License Renewal: Clarification of the 10-hour-in-person, in Maryland Continuing Professional Education Requirement

Please review the License Renewal Education Requirement

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First -Time Renewal Requirements

Licensees coming from another state who have held their license for less than two years, CEs will be prorated for first time renewal based on when you were issued a license.  

All licensees renewing for the first time are required to complete the Implicit Bias Training for their first renewal, and CPR.

For licensees who did not apply within a year of graduation and has held their license for less than two years, CEs will be prorated for their first-time renewal, based on their license issuance date.

​General Continuing Education Requirements

TPA Certified optometrists are required to document 50 hours 30 of which must be therapeutic and have current CPR certification.

DPA Certified optometrists are required to document 36 hours 6 of which must be diagnostic and have current CPR certification.

Non-Certified optometrists are required to document 36 hours.
Fractional Credit hours are allowed.

COPE Categories (Revised January 2022)
The Board accepts only COPE accredited or Maryland Board approved continuing education programs. The Board accepts courses as therapeutic that fall within the Ocular Disease and related Systemic Disease categories.​​​​​​​​

1. Board Meeting Attendance – The Board will allow continuing education credit of up to 4 hours in the two-year period for attendance at the regular session of Board meetings. Licensees will receive 2 hours and a certificate for each meeting attendance.

 

2. Clinical Observation – Observation of clinical procedures (without a corresponding lecture) will be accepted for continuing education credit up to a maximum of 8 hours in the two-year period. The site must be pre-approved by the Board. The licensee needs to obtain a letter verifying the number of hours from the person or facility where the observation is done.

 

3. ​General -Types of general hours may include the following:

 

CPR –Required for DPA and TPA certification. DPA and TPA certified optometrists are responsible for maintaining proficiency with the current CPR procedures as recommended by the American Heart Association. The Board will grant a maximum of 3 hours in the two-year period for CPR recertification.

Ethics – The Board will allow up to a maximum of 4 hours for Board approved courses in optometric ethics.

Practice Management – The Board will allow a maximum of 4 hours in the two-year period for programs directly relating to patient care.

Optometric Ethics/ Maryland Optometric Jurisprudence, or both – The Board will allow up to a maximum of 4 hours for Board approved courses in the two-year period.

Cultural Competency – The Board will allow up to a maximum of 4 hours for Board approved courses in cultural competency.

Other – The Board will allow approved programs that are relevant to the practice of optometry.

4. Journal and Internet Courses – Courses given in optometric or other professional journals with a post-test, or Internet courses will be accepted for continuing education credit up to a maximum of 30 in the two-year renewal period.

 

5. Lecture - There is no limit to the number of hours for attending face to face/ ​in-person/ live lectures.
   

 

6. Presented Program - Licensees who present approved CE programs will be allowed continuing education hours for the preparation and presentation of the program as follows: for each hour of presentation, the licensee will be allowed one hour for preparation and one hour for each​ credit hour presented up to a maximum of 16 hours in the two- year period.

 

7. Pro Bono Work-The Board will allow 2 credit hours for each 3 hours of approved continuing education activity, up to a maximum of 6 credit hours per renewal cycle.

 

8. Published Paper – The Board will allow continuing education credit for a maximum of 12 hours in the two-year period for papers which have been either   published or peer–reviewed.