Section 43-34-11. Continuing education requirement

   (a) (1) The board shall be authorized to require persons seeking renewal of a license, certificate, or permit under this chapter to complete board approved continuing education of not less than 40 hours biennially. The board shall be authorized to approve courses offered by institutions of higher learning, specialty societies, or professional organizations, including, but not limited to, the American Medical Association, the National Medical Association, and the American Osteopathic Association, the number of hours required, and the category in which these hours should be earned. This paragraph shall not apply to respiratory care professionals, persons seeking renewal of certification as respiratory care professionals, clinical perfusionists, persons seeking renewal of licensure as a clinical perfusionist, licensed orthotists or prosthetists, or persons seeking renewal of licensure as an orthotist or prosthetist.

   (2) The board shall be authorized to require persons seeking renewal of certification as respiratory care professionals under Article 6 of this chapter to complete board approved continuing education. The board shall be authorized to establish the number of hours of continuing education required biennially for renewal of certification as a respiratory care professional and the categories in which these hours should be earned. The board shall be authorized to approve courses offered by institutions of higher learning, specialty societies, or professional organizations. Any action taken by the board pursuant to this paragraph shall be taken in conformity with the provisions of Code Section 43-34-143.

   (3) The board shall be authorized to require persons seeking renewal of licensure as clinical perfusionists under Article 7 of this chapter to complete board approved continuing education. The board shall be authorized to establish the number of hours of continuing education required biennially for renewal of licensure as a clinical perfusionist and the categories in which these hours should be earned. The board shall be authorized to approve courses offered by institutions of higher learning, specialty societies, or professional organizations. Any action taken by the board pursuant to this paragraph shall be taken in conformity with the provisions of Code Section 43-34-172.

   (4) The board shall be authorized to require persons seeking renewal of licensure to practice orthotics or prosthetics under Article 8 of this chapter to complete board approved continuing education. The board shall be authorized to establish the number of hours of continuing education required biennially for renewal of licensure to practice orthotics or prosthetics and the categories in which these hours should be earned, however, the maximum number of hours of continuing education required for renewal of licensure shall not exceed 40 hours. The board shall be authorized to approve courses offered by institutions of higher learning, specialty societies, or professional organizations. Any action taken by the board pursuant to this paragraph shall be taken in conformity with the provisions of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-34-200.

(b) (1) The board shall be authorized to waive the continuing education requirement in cases of hardship, disability, illness, or in cases where physicians or physician assistants are serving in fellowships, new specialty residencies, postgraduate specialty programs, the United States Congress or Georgia General Assembly, or under such other circumstances as the board deems appropriate.

   (2) The board shall require no more than 20 hours of continuing education annually for retired physicians who have an active license and who provide uncompensated health care services pursuant to Code Section 43-34-41 or Article 8 of Chapter 8 of Title 31; provided, however, that the board shall be authorized to require up to 40 hours of continuing education for retired physicians who have not had an active license to practice medicine for up to five years.

(c) The board shall be authorized to promulgate rules and regulations to implement and ensure compliance with the requirements of this Code section.

(d) This Code section shall apply to each licensing, certification, permit, and renewal cycle which begins after the 1990-1991 renewal.

Code 1981, § 43-34-3, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 689, § 1; Ga. L. 1996, p. 235, § 1; Ga. L. 1997, p. 403, § 1; Ga. L. 2007, p. 353, § 1/HB 626; Ga. L. 2008, p. 324, § 43/SB 455; Code 1981, § 43-34-11, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2009, p. 859, § 1/HB 509; Ga. L. 2011, p. 779, § 1D/SB 100; Ga. L. 2013, p. 751, § 1/HB 68.