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Oregon Physical Therapy Continuing Education Requirements

Updated 8/20/2024

How many continuing education hours are required during a reporting period?

Physical therapists licensed in Oregon must complete twenty-four (24) hours every two (2) years.

Physical therapy assistants licensed in Oregon must complete twenty-four (24) hours every two (2) years.

New Licensees

If initially licensed or renewed anytime during the first year of a certification period (April 1st of an even numbered year through March 31st of an odd numbered year), the individual must complete the full 24 hours of continuing competence required for that certification period.  A licensee whose license lapses on April 1st of an even numbered year, regardless of the reason, and who subsequently renews the lapsed license during the first 12 months of a new certification period, shall provide documentation of completion of the continuing competence requirements for the immediately prior certification period before the license will be renewed. For this purpose, the continuing competence activities may be completed in the prior or current certification period, however, any specific activity can only be applied once.

If initially licensed or renewed anytime during the second year of a certification period (April 1st of an odd numbered year through March 31st of an even numbered year), the individual must complete one-half (12 hours) of the continuing competence required for that certification period.

A PT or PTA who is first licensed between January 1st to and including March 31st of an even numbered year and is renewing a license during an even numbered year is not required to complete continuing competence for the current certification period. Thereafter, such licensee shall be subject to the continuing competence requirement for all subsequent certification periods.

How long is the reporting period?

"Certification period" means a twenty-four (24) month continuing competence certification period which runs from April 1st of each even numbered year, through March 31st of the next even numbered year, i.e. April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2014.

Due Date

March 31st.

Carryover

A licensee who completes more than the required number of continuing competency hours during a certification period, may request to carryover a maximum of eight (8) hours to the next immediate certification period.

Requests to carryover hours shall be made to the Board, in writing, by February 1st of the even-numbered year prior to the end of the certification period into which the licensee wishes to carryover credits from the prior period.

Are there any specific courses that must be taken?

Pain Management Course

All Oregon PTs and PTAs must complete the online pain management module provided by the Oregon Pain Management Commission as follows:

    • At initial licensure.
    • At each renewal, unless the date course was completed for initial licensure was within one year of the renewal date.

Cultural Competence

Effective April 1, 2020, all licensed PTs and PTAs must complete a minimum of one (1) hour of continuing competence that meets the criteria established for cultural competency education. This requirement must be completed each certification period.

    • The Board shall accept courses approved by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) under ORS 413.450.
    • The Board may accept other courses to the extent that the course includes content that addresses the examination of practitioner values and beliefs, developing and applying skills supporting an inclusive approach to health care practice that improves health outcomes by reducing health disparities and inequities, and which recognizes the context and complexities of provider-patient communication and interaction and preserving the dignity of individuals, families and communities.

What types of activities can be used for the continuing education requirements?

Activity

Hours Earned

Maximum

CE Courses

Courses, seminars, activities, and workshops sponsored, certified, or approved by an established and recognized health related organization or professional association recognized by the Board.

N/A

N/A

Out-of-State CE Courses

Courses, seminars or activities approved for continuing education or competency by other states which require continuing education or competency for PTs or PTAs, excluding other state jurisprudence exams.

N/A

N/A

Higher Education

Courses provided by an accredited institution of higher education, which may include but are not limited to, courses leading to an advanced degree in physical therapy or other courses that advance the licensee’s physical therapy competence.

One (1) college credit is equal to 10 (ten) contact hours.

Home Study

Individual home study courses approved by an entity which require an examination.

N/A

N/A

CPR Courses

Courses in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Basic Life Support (BLS), or Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), will be limited to one (1) hour of continuing competence credit, regardless of the length of the course.

N/A

A licensee may receive credit for completion of a CPR, BLS, or ACLS course only one (1) time during any certification period, however, a course may be repeated during each subsequent certification period.

Presentations

Courses or lectures which a licensee presents if the course or lecture awards continuing competence hours to participants and the licensee requests continuing competence credit from the Board.

The licensee may receive continuing competence hours equivalent to the actual credit hours awarded to participants for that portion of the program which the licensee presents.

A licensee may receive credit for presenting a particular course or lecture only one time during any certification period, regardless of how many times the licensee presents that course or lecture.

The maximum cumulative credit granted for presenting courses or lectures shall be no more than one third (8 hours) of the total continuing competence requirement during any certification period.

Publishing

Publishing an article in a peer review journal.

A licensee may receive credit for publishing an article only one (1) time during any certification period.

The maximum credit granted for publishing an article shall be one third of the total continuing competence requirement during any certification period, up to eight (8) hours.

Clinical Instructor

The licensee must obtain a letter or certificate from the student’s academic institution verifying that the student has completed the course of clinical instruction.

A licensee who has completed a Board-approved clinical instructor certification program prior to supervising a student may receive continuing competence credit equivalent to one (1) credit hour for each forty (40) hours of direct clinical instruction to a PT/student or PTA/ student enrolled in a physical therapy or physical therapy assistant program.

The maximum cumulative credit granted for serving as a clinical instructor shall be no more than one-third of the total continuing competence requirement during any certification period, up to eight (8) hours.

Specialty Certification

Completion of a specialty certification through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists (ABPTS).

N/A

Maximum twenty-four (24) hours of continuing competence during the period in which the specialist certification is awarded.

Clinical Residency

Completion of a clinical residency or fellowship program accredited or recognized by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education (ABPTRFE).

N/A

Maximum of twenty-four (24) hours of continuing competence during the period in which the residency or fellowship was completed.

Jurisprudence Exam

Passing the Board approved Oregon jurisprudence examination.

Three (3) hours of continuing competence.

A licensee may receive credit for completion of the jurisprudence examination only one time during any certification period, however, the course may be repeated each certification period.

Pain Management

Successful completion of the Oregon Pain Management Commission's web-based pain management module.

Amount of continuing competence credit shown on the certificate.

A licensee may receive credit for completion of the pain management module only one time during any certification period.

 

Courses or activities approved by the Board by special request

Request for approval shall be made to the Board, in writing, at least 60 days prior to license expiration.

Non-clinical courses or activities

A portion of the continuing competence requirements may be satisfied through the following non-clinical courses or activities recognized by an accredited institution or recognized health-related organization or professional association recognized by the Board.  Courses completed may qualify for up to a maximum of eight (8) hours total, with no more than four (4) hours maximum from any single category of coursework.

A licensee initially licensed or whose lapsed license is renewed in the second year of a certification period, may complete up to four (4) maximum hours total from any or all category:

    • Personal Development/Self Care
    • Business/Leadership
    • Professional Conduct/Ethics
    • Committee work or serving as an officer for the following: Oregon Board of Physical Therapy (OBPT), Oregon Physical Therapy Association (OPTA), American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) or the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). Each meeting will count as one hour and must be documented with a certificate or letter signed by the Chair, Vice Chair, or officer of the organization.

What type of approval is required?

​The Board does not approve Continuing Competency courses, but does require that courses have been sponsored, certified, or approved by another established and recognized health related organization, professional association, or state. 

Essentially- if the course says that they have been approved by any other state or by any other health related Oregon Board, the course is approved for credit with the Oregon Board of Physical Therapy as well. ​

Are there courses/activities that are not allowed?

Activities which will not satisfy the continuing competence requirement include:

  • Courses provided by an accredited institution of higher education taken as part of the curriculum requirements of a CAPTE accredited physical therapy program;
  • Workplace non-clinical employee orientation programs or trainings completed as a condition of employment;
  • Courses, seminars or activities for which continuing competence hours were applied to an individual’s license renewal during the most immediate prior certification period.

What are the reporting requirements?

In order to qualify for credit against the required hours, a continuing competence course, seminar or activity must include a completion certificate. The certificate must include the title of the course or activity, the name of the sponsor or speaker, date of completion, number of hours and licensee's name.

The licensee is responsible for obtaining a completion certificate from the sponsor or speaker. The licensee is further responsible for retaining the certificate and submitting a legible copy to the Board in the manner designated by the Board before or during renewal of license. 

How long must continuing education records be retained?

All completion certificates shall be retained for a minimum of four (4) years from the certificate date.

Can I have my CE requirements waived?

In individual cases involving physical disability or illness, undue hardship, or active military duty, the Board may grant waivers of the continuing competency requirements or extensions of time to fulfill the requirement. Requests for waiver or extension shall be made to the Board, in writing.

Reference

OAR 848-035-0015

OAR 848-035-0040

OAR 848-035-0035

About Us

Zachary Edgar JD, LLM is the managing partner for Therapy Comply.  Zachary is a healthcare attorney that specializes in federal and state healthcare regulatory issues particularly for physical, occupational, and speech therapy practices.  

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