R156-71-304. Qualified Continuing Education

(1) To be qualified continuing education, a continuing education course shall meet the following standards:

(a) the course shall consist of clinically oriented seminars, lectures, conferences, workshops, mediated instruction, or programmed learning provided by one of the following:

(i) a professional health care licensing agency, hospital, or institution accredited by the Accreditation Council of Continuing Medical Education (ACCME);

(ii) a program sponsored by the American Council of Pharmaceutical Education (ACPE);

(iii) an accredited college or university;

(iv) a professional association or organization representing a licensed profession whose program objectives are related to naturopathic training; or

(v) any other provider providing a program related to naturopathic education, if the provider has submitted an application to and received approval from the Utah Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Board;

(b) the learning objectives of the course shall be reasonably and clearly stated;

(c) the teaching methods shall be clearly stated and appropriate;

(d) the faculty shall be qualified both in experience and in teaching expertise;

(e) there shall be a written post course or program evaluation;

(f) the documentation of attendance shall be provided; and

(g) the content of the course shall be relevant to naturopathic practice and consistent with the laws and rules of this state.

(2) In accordance with Section 58-71-304, qualified continuing education shall consist of 48 hours of qualified continuing professional education in each preceding two year period of licensure, 20 hours of which shall be specific to pharmacy or pharmacology as it pertains to the Naturopathic Physician Formulary, Section R156-71-202. A minimum of ten of the 20 hours of continuing education specific to pharmacy or pharmacology must be recognized as category 1 credit hours as established by the ACCME in each preceding two year licensure cycle. No more than 20 hours of continuing education in each two-year period of licensure may be through distance learning.

(3) If a licensee allows his license to expire and the application for reinstatement is received by the division within two years after the expiration date the applicant shall:

(a) submit documentation of having completed 48 hours of qualified continuing professional education required for the previous renewal period. The required hours shall meet the criteria set forth in Subsection (2); and

(b) submit documentation of having completed a pro rata amount of qualified continuing professional education based upon one hour of qualified continuing professional education for each month the license was expired for the current renewal period.

(4) If the application for reinstatement is received by the division more than two years after the date the license expired, the applicant shall complete a minimum of 48 hours of qualified continuing professional education and additional hours as determined by the board to clearly demonstrate the applicant is currently competent to engage in naturopathic medicine. The required hours shall meet the criteria set forth in Subsection (2).

(5) Audits of a licensee's continuing education hours may be done on a random basis by the division in collaboration with the board.

(6) A licensee shall be responsible for maintaining competent records of completed qualified professional education for a period of two years after close of the two year period to which the records pertain. It is the responsibility of the licensee to maintain this information with respect to qualified professional education to demonstrate it meets the requirements under this section.

(7) The division in collaboration with the board may grant a waiver of continuing education requirements to a waiver applicant who documents he is engaged in full time activities or is subjected to circumstances which prevent the licensee from meeting the continuing professional education requirements established under this section. A waiver may be granted for a period of up to four years. However, it is the responsibility of the licensee to document the reasons and justify why the requirement could not be met.