Continuing Education Requirements
Requirements || Continuing Education Provider Links
Licensee Requirements
From the Colorado Optometric Practice Act:
12-40-113 (1) (f) Effective April 1, 1993, in addition to all other requirements of this section for license renewal, the board shall require that each optometrist seeking to renew a license shall have completed twenty-four hours of board-approved continuing education. Any optometrist desiring to renew a license to practice optometry in this state shall submit to the board the information the board believes is necessary to show that the optometrist has fulfilled the continuing education requirements of this paragraph (f). Implementation of this paragraph (f) shall occur within existing appropriations.
From
the Board Guidelines:
CE must be clinically relevant. Practice management topics or drug
companies' sales pitches are not acceptable; study groups are also
not acceptable. Continuing education on the topic of clinical record
keeping is acceptable for fulfilling the statutory continuing education
requirement.
CE may be obtained at conferences, lectures, clinics, from optometric journals, or via the Internet:
Conferences & lectures: Must be sponsored by COPE, AOA, AOA-recognized state associations, AAO, schools and colleges of optometry, COVD, OEP and clinical facilities specializing in eye care that are staffed by professors or adjunct professors of optometry or ophthalmology at accredited optometry or medical schools. (See Provider Links below) If the CE is not sponsored by one of the above organizations, ODs can apply to the board for approval of a specific course they plan to take or have taken.
Internet or journals: Must be sponsored/approved by COPE (Council on Optometric Practitioner Education) or accredited schools/colleges of optometry. Must also include a post-test evaluation. Only 8 of the 24 required hours may be obtained via the Internet or from journals.
Clinical observation/experience: One hour of CE credit may be obtained for every two hours of observation at a clinical facility which specializes in eye care that is staffed by professors or adjunct professors from optometry or ophthalmology at accredited optometry or medical schools. (The Omni Eye Specialists clinic in Denver is an example of such a clinical facility.) Only 4 hours of CE may be earned by this method in each 24-month cycle.
30- 4 Continuing Education Requirements during renewal (every twoyears)
The CE requirements for licensee’s during the renewal period are as follows:
Licensees licensed less than twelve (12) months – NO CE’s are required to renew license.
Licensees licensed over twelve (12) months but less than twenty four (24) months – must attend and complete 12 hours of approved CE.
Licensees licensed over twenty four (24) months – must attend and complete 24 hours of approved CE.
See Board Policy 30-2 for additional guidance.
During
each licensing cycle, Colorado licensees are randomly selected to
submit their proof of CE hours. Additionally, all licensees who
have been disciplined by the board in the last five years will be
required to submit proof of CE hours obtained.
Continuing Education Provider Links
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