Continuing Education

Policy 30-2 Board Approved Continuing Education
CE must be clinically relevant. Practice management topics or drug
companies’ sales pitches are not acceptable; study groups are also not
acceptable. Continuing education on the topic of clinical record keeping is
acceptable for fulfilling the statutory continuing education requirement.

CE may be obtained at conferences, lectures, clinics, from optometry
journals or via the Internet.

Conferences & Lectures: Must be sponsored by COPE, AOA, AOA recognized
state associations, AAO, schools and colleges of optometry,
COVD, OEP and clinical facilities specializing in eye care that are staffed
by professors or adjunct professors of optometry or ophthalmology at
accredited optometry or medical schools. If the CE is not sponsored by
one of the above organizations, ODs can apply to the board for approval
of a specific course they plan to take or have taken.

Internet or journals: Must be sponsored/approved by COPE (Council on
Optometric Practitioner Education) or accredited schools/colleges of
Optometry. Must also include a post-test evaluation. Only 8 of the 24
required hours may be obtained via the Internet or from journals.
Clinical observation / experience: One hour of CE credit may be obtained
for every two hours of observation at a clinical facility which specializes in
eye care that is staffed by professors or adjunct professors from optometry
or ophthalmology at accredited optometry or medical schools. (The Omni
Eye Specialists clinic in Denver is an example of such a clinical facility.)
Only 4 hours of CE may be earned by this method in each 24-month
cycle. (Revised February 2012)

Policy 30-3 Continuing Education (“CE”) Audits
During each RENEWAL licensing cycle, Colorado licensees are randomly selected to submit their proof of CE hours. Additionally, all licensees who have been disciplined by the Board in the last five years will be required to submit proof of CE hours obtained. CE hours may only be applied to one renewal period (two year cycle). Board staff will send an inquiry letter to randomly selected licensees and those previously disciplined in the past five years requesting documentation of completed 24 hours (or the appropriate amount on graduation date) of CE. If the Board determines that the renewal licensee has not obtained appropriate continuing education as outlined in Policy 30-2 or the renewal licensee failed to submit proof of CE’s satisfactory to the Board, the Board may consider disciplinary action for failure to comply with statute and rule. The Board may also grant a 90 day period to correct the shortage of CE’s. The licensee must maintain in their own files, the date of the CE, certificate of attendance that includes hours of and brief description of course content, instructor, and course sponsor. CE’s obtained as ordered by stipulation will not apply to CE’s needed to renew. (Revised May 2011)

Policy 30- 4 Continuing Education Requirements during renewal (every two years)
The continuing education (CE) requirements for licensee’s during the
renewal period are as follows:
Licensees licensed less than twelve (12) months – NO CE’s are required to renew license.
Licensees licensed over twelve (12) months but less than twenty four (24) months – must attend and complete twelve (12) hours of approved CE.
Licensees licensed over twenty four (24) months – must attend and complete twenty four (24) hours of approved CE. See Board Policy 30-2 for additional guidance. (April 2009)