PDFWAC 246-918-180

Continuing medical education requirements.

(1) A physician assistant must complete one hundred hours of continuing education every two years as required in chapter 246-12 WAC, Part 7, which may be audited for compliance at the discretion of the commission.
(2) In lieu of one hundred hours of continuing medical education the commission will accept:
(a) Current certification with the NCCPA; or
(b) Compliance with a continuing maintenance of competency program through the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) or the NCCPA; or
(c) Other programs approved by the commission.
(3) The commission approves the following categories of creditable continuing medical education. A minimum of forty credit hours must be earned in Category I.
Category I
Continuing medical education activities with accredited sponsorship
Category II
Continuing medical education activities with nonaccredited sponsorship and other meritorious learning experience.
(4) The commission adopts the standards approved by the AAPA for the evaluation of continuing medical education requirements in determining the acceptance and category of any continuing medical education experience.
(5) A physician assistant does not need prior approval of any continuing medical education. The commission will accept any continuing medical education that reasonably falls within the requirements of this section and relies upon each physician assistant's integrity to comply with these requirements.
(6) A continuing medical education sponsor does not need to apply for or expect to receive prior commission approval for a formal continuing medical education program. The continuing medical education category will depend solely upon the accredited status of the organization or institution. The number of hours may be determined by counting the contact hours of instruction and rounding to the nearest quarter hour. The commission relies upon the integrity of the program sponsors to present continuing medical education for the physician assistant that constitutes a meritorious learning experience.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.71.017, 18.130.050, chapter 18.71A RCW, and 2013 c 203. WSR 15-04-122, § 246-918-180, filed 2/3/15, effective 3/6/15. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.280. WSR 98-05-060, § 246-918-180, filed 2/13/98, effective 3/16/98. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.71.017 and 18.71A.020. WSR 96-03-073, § 246-918-180, filed 1/17/96, effective 2/17/96. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.71.017. WSR 92-12-089 (Order 278B), § 246-918-180, filed 6/3/92, effective 7/4/92; WSR 91-06-030 (Order 147B), recodified as § 246-918-180, filed 2/26/91, effective 3/29/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.71A.020. WSR 82-03-022 (Order PL 390), § 308-52-201, filed 1/14/82; WSR 81-03-078 (Order PL 368), § 308-52-201, filed 1/21/81.]