Continuing Education Requirements
CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE APRIL 1, 2012 RENEWAL
Optometrists are required to have completed twenty (20) hours of continuing education for their optometry license and twenty (20) hours of continuing education if they hold an optometric legend drug certificate acquired after April 1, 2010.
Continuing education is not required for the year in which the initial license was issued. Therefore, an optometrist who was issued an original optometry license between the date of April 1, 2010 and April 1, 2011 are only required to submit ten (10) hours of continuing education to renew their optometry license. An optometrist who is issued an original optometry license after April 1, 2011 is not required to submit continuing education for the April 1, 2012 renewal.
Optometrists who were issued an original optometric legend drug certificate between the dates of April 1, 2010 and April 1, 2011 are required to submit ten (10) hours of continuing education to renew their optometric legend drug certificate. An optometrist who was issued an optometric legend drug certificate after April 1, 2011 is not required to have continuing education for the April 1, 2012 renewal.
COMPLETION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION
All continuing education completed for the April 1, 2012 renewal period must be completed between the dates of April 1, 2010 to April 1, 2012. Any continuing education completed before or after the renewal date will not be acceptable for this renewal period.
APPROVED CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Continuing education means an orderly process of instruction that is approved by an approved organization or the board that is designed to directly enhance the practitioner's knowledge and skill in providing services relevant to the practitioner's profession or occupation and falls under an "Approved Organization" it is no longer necessary to submit an application for continuing education approval by the Indiana Optometry Board. An "Approved Organization" refers to the following:
- United States Department of Education.
- Council on Post-Secondary Education.
- Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals.
- Joint Commission on Healthcare Organizations.
- Federal, state, and local government agencies.
- A college or other teaching institution accredited by the United States Department of Education or the Council on Post-Secondary Education.
- A national organization of practitioners whose members practicing in Indiana are subject to regulation by a board or agency regulating a profession or occupation under this title or IC 15.
- A national, state, district, or local organization that operates as an affiliated entity under the approval of any organization listed in subdivisions (1) and (7).
- An internship or a residency program conducted in a hospital that has been approved by an organization listed in subdivisions (1) through (7).
- Any other organization or individual approved by the Board.
SPONSORS WITH AUTOMATIC APPROVAL
- The Indiana Optometric Association and its affiliates.
- The American Optometric Association (AOA).
- The Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE).
- The American Academy of Ophthalmologists and its affiliate organizations.
- The American Academy of Optometrists and its affiliate organizations.
- Other state optometric associations and their affiliate local societies.
- Regional optometric associations.
- Postgraduate courses offered at any accredited school of optometry.
SELF-STUDY CONTINUING EDUCATION
Self-study continuing education shall be limited to three (3) hours biennially for an optometry license unless the practitioner provides evidence to the Indiana Optometry Board: 1) such a limitation poses an undue burden upon the practitioner; or 2) the practitioner may not otherwise satisfy his or her continuing education requirements. Up to twenty (20) hours may be completed for Optometric Legend Drug certificates. In order to be accepted as continuing education for license renewal, self-study methods of presentation must include a written examination or post evaluation.
Self-study includes the following:
Journals and books Audiotapes Films and videotapes Internet on-line Closed circuit television Satellite broadcasts Correspondence courses CD-ROM DVD Teleconferencing Videoconferencing Distance learning
CONTIUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR RENEWAL
- Practice management courses.
- The writing of articles for publication and teaching of courses.
CONTINUING EDUCATION AUDITS AND CERTIFICATES
A licensee is not required to submit copies of their continuing education certificates at the time of renewal. By renewing online or signing the renewal application you swear or affirm under the penalties of perjury that you have completed the continuing education requirement. A practitioner shall retain copies of continuing education certificates for three (3) years from the end of the licensing period. After the renewal, the Board shall randomly audit for compliance more that one percent (1%) but less than ten percent (10%) of the practitioner required to take continuing education courses. At that time they will be require to submit copies of their continuing education certificates. If the licensee does not comply with the audit the Board will proceed with action as specified IC 25-1-4-5 and IC 25-1-4-6.
Continuing education certificates must contain the following information:
- The name of the participant
- The name of the sponsoring organization
- The title of the program
- The date of the program
- The location of the program
- The number of continuing education hours awarded.
QUESTIONS
If you have any questions regarding optometry or optometric legend drug continuing education you may contact the Indiana Optometry Board at (317) 234-2054 or email us at pla8@pla.IN.gov or by FAX at (317) 233-4236. You can also make your request in writing to:
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
ATTN: Indiana Optometry Board
402 West Washington Street, Room W072
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
