6407.1 The Board may, in its discretion, approve continuing education programs and activities that contribute to the growth of an applicant in professional competence to practice optometry and which meet the other requirements of this section.

6407.2 The Board may approve the following types of continuing education programs, if the program meets the requirements of § 6407.3:

1. (a) An undergraduate or graduate course given at an accredited college or university;
2. (b) A seminar or workshop;
3. (c) An educational program given at a conference;
4. (d) In-service training; and
5. (e) A correspondence course. For the purpose of this section, a correspondence course includes a course that may be gathered through electronic media.

6407.3 To qualify for approval by the Board, a continuing education program shall do the following:

1. (a) Be current in its subject matter;
2. (b) Be developed and taught by qualified individuals; and
3. (c) Meet one of the following requirements:
4. (1) Be administered or approved by a recognized optometry organization;
5. (2) Be taught as part of an accredited program under §6402.1; or
6. (3) Be submitted by the program sponsors to the Board for review no less than sixty (60) days prior to the date of the presentation and be approved by the Board.

6407.4 The Board may issue and update a list of approved continuing education programs.

6407.5 An applicant shall have the burden of verifying whether a program is approved by Business, Occupations and Professions

the Board pursuant to this section prior to attending the program.

6407.6 The Board may approve the following continuing education activities:

(a) Serving as an instructor or speaker at a conference, seminar, workshop, or inservice training; and

(b) Publishing a book or a chapter in a book or publishing a book review, article, or abstract in a professional journal or bulletin.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 4494, 4498 (June 17, 1988); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 61 DCR 11191 (October 24, 2014).