American
Chiropractic Board of Sports Physicians™
Recertification and Continuing Education Policy
I.
Introduction.
Effective
II.
Statement of Purposes.
The ACBSP Board of Directors has
established a Continuing Education Program as part of the recertification
process for ACBSP certificants: Diplomate American Chiropractic Board of Sports
Physicians® (DACBSP®) and Certified Chiropractic Sports Physicians®/Practitioners®
(CCSP®). Among other purposes, the
Recertification and Continuing Education Policy is intended to: promote
continued competence by requiring ACBSP certificants to demonstrate a current
level of professional knowledge and skills; and, encourage ACBSP certificants
to advance and enhance their knowledge and skills within the sports
chiropractic profession in order to become recertified.
III.
Recertification Process and
Requirements.
As explained in this policy, certificants may become
recertified by either: retaking and passing the appropriate ACBSP
Certification Examination(s); or, meeting the educational and
professional activity requirements of the ACBSP Continuing Education
Program. Additionally, all ACBSP
certificants must maintain current CPR certification in order to maintain
certification.
All examination policies, deadlines, fees and site
availability rules apply to any examination retake for recertification
purposes. A doctor cannot receive
his/her certification and recertification from the same examination(s).
A.
Certification Examination Retake.
Certificants may choose to retake their respective Certification
Examination(s) in order to become recertified.
1.
CCSP Requirements. Completion of twelve (12) CEUs every one-year
period.
2.
DACBSP Requirements. Completion of twenty-four (24) CEUs every one-year period.
The ACBSP grants CEUs to
certificants for participation in educational and practical activities meeting
specific criteria, as described in this policy.
Credits may only be applied to the one-year period in which they are
earned. Therefore, unless otherwise
permitted by this policy, credits earned in excess of the requirements may not
be applied to the next or a previous one-year period.
C.
Maintenance of CPR
Certification. In order to become recertified, all
certificants must maintain current CPR certification from one of the following
organizations: American Heart Association (BLS for the Healthcare Provider) or
American Red Cross (Professional Rescuer).
CPR recertification must be documented by submitting a photocopy of the
renewed card to the ACBSP office.
IV.
General Continuing Education
Requirements.
The ACBSP has established a yearly (12 month) time period,
or cycle, for the completion of recertification requirements. Under the Continuing Education Program, a
certificant must earn the required number of CEUs within each one-year period
in order to become recertified.
A.
Initial Period. The initial period under this policy began
B.
One-Year Period. Effective January 1, 2001, each continuing education unit
cycle applicable to all ACBSP certificants will be a one-year period, i.e.,
January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2001, and each one-year period
thereafter. Continuing education
requirements become effective January 1 of each year following initial
certification, except as otherwise permitted by this policy.
C.
Application of CCSP Credits to
DACBSP Requirement. A CCSP who successfully achieves
DACBSP certification within the same one-year period may apply to ACBSP for
permission to use CEUs previously credited to the CCSP requirements toward the
DACBSP continuing education requirement.
The application must be in writing and must state, in detail, the
reasons that the request should be granted.
D.
Reporting Continuing Education
Activities/Maintenance of Personal Records.
All
certificants must maintain in their possession, documented proof of completion
of any applicable continuing education activity, including copies of any
documentation submitted to the ACBSP. Renewal
forms should be submitted to the ACBSP within thirty (30) days upon completion
of the continuing education activity. A renewal
form
is available from the ACBSP office upon request; the form is also posted
on the ACBSP web site (www.acbsp.com). The ACBSP may request additional information
or clarification of a specific program or activity prior to final acceptance
and granting of credit, or at a future time.
On a yearly basis, the ACBSP will randomly request documented proof of
completion of continuing education activity from a percentage of its
certificants. Such documentation must be
submitted to the ACBSP within sixty (60) days following the date of request.
E.
Fees.
The ACBSP will assess a yearly administrative fee for recording,
tracking, maintaining and reporting CEUs to all certificants. An invoice will be sent to the certificant
for the fee in the year that it is due.
The annual fee will be assessed for the recertification period or year
following initial certification. The
annual fee must be paid in order to maintain active
certification/recertification status.
Administrative fees will be determined by the Board of Directors on an
annual basis.
F.
Reduction or Waiver of CEU
Requirements. The ACBSP will consider requests for
the reduction or waiver of continuing education requirements based on specific,
individual, mitigating circumstances, including undue hardships and unforeseen
circumstances which prevent timely completion of such requirements. Requests for the reduction or waiver of CEU
requirements must be submitted in writing and must contain complete information
supporting the request for the reduction or waiver. ACBSP retains the sole and exclusive
authority to grant or deny a reduction or waiver request. Formal notification of the ACBSP decision
will be forwarded to the certificant.
1.
Retired/Disabled/Military
Certificants. Any certificant who has
withdrawn from active chiropractic
practice due to retirement, disability, or active-duty military services and
wishes to keep his/her certification active must immediately notify the ACBSP
in writing. Recertification fees will be
reduced by 50% and the CEU and CPR requirements will be waived for only the
time that the certificant is not practicing.
Documentation of retirement, disability or active-duty military services
must be provided to the ACBSP office for verification.
2.
Full-time
Faculty Certificants. Any certificant who is also a full-time
faculty and wishes to keep his/her
certification active must immediately notify the ACBSP in writing. Recertification fees will be reduced by 50%
for only the time that the certificant is a full-time faculty. CEU and CPR requirements will still be
required on an annual basis.
G.
Inactive Certification Status. A certificant will become inactive and placed on an inactive
list of certificants, under the following circumstances:
1.
Withdrawal from Practice/Retired
Inactive Status. Any certificant who has withdrawn
from active chiropractic practice must immediately notify the ACBSP and will be
placed on an inactive list of retired certificants. Such retired certificants are permitted to
retain inactive certification status and may seek to activate certification
upon application to the ACBSP, under policies to be established by the Board of
Directors.
2.
Failure to Meet Recertification
Requirements. If a certificant fails to meet the
appropriate recertification requirements within an established one-year period,
the certificant will be placed on an inactive list, unless otherwise permitted
by this policy. Such inactive
certificants are prohibited from identifying themselves as certified by the
ACBSP, until such time as active certification status has been granted by
ACBSP, within its sole and exclusive authority, appropriately.
In order to regain active status, a
certificant must make application to the ACBSP, within six (6) months of the
date of inactive status. In order to be
considered, the certificant is required to:
submit a written statement to the ACBSP Board, explaining and detailing
a compelling reason/basis for the reactivation; and, complete the appropriate
recertification requirements consistent with this policy. If a certificant fails to regain active
status following the end of the six-month period, inactive certificants will be
removed from all lists of certificants.
In the event that active certification status is sought thereafter, the
individual must reapply for certification and successfully complete the
respective certification process.
V.
Continuing Education Activity
Guidelines.
All continuing education activities are subject to ACBSP
review and approval. Therefore, in order
to ensure acceptance of a continuing education activity, certificants are
strongly encouraged to contact the ACBSP prior to participating in an activity
to confirm whether credit may be granted for completion of such activity.
A.
Categories of Acceptable
Activities. Unless otherwise noted by this
policy, all continuing education activities must be sports medicine or fitness
related in order to be accepted by the ACBSP.
1.
Formal Academic Educational
Courses. This category includes participation
in educational programs designed to enhance physician knowledge and clinical
competency and to improve patient care.
Programs must be related to the field of chiropractic sports medicine. Such activities must be completed following
initial certification and must satisfy the quality guidelines described in
Section V. C, below.
2.
Professional Conferences, Meetings,
Seminars, Workshops. This category includes attendance at
qualified professional conferences, meetings, seminars and workshops (events)
designed to enhance physician knowledge and clinical competency and to improve
patient care. Participation in events
must satisfy the quality guidelines described in Section V.C, below. Qualified events may include, but are not
limited to: the ACBSP Annual Chiropractic Sports Sciences Symposium; and, other
professional and educational activities, subject to review and approval by the
ACBSP.
3.
Scientific Papers and
Publications. This category includes development,
authorship and/or presentation of scientific papers, abstracts and publications
intended for chiropractic physician education.
An original scientific paper is defined as one that reflects a search of
literature, appends a bibliography and contains original data gathered by the
author. Such activities may include, but
are not limited to: a published
manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal; and, a book, or chapter of a book
related to the field of chiropractic sports medicine. A copy of the paper/publication in finished
form must be submitted to the ACBSP for review and approval. Papers and publications will be judged on a
case-by-case basis and the number of CEUs granted will not exceed 50% of the
annual continuing education requirement.
4.
Professional Services. This category includes activities involving substantive
participation or service related to the review, evaluation, development and
application of chiropractic sports physician knowledge and competency. Such activities may include, but are not
limited to: service on ACBSP examination
committees, including Angoff Value, Item Writer and Item Evaluation Committees;
defined service in a specific project as a professional consultant or subject
matter expert related to the field of chiropractic sports medicine; and,
service on a medical team or as a treating doctor during a nationally recognized
athletic event. CEUs for service on a
medical team or as a treating doctor during a nationally recognized event will be
calculated as 0.25 CEU per hour of active participation with a maximum of 50%
of the annual continuing education requirement allowed per year. A
verification form is available from the
ACBSP office upon request; the form is also posted on the ACBSP web site (www.acbsp.com).
A DACBSP or CCSP who completes an
internship at an Olympic Training Center, or is a member of a medical team for
the Goodwill Games, Pan-American Games or the Olympic Games for the
5.
DACBSP Mentorship of CCSP. This category includes participation in activities
specifically by CCSPs under the direct supervision of a mentoring DACBSP. Only CCSPs may earn continuing education
credit under this category. In order for
any activity to be approved and accepted, the CCSP and mentoring DACBSP must
submit a detailed plan for ACBSP review at least thirty (30) days prior to the
proposed date of the activity, including the following information: the subject and practice area(s) addressed by
each proposed activity; the anticipated number of contact hours to be earned
for each proposed activity and relevant dates; the number of credits requested
upon completion of each activity; the names, addresses and contact information
of both the CCSP and DACBSP; and, an express, written and signed statement by
both certificants indicating that the mentorship will not involve any type of
monetary exchange between parties. CCSPs
must maintain a written daily journal, including detailed explanations of the
skills learned and knowledge gained during the mentored experience and may be
required to prepare patient summary case reports. CCSPs will be granted 1.0 CEU for every four
(4) hours of practical activity completed, with a maximum of 8.0 CEUs that may
be earned under this category during any one-year period. Credit is not granted for coffee breaks,
social functions, or time allotted to business or administrative matters.
6.
Home Study. This category includes self-educational activities designed
to enhance knowledge and clinical competency and to improve patient care. Such activities may include, but are not
limited to: the review and analysis of
professional journals recognized by the professional, scientific community, and
successful completion of the self test (quiz) included in the journal. Quiz results must be sent in to the ACBSP
Board Secretary. All activities must be
reviewed and approved by the ACBSP.
Certificants will be granted 1.0 CEU per quiz successfully completed and
approved. In any given one-year period,
CCSPs and DACBSPs may earn a maximum of 3.0 CEUs under this category.
On-line Course Learning: CEUs can be
earned on-line and must satisfy the quality guidelines described in Section
V.C, below. In any given one-year period,
CCSPs and DACBSPs may earn a maximum of 50% of the annual continuing education
requirement per year
7. Non-ACBSP Certifications and Specialties. This category includes the satisfaction, completion and maintenance of professional certification(s) in sports-related disciplines, administered by other recognized organizations, including: Athletic Training Certification by the National Athletic Trainer’s Association Board of Certification; EMT Certification by an authorized EMT certifying organization; and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the NSCA Certification Commission. In any given one-year period, CCSPs and DACBSPs will be exempt from ACBSP continuing education requirements, as long as all certification and recertification requirements are completed in compliance with the respective organization’s requirements. A request for exemption, including supporting documentation of such other recognized certification(s), must be submitted to the ACBSP for review and approval.
8.
Other Continuing Education
Activities. This category includes other
continuing education activities that may be considered for credit by the ACBSP.
B.
Categories of Unacceptable
Activities. Programs comprised of Adjustive
techniques will not be approved for CEU credits without the express, written
consent of the ACBSP
C.
Quality Program Guidelines and
Requirements. Unless otherwise noted by this
policy, all CEU activities accepted by the ACBSP must satisfy the following
guidelines and requirements. These rules
are provided to assist certificants in evaluating whether a program or activity
may satisfy ACBSP Continuing Education requirements. These standards are not intended to suggest
that a program appearing to satisfy these criteria will be approved or
disapproved by the ACBSP.
1.
Relevant Content.
The activity must have significant intellectual or practical content,
the primary objective of which is to improve the professional competence of
participants. The activity must be an
organized program of learning designed to provide education in subjects
directly relating to sports and/or fitness medicine.
2.
Stated Objectives. The activity must have stated and printed educational
objectives. The objectives must state
what the practitioner will know or be able to do upon completion of the
activity.
3.
Non-Restricted Participation. The program must be described in a detailed statement
prepared by the sponsor or certificant which explains the type of audience for
whom the activity is designed and the relevancy of the program to the professional
practice needs of participants. The
activity must be non-discriminatory and open to all practitioners interested in
the subject matter.
4.
Instructor Competency. The credentials of the program instructors must be provided
to the ACBSP. The instructors must have
appropriate expertise and adequate credentials necessary to conduct the program
effectively, including knowledge of content area, qualification by relevant
experience and competence as an instructor.
5.
Attendance Records. The sponsor or provider must monitor the CEU activity for
attendance and maintain records to assure that participants may be given proper
credit for continuing education.
6.
Course Materials. Each participant must be provided with thorough, high
quality and carefully prepared written course materials before or at the time
of the activity. Although written
materials may not be appropriate to all courses, they are expected to be
utilized whenever possible.
7.
Adequate Facilities. The program must assure that proper facilities and equipment
are provided to enable the presenter to teach effectively. The activity must be presented in a suitable
setting conducive to education, including the provision of adequate writing
space or surface for participants.
D.
Granting Credit. In all cases, credit is granted only after the educational
activity has been completed and documented.
Unless stated otherwise in this policy, certificants will be granted 1.0
CEU for each contact hour of professional or educational activity completed,
consistent with the terms of this policy.
Beyond the initial hour, one-half CEU (0.5) will be granted for
completion of at least thirty (30) additional minutes, but less than sixty (60)
minutes. Credit is not granted for
coffee breaks, social functions, or time allotted to business or administrative
matters.
E.
Credit Denial. The ACBSP reserves the sole and exclusive right to evaluate
all programs and activities on an individual basis, and to deny credits at its
discretion to those which do not meet the criteria described in this
policy. The number of CEUs indicated for
a program by other organizations will be considered by the ACBSP in its
evaluation. However, the ACBSP reserves
the sole and exclusive right to make final determination of the number of
credits granted. The certificant will be
notified of a decision where CEUs are reduced or denied, including the basis
for such action.
Revised