D.C. Mun. Regs. r. 17-6513

Current through Register Vol. 71, No. 26, June 28, 2024
Rule 17-6513 - CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
6513.1

Except as provided in § 6513.2, this section shall apply t) applicants for the renewal, reactivation, or reinstatement of a pharmacist license.

6513.2

This section shall not apply to applicants for an initial license by examination or reciprocity, nor does it apply to applicants for the first renewal of a license.

6513.3

A continuing education credit shall be valid only if it is part of a program approved by the Board in accordance with § 6514 of this chapter.

6513.4

For the licensure period ending February 28, 2021, an applicant for renewal of a license shall:

(a) Have completed a minimum of forty (40) contact hours of continuing education credit in approved programsduring the two (2) year period preceding the date the license expires, all of which may be satisfied through approved online courses, and which shall include at least:
(1) Two (2) hours in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) training;
(2) Two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors training; and
(3) Two (2) hours of continuing education on cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression ("LGBTQ") meeting the requirements of D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.10(b)(5); and
(b) Attest to completion of the required continuing education credits on the renewal application form; and
(c) Be subject to a random audit.
6513.5

Beginning with the licensure period ending February 28, 2023, an applicant for renewal of a license shall:

(a) Have completed a minimum of forty (40) contact hours of continuing education credit in approved programs during the two (2) year period preceding the date the license expires, which shall include at least:
(1) Two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors training;
(2) Two (2) hours of continuing education on cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression ("LGBTQ") meeting the requirements of D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.10(b)(5); and
(3) At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District every five (5) years or less frequently, as deemed appropriate by the Director, with notice of the subject matter published in the D.C. Register. The Board shall disseminate the identified subjects to its licensees when determined by the Director via electronic communication and through publication on its website; and
(b) Attest to completion of the required continuing education credits on the renewal application form; and
(c) Be subject to a random audit.
6513.6

With the exception of the licensure renewal period ending February 28, 2021, not more than thirty (30) contact hours of continuing education credit may be accepted in any renewal period, or for reinstatement or reactivation of a license for approved home study or other mediated instruction continuing education courses.

6513.7

With the exception of the licensure renewal period ending February 28, 2021, a minimum of ten (10) contact hours of the required continuing education credits for renewal, reinstatement, or reactivation of a license shall be obtained by attendance at live continuing education programs.

6513.8

For the licensure period ending February 28, 2021, to qualify for a license, a person in inactive status within the meaning of § 511 of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.11 ) for five (5) years or less, who submits an application to reactivate a license, shall submit proof, pursuant to § 6513.14, of having completed twenty (20) contact hours of approved continuing education credit in the year immediately preceding the date of the application, all of which may be satisfied through approved online courses, and which shall include at least:

(a) Two (2) hours in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Training;
(b) Two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors training; and
(c) Two (2) hours of continuing education on cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression ("LGBTQ"), meeting the requirements of D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.10(b)(5).
6513.9

Beginning with the licensure period ending February 28, 2023, to qualify for a license, a person in inactive status within the meaning of § 511 of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.11 ) for five (5) years or less, who submits an application to reactivate a license, shall submit proof, pursuant to § 6513.14, of having completed twenty (20) contact hours of approved continuing education credit in the year immediately preceding the date of the application, which shall include at least:

(a) Two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors training;
(b) Two (2) hours of continuing education on cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression ("LGBTQ"), meeting the requirements of D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.10(b)(5); and
(c) At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District every five (5) years or less frequently, as deemed appropriate by the Director, with notice of the subject matter published in the D.C. Register. The Board shall disseminate the identified subjects to its licensees when determined by the Director via electronic communication and through publication on its website.
6513.10

For the licensure period ending February 28, 2021, to qualify for a license, a person in inactive status within the meaning of § 511 of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.11 ) for more than five (5) years, who submits an application to reactivate a license shall submit proof, pursuant to § 6513.14, of having completed approved continuing education credit in the year immediately preceding the date of the application, as follows:

(a) Forty (40) contact hours of approved continuing education credit, all of which may be satisfied through approved online courses, and which shall include at least:
(1) Two (2) hours in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) training;
(2) Two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors training; and
(3) Two (2) hours of continuing education on cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression ("LGBTQ"), meeting the requirements of D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.10(b)(5); and
(b) One hundred sixty (160) hours within a sixty (60) day period of professional practice under the supervision of a pharmacist performing tasks listed in § 6502.2(a).
6513.11

Beginning with the licensure period ending February 28, 2023, to qualify for a license, a person in inactive status within the meaning of § 511 of the Act (D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.11 ) for more than five (5) years, who submits an application to reactivate a license shall submit proof, pursuant to § 6513.14, of having completed approved continuing education credit in the year immediately preceding the date of the application as follows:

(a) Forty (40) contact hours of approved continuing education credit which shall include at least:
(1) Two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors training;
(2) Two (2) hours of continuing education on cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression ("LGBTQ"), meeting the requirements of D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.10(b)(5); and
(3) At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District every five (5) years or less frequently, as deemed appropriate by the Director, with notice of the subject matter published in the D.C. Register. The Board shall disseminate the identified subjects to its licensees when determined by the Director via electronic communication and through publication on its website; and
(b) One hundred sixty (160) hours within a sixty (60) day period of professional practice under the supervision of a pharmacist performing tasks listed in § 6502.2(a).
6513.12

For the licensure period ending February 28, 2021, to qualify for a license, an applicant for reinstatement of a license shall submit proof, pursuant to § 6513.14, of having completed approved continuing education credit in the year immediately preceding the date of the application as follows:

(a) Forty (40) contact hours of approved continuing education credit, all of which may be satisfied through approved online courses, and which shall include at least:
(1) Two (2) hours in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Training;
(2) Two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors training; and
(3) Two (2) hours of continuing education on cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression ("LGBTQ"), meeting the requirements of D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.10(b)(5); and
(b) One hundred sixty (160) hours within a sixty (60) day period of professional practice under the supervision of a pharmacist performing tasks listed in § 6502.2(a).
6513.13

Beginning with the licensure period ending February 28, 2023, to qualify for a license, an applicant for reinstatement of a license shall submit proof, pursuant to § 6513.14, of having completed approved continuing education credit in the year immediately preceding the date of the application as follows:

(a) Forty (40) contact hours of approved continuing education credit which shall include at least:
(1) Two (2) hours in medication/dispensing errors training;
(2) Two (2) hours of continuing education on cultural competency or specialized clinical training focusing on patients or clients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, gender nonconforming, queer, or question their sexual orientation or gender identity and expression ("LGBTQ"), meeting the requirements of D.C. Official Code § 3-1205.10(b)(5); and
(3) At least ten percent (10%) of the total required continuing education shall be in the subjects determined by the Director as public health priorities of the District every five (5) years or less frequently, as deemed appropriate by the Director, with notice of the subject matter published in the D.C. Register. The Board shall disseminate the identified subjects to its licensees when determined by the Director via electronic communication and through publication on its website; and
(b) One hundred sixty (160) hours within a sixty (60) day period of professional practice under the supervision of a pharmacist performing tasks listed in § 6502.2(a).
6513.14

Except as provided in § 6513.16, an applicant under this section shall prove completion of required continuing education credits by submitting with the application the following information with respect to each program:

(a) The name and address of the sponsor of the program;
(b) The name of the program, its location, a description of the subject matter covered, and the names of the instructors;
(c) The dates on which the applicant attended the program;
(d) The hours of credit claimed; and
(e) Verification by the sponsor of completion, by signature or stamp.
6513.15

The Board shall conduct a random audit of continuing education credits at the completion of each renewal period.

6513.16

Applicants for renewal of a license shall only be required to prove completion of the required continuing education credits by submitting proof pursuant to § 6513.14 if requested to do so as part of the random audit, or if otherwise requested to do so by the Board.

6513.17

Persons selected as a part of the Board's random audit shall provide all requested documentation within no more than thirty (30) calendar days after receipt of the audit request or having been deemed served with receipt, whichever comes first.

6513.18

An applicant for renewal of a license who fails to renew the license by the date the license expires may renew the license for up to sixty (60) days after the date of expiration by completing the application, submitting the required supporting documents, and paying the required late fee. Upon renewal, the applicant shall be deemed to have possessed a valid license during the period between the expiration of the license and the renewal thereof.

6513.19

If an applicant for renewal of a license fails to renew the license and pay the late fee within sixty (60) days after the expiration of applicant's license, the license shall be considered to have lapsed on the date of expiration. The applicant shall thereafter be required to apply for reinstatement of an expired license and meet all requirements and fees for reinstatement.

6513.20

The Board may, in its discretion, grant an extension of the sixty (60) day period, up to a maximum of one (1) year, to renew after expiration if the applicant's failure to renew was for good cause. As used in this section, "good cause" includes the following:

(a) Serious and protracted illness of the applicant; and
(b) The death or serious and protracted illness of a member of the applicant's immediate family.
6513.21

An extension granted under this section shall not exempt the pharmacist from complying with the continuing education requirements for any other renewal period.

D.C. Mun. Regs. r. 17-6513

Final Rulemaking published at 55 DCR 4330 (April 18, 2008); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 64 DCR 6624 (7/14/2017); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 67 DCR 7461 (6/12/2020); amended by Final Rulemaking published at 68 DCR 2295 (2/26/2021)