department to conduct a review of providers that apply for approval to offer continuing education to licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants to determine if they are acceptable. Organizations that may be deemed approved are:

  • A national physical therapy organization or other professional organization that fosters good practice in the physical therapy professions.
     
  • A New York State physical therapy organization that is incorporated or otherwise organized in New York State that fosters good practice in the physical therapy professions.
     
  • A national organization of jurisdictional boards of physical therapy that promotes and protects the health, safety and welfare of the public and fosters good practice in the physical therapy professions.
     
  • An entity, hospital or health facility defined in Section 2801 of the Public Health Law.
     
  • A higher education institution as defined in Section 77.10(a)(2) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

The documents must show that the organization will offer courses of learning or self-study in one or more of the subjects prescribed for acceptable continuing education as listed below.

Standard 2 - Courses/Educational Activities

Courses/educational activities are offered in appropriate subject areas.

Section 6742-a of the Education Law limits acceptable educational programs for continuing education to "courses of learning" which contribute to the professional practice of physical therapy. Providers must offer courses in one of the subject areas listed below.

  • Activities that enhance knowledge and skill in examination, evaluation, prognosis and planning, intervention, re-examination, prevention, and outcomes in physical therapy
     
  • Clinical interventions/evidence-based models, and philosophy and principles of physical therapy
     
  • Patient communications, recordkeeping, and insurance reimbursement issues
     
  • General supervision and business practices
     
  • Pedagogical methodologies or other topics which contribute to professional practice in physical therapy and the health, safety, and/or welfare of the public
     
  • Matters relating to health care, law, and/or ethics which contribute to professional practice in physical therapy and the health, safety, and/or welfare of the public

Educational activities that may count for continuing education credit are:

  • Credit and non-credit courses offered by a higher education institution
     
  • Professional development and technical sessions related to the practice of physical therapy
     
  • Preparing and teaching a course offered by a provider of continuing education
     
  • Preparing and teaching a course at a higher education institution
     
  • Making a technical presentation at a professional conference sponsored by an organization that is a provider of continuing education
     
  • Achieving a specialty certification or recertification from an entity acceptable to the Department
     
  • Completing a self-study program (a program provided by an approved provider that is based on audio, audio-visual, written, on-line and other media and does not include live instruction, transmitted in person or otherwise, during which the student may communicate and interact with the instructor and other students)
     
  • Authoring/editing an article published in a peer-reviewed journal or a published book
     
  • Completing and receiving a passing score on an examination approved by the Department that demonstrates the licensee's knowledge of the laws, rules and regulations of New York state relating to the practice of physical therapy

Any continuing education designed for the sole purpose of maximizing profits for the practice of a physical therapist or physical therapist assistant shall not be considered by the Department as acceptable continuing education.

Standard 3 - Instructors

Instructors are qualified to teach the courses/educational activities which will be offered.

Providers are to use course/educational activity instructors who are qualified to teach the courses/educational activities which will be offered, including but not limited to, faculty of a physical therapy program offered by a higher education institution as defined in Section 77.10(a)(2) of the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education.

Providers must assure that instructors meet this standard and must:

  1. maintain and use written criteria and procedures to select instructors, including job descriptions, intended to assure that every instructor is qualified by training and/or experience to teach the course/educational activity; and
     
  2. maintain and use written procedures to evaluate instructors' performance. Both attendees' written evaluations and assessments by course/educational activity monitors may appropriately be part of the evaluation of instructors' performance.

Standard 4 - Assessment of Learning

Provider has a method of assessing the learning of participants.

Providers must maintain assessment methods that (1) are appropriate to the course/educational activity objectives and educational methods, and (2) measure the extent to which the objectives were accomplished. These methods may include, but need not be limited to, post-tests, questionnaires, and attendees' evaluations. Course/educational activity monitors may also be effective components of a method of assessing learning.

Standard 5 - Records

Provider will maintain records for at least six years from the date of completion of coursework/educational activity.

Providers "will maintain records for at least six years from the date of completion of course work, which shall include, but shall not be limited to, the name and curriculum vitae of the faculty, a record of attendance of licensed physical therapists or physical therapist assistants in the course if a course, a record of participation of licensed physical therapists or physical therapist assistants in the self-study program if a self-study program, an outline of the course or program, date and location of the course or program, and the number of hours for completion of the course or program."

Providers must create and maintain for at least six years the following records for each course or educational activity:

  1. the date and location of the course/educational activity;
     
  2. the name and curriculum vitae of the instructor/presenter;
     
  3. the objectives and learning methods of the course/educational activity;
     
  4. the outline of the course/educational activity, the assessment methods used, and the number of contact hours of the course/educational activity;
     
  5. a summary of any evaluation of the course/educational activity;
     
  6. copies of all promotional materials used in a course/educational activity;
     
  7. any evaluation of the need for the course/educational activity; and
     
  8. the list of licensed practitioners in attendance, including the profession(s) in which each is licensed.

Providers must issue a Certificate of Completion to licensed practitioners who have completed a course/educational activity for continuing education credit. A Certificate of Completion should contain the following information:

  • attendee's name
     
  • title of the course, program, or educational activity and any identification number assigned to it by the provider
     
  • number of hours completed
     
  • the provider's name and any identifying number
     
  • verification by the provider of attendance
     
  • the date and location of the program, course, or educational activity
     
  • A statement indicating that the organization is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Physical Therapy as an approved provider of physical therapy and physical therapist assistant continuing education.