OAR 847-008-0070: Continuing Medical Competency (Education)

The Oregon Medical Board is committed to ensuring the continuing competence of its licensees for the protection, safety and well being of the public. All licensees must engage in a culture of continuous quality improvement and lifelong learning. (1) Licensees renewing registration who had been registered with Active, Administrative Medicine Active, Locum Tenens, Military/Public Health Active, Telemedicine Active, Telemonitoring Active, or Teleradiology Active status for the previous registration period must demonstrate ongoing competency to practice medicine by: (a) Ongoing participation in a program of recertification or maintenance of certification by an American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) board, the American Osteopathic Association’s Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (AOA-BOS), the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM), the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS), the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA), or the National Certification Board for Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (NCBAHM); or (b) 60 hours of continuing medical education (CME) per two years relevant to the licensee’s current medical practice, or 30 hours of CME if licensed during the second year of the biennium, as follows: (A) American Medical Association (AMA) Category 1; (B) American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Category 1-A or 2-A; (C) American Podiatric Medical Association’s (APMA) Council on Podiatric Medical Education approved sponsors of continuing education; or (D) American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) Category 1 (pre-approved); or (c) 30 hours of NCBAHM-approved courses per two years relevant to the licensee’s current practice, or 15 hours if licensed during the second year of the biennium. (2) Licensees renewing registration who had been registered with Emeritus status for the previous registration period must demonstrate ongoing competency by: (a) Ongoing participation in re-certification by an ABMS board, the AOA-BOS, the ABPM, the ABFAS, the NCCPA, or the NCBAHM; or (b) 15 hours of CME per year as follows: (A) AMA Category 1 or 2; (B) AOA Category 1-A, 1-B, 2-A or 2-B; (C) APMA-approved continuing education; or (D) AAPA Category 1 or 2; or (c) 8 hours of NCBAHM-approved courses. (3) Licensees who have lifetime certification without participation in a program of recertification or maintenance of certification with the ABMS, AOA-BOS, ABPM, ABFAS, or NCCPA must submit the required CME in section (1) (b) of this rule or section (2) (b) of this rule if renewing with Emeritus status. (4) Licensees who have lifetime certification without participation in a program of recertification or maintenance of certification with the NCBAHM must submit the required CME in section (1) (c) of this rule or section (2) (c) of this rule if renewing with Emeritus status. (5) Licensees serving in the military may provide documentation of military training or experience that is substantially equivalent to the continuing education required by the Board to meet the requirements of this rule. (6)(a) CME in cultural competency is considered relevant CME for the current practice of all licensees and may be used toward satisfying the required CME hours and the cultural competency continuing education hours required in OAR 847-008-0077. (b) CME in suicide risk assessment, treatment and management is considered relevant CME for the current practice of all licensees and may be used toward satisfying the required CME hours. (c) CME in the detection and early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and in the appropriate prescribing of antipsychotic drugs to treat patients with Alzheimer’s disease is considered relevant CME for the current practice of all physician and physician associate licensees and may be used toward satisfying the required CME hours. Licensees practicing in primary care or geriatric care are encouraged to obtain the CME described here. (7) Licensees who perform Level II office-based surgical procedures and who are not eligible or maintaining certification with an ABMS, AOA-BOS, ABPM, ABFAS, or NCCPA specialty board, must obtain 50 hours of CME each year. The CME hours must be relevant to the surgical procedures to be performed in the office-based facility and must be accredited as described in section (1)(b) of this rule. This requirement may not be satisfied with cultural competency CME or other CME that is only generally relevant to the licensee’s practice. (8) The Board may audit licensees for compliance with CME. Audited licensees have 60 days from the date of the audit to provide course certificates. Failure to comply or misrepresentation of compliance is grounds for disciplinary action. (9) As the result of an audit, if licensee’s CME is deficient or licensee does not provide adequate documentation, the licensee will be fined $250 and must comply with CME requirements within 120 days from the date of the audit. (a) If the licensee does not comply within 120 days of the date of the audit, the fine will increase to $1000; and (b) If the licensee does not comply within 180 days of the date of the audit, the licensee’s license will be suspended for a minimum of 90 days. (10) The following licensees are exempt from this rule: (a) Licensees in residency training; and (b) Volunteer Camp licensees.