W. Va. Code R. § 11-1B-14

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 44, November 1, 2024

Section 11-1B-14 - Continuing Medical Education Requirements

14.1. Successful completion of a minimum of 100 hours of continuing education satisfactory to the Board during the preceding two-year period is required for the biennial renewal of a physician assistant license.

14.2. Types and categories of continuing medical education satisfactory to the Board for physician assistants are:

14.2.1. Continuing medical education designated as Category I by either the American Medical Association, American Academy of Physician Assistants or the American Academy of Family Physicians.

14.2.2. Continuing medical education designated as Category II by either the American Medical Association, American Academy of Physician Assistants or the American Academy of Family Physicians. A maximum of 50 hours of continuing medical education credit may be awarded for this category of activity.

14.2.3. Obtaining a master's degree from an accredited program of instruction for physician assistants within one year of the expiration of an initial license. A maximum of 100 hours of continuing education credit may be awarded for this category of activity, but a physician assistant shall only be awarded 97 hours of credit if the physician assistant is a mandatory participant in the continuing education activity described in subsection 14.3 of this rule.

14.2.4. Passing a recertification examination by the NCCPA during the reporting period. A maximum of 100 hours of continuing medical education credit may be awarded for this category of activity, but a physician assistant shall only be awarded 97 hours of credit if the physician assistant is a mandatory participant in the continuing education activity described in subsection 14.3 of this rule.

There are no other types or categories of continuing education activity for physician assistants satisfactory to the Board.

14.3. Mandatory Continuing Education Activity Upon Initial Licensure -- Within one year of receiving an initial license to practice medicine and surgery or podiatry by the Board, and regardless of the licensee's scheduled renewal date, the licensee shall complete three hours of training in a Board-approved course on Risk Assessment and Responsible Prescribing of Controlled Substances. This requirement is waived for licensees who do not prescribe, administer, or dispense any controlled substances whatsoever pursuant to a West Virginia license. Completion of a Board-approved course on Risk Assessment and Responsible Prescribing of Controlled Substances during the initial year of licensure may be allocated towards a licensee's biennial continuing education obligation for the renewal period during which the course was completed.

14.4. Mandatory Biennial Continuing Education Activity. -- Except as set forth in subsection 14.3, as a prerequisite to license renewal, a licensee who has prescribed, administered, or dispensed any controlled substance pursuant to a West Virginia license during the reporting period shall complete a three hour Board-approved course on Risk Assessment and Responsible Prescribing of Controlled Substances. This is a biennial requirement that must be satisfied during each reporting period, and may be used to satisfy three hours of continuing education requirements. This requirement is waived for licensees who do not prescribe, administer, or dispense any controlled substances pursuant to a West Virginia license during the reporting period.

14.5. The Board-approved Risk Assessment and Responsible Prescribing of Controlled Substances shall satisfy three of the 100 required hours of continuing education for the reporting period.

14.6. The Board shall maintain and publish on its website a current list of all educational activities which have been approved by the Board to satisfy the Risk Assessment and Responsible Prescribing of Controlled Substances continuing education requirement.

14.7. The Board shall include a certification of successful completion of required continuing education on its biennial renewal application. The certification shall require the renewal applicant to:

14.7.1. Certify successful completion of all required continuing education;

14.7.2. Attest to the truthfulness and accuracy of the renewal applicant's statements regarding continuing education activities;

14.7.3. Acknowledge that any license issued based upon the renewal application is based upon the truth and accuracy of the applicant's statements and that if false information is submitted in the application, such act constitutes good cause for the revocation of the renewal applicant's license to practice in the State of West Virginia; and

14.7.4. Sign and date the certification.

14.8. A license shall automatically expire if the certification required by subsection 14.7 is not submitted to the Board by the renewal deadline. An automatically expired license shall remain expired until a licensee successfully seeks reinstatement or reactivation of licensure.

14.9. A licensee shall maintain accurate records of all continuing education he or she has completed. Continuing education records shall be maintained for a period of six years.

14.10. The Board may conduct such audits and investigations as it considers necessary to assure compliance with continuing education requirements and to verify the accuracy of a renewal applicant's certification of continuing education.

14.11. Upon written request of the Board to a licensee's preferred mailing address or email address of record with the Board, a licensee shall, within 30 days, submit written documentation satisfactory to the Board corroborating the licensee's renewal application certification of continuing education compliance.

14.12. Failure or refusal of a licensee to provide written documentation requested by the Board as set forth in subsection 14.11 of this rule is prima facie evidence of renewing a license to practice as a physician assistant by fraudulent misrepresentation and the licensee is subject to disciplinary proceedings.

W. Va. Code R. § 11-1B-14