Section 5.10 - Mandatory Continuing Acupuncture Education(1)Condition of Renewal . A full licensee is required to complete 30 hours of continuing acupuncture education per renewal period as a condition of renewal of his/her license. The renewal period is each two year period that begins on the date that a license is issued or renewed by the Committee and ends on the following renewal date. At the time of renewal, each licensee will be required to submit a signed, notarized statement, on a form provided by the Committee, attesting to completion of the continuing education requirements set forth in 243 CMR 5.10. Failure to comply with the continuing education requirements of 243 CMR 5.10 will result in the non-renewal of the license. (a)Herbal Therapy Distinction. A licensee seeking Committee approval to employ herbal therapy as part of his/her acupuncture practice must complete 30 hours of continuing education per renewal cycle, and at least ten hours of those 30 hours shall be directly related to Herbology. Pursuant to 243 CMR 5.10, the licensee must also have at least 15 hours of continuing education credits directly related to acupuncture, and at least five hours directly or indirectly related to acupuncture or herbology.(b) For licensees certified by the Committee to employ herbs in the practice of acupuncture, failure to comply with the continuing education requirement of 243 CMR 5.10(1)(a) regarding the study of herbal medicine will result in the non-renewal of the certification to employ herbology as a part of the license's acupuncture practice. An applicant failing to meet the herbology continuing education requirements may still have his/her license to practice acupuncture renewed, provided the licensee has otherwise complied with all other applicable provisions of 243 CMR 5.07 and 243 CMR 5.10. However, the license issued will no longer contain an herbology distinction.(2)Quality of Education. The Committee anticipates that licensees will maintain the high standards of the profession in selecting quality educational programs to fulfill the continuing education requirement. All continuing education programs or courses must be formal learning programs relevant to the study or practice of acupuncture, which contribute directly to the professional competence of the licensee. Continuing education courses may include certain courses in Western medicine. However, at least 15 hours of the 30 hours of continuing acupuncture education shall be spent in courses directly related to acupuncture. (a) The Committee may approve courses and programs to satisfy the continuing acupuncture education requirement. A continuing education course or program must meet all of the following requirements: 1. The course or program meets the standards established and recognized by the Committee;2. The instructor(s) must have adequate credentials to teach the subject matter, as determined by the Committee;3. A complete record of attendance is maintained on file by the sponsor of the course or program;4. The content of the course or program is related to the practice of acupuncture, as defined in 243 CMR 5.00;5. The course or program has clearly stated educational or professional objectives that can be realistically accomplished;6. Any self-directed course, program or activity must require that the student pass a test demonstrating adequate mastery of the subject matter in order to obtain a certificate of completion.7. A credit hour must be at least 50 consecutive minutes in length;8. There must be a written outline, syllabus, text, bibliography or other written material and these materials shall be updated at least every four years by the sponsor or sponsoring entity.9. If the program includes a clinical component, the instructor must be a licensee possessing the appropriate credentials to provide instruction.10. A licensee shall not receive credit hours for taking the same course or program sponsored by the same instructor or entity during consecutive licensure/renewal periods, unless the course has been substantially revised or updated.(b) A sponsor may request Committee approval of his/her continuing education course or program. Any such request shall be made in writing to the Committee, and the Committee shall be furnished with the curriculum vitae of the instructor(s), the outline, syllabus, bibliography and other materials describing the course or program. The sponsor shall ensure that attendance will be taken per session and will provide certification of attendance, including the number of hours attended, to the Committee upon request. Sponsors of continuing education programs will be expected to maintain in their records the names of all continuing education attendees and the number of hours awarded for attendance at each program.(3)Verification and Recordkeeping.(a) A licensee is required to maintain records of his/her 30 hours of continuing acupuncture education per renewal period, for at least two renewal cycles. The Committee may require that a licensee provide verification of his/her continuing acupuncture education credits at any time. The Committee's inquiry shall not extend for a period exceeding two prior renewal periods. The Committee may randomly audit licensees' continuing education credits.(b) If a continuing education statement submitted by an applicant for biennial license renewal is not approved, the applicant shall be so notified and the applicant may be granted a period of time by the Committee in which to correct the deficiencies noted.(c) The licensee shall retain a certificate of attendance or letter of attestation issued by a program sponsor for each CAE course or program. For each credit hour earned, the licensee must be able to document the following information: 1. the title of the program;2. the number of hours spent in the program;3. the name of the sponsor and/or the instructor of the program; and4. the date(s) the program was given.(4)Extension of Time to Complete Continuing Acupuncture Education Requirements. (a) A licensee may apply to the Committee for an extension of time to complete the portion of the CAE requirements that he/she cannot meet. The licensee must submit the request to the Committee no later than 60 days prior to the license renewal date. The request shall be signed under the penalties of perjury and shall contain the following information: 1. An explanation of the licensee's failure to complete his/her continuing acupuncture education requirements;2. A list of the continuing acupuncture education courses and hours that the licensee has completed; and3. The licensee's plan for satisfying his/her continuing acupuncture education requirements.(b) The Committee, in its sole discretion, may grant a waiver or extension of the CAE requirement. The grounds for waiver or extension include, but are not limited to: 1. Prolonged illness of the licensee; or2. Inaccessibility or unavailability of CAE programs.(c) Licensees granted an extension by the Committee will be given additional time to complete the Committee's CAE requirement. Licensees required to make up a deficiency in CAE credits may apply those credits only to the period in which the deficiency arose.