- Home
- States
- Texas Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Compliance
- Texas Physical Therapy Compliance Guides
- Texas Physical Therapy Continuing Education Requirements
Texas Physical Therapy Continuing Education Requirements |
Updated 8/20/2024
How many continuing education hours are required during a reporting period?
Physical therapists licensed in Texas must complete thirty (30) continuing competence units every two (2) years.
Physical therapy assistants licensed in Texas must complete twenty (20) continuing competence units every two (2) years.
Due Date
Licensees are required to renew their licenses every two (2) years by the end of their birth month.
The board will send notification to each licensee at least thirty (30) days prior to the license expiration date. The licensee is responsible for ensuring that the license is renewed, regardless of receipt of notification.
How is continuing competence unit defined?
N/A
Can CE credits be carried over into the next reporting period?
No. Continuing competence activities utilized to fulfill renewal requirements must be completed within the twenty-four (24) months prior to the license expiration date.
Are there any specific courses that must be taken?
All licensees must complete a board-approved jurisprudence assessment module as part of their total continuing competence requirement.
The jurisprudence assessment module shall be assigned a CCU value and standard approval number by the board and shall include at a minimum the following components.
- The theoretical basis for ethical decision-making;
- APTA's Code of Ethics for the Physical Therapist and Guide for Professional Conduct, and the Guide for Conduct of the Physical Therapist Assistant and Standards of Ethical Conduct for the Physical Therapist Assistant;
- Legal standards of behavior (including but not limited to the Act and Rules of the board); and
- Application of content to real and/or hypothetical situations.
A human trafficking prevention course approved by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). The course must be a minimum of one (1) contact hour in order to claim CCU credit.
What types of activities can be used for the continuing education requirements?
|
Activity |
Units Awarded |
Documentation |
|
Live Programs Program content and structure must be approved by the board-approved organization or be offered by a provider accredited by that organization. |
One (1) contact hour equals one (1) continuing competence unit (CCU). |
Documentation must include the name and license number of the licensee; the title, sponsor/provider, date(s), and location of the course; the number of CCUs awarded, the signature of an authorized signer, and the accredited provider or program approval number. |
|
Self-Study Programs Structured, self-paced programs or courses offered through electronic media (for example, via the internet or on DVD) or on paper (for example, a booklet) completed without direct supervision or attendance in a class. |
One (1) contact hour equals one (1) CCU. |
Documentation must include the name and license number of the licensee; the title, sponsor/provider, date(s), and instructional format of the course; the number of CCUs awarded, the signature of an authorized signer, and the accredited provider or program approval number. |
|
Regular In-Service Programs Over a one (1) year period where individual sessions are granted two (2) CCUs or less. |
One (1) contact hour equals one (1) CCU. |
Documentation must include the name and license number of the licensee; the title, sponsor/provider, date(s), and location of the in-service; the signature of an authorized signer, and the accredited provider or program approval number with the maximum CCUs granted and the CCU value of each session or group of sessions specified and justified. Additionally, proof of attendance to any or all in-service sessions must be provided so that individual CCUs earned can be calculated by the program sponsor/provider for submission to the board-approved organization. |
|
Large Conferences with Concurrent Programming |
One (1) contact hour equals one (1) CCU. |
Documentation must include the licensee's name and license number; title, sponsor/provider, date(s); and location of the conference; the number of CCUs awarded, the signature of an authorized signer, and the accredited provider or course approval number. |
|
College or University Courses Courses at regionally accredited US colleges or universities easily recognizable as pertinent to the physical therapy profession and in the areas of ethics, professional responsibility, clinical application, clinical management, behavioral science, science, or risk management. |
One (1) satisfactorily completed credit hour (grade of C or equivalent, or higher) equals ten (10) CCUs. |
Documentation required for consideration is the course syllabus for each course and a transcript indicating successful completion of the course. |
|
Publications Publication(s) pertinent to physical therapy and in the areas of ethics, professional responsibility, clinical practice, clinical management, behavioral science, science, or risk management written for the professional or lay audience. The author(s) are prohibited from self-promotion of programs, products, and/or services in the publication. |
CCU values for types of original publications are as follows:
|
Documentation required for consideration is:
|
|
Manuscript Review Reviews of manuscripts for peer-reviewed publications pertinent to physical therapy and in the areas of ethics, professional responsibility, clinical practice, clinical management, behavioral science, science, or risk management. The Board will maintain and make available a list of peer-reviewed publications that are automatically approved for manuscript review and assigned a standard approval number by the board-approved organization. The review must be completed within the twenty-four (24) months prior to the license expiration date. |
One (1) manuscript review is valued at three (3) CCUs. For each renewal:
|
A peer-reviewed publication not on the list of recognized publications for manuscript review but pertinent to the physical therapy profession may be submitted to the board-approved organization for consideration. Documentation required for consideration includes the following:
|
|
Grant Proposal Submission Submission of grant proposals by principal investigators or co-principal investigators for research that is pertinent to physical therapy and in the areas of ethics, professional responsibility, clinical practice, clinical management, behavioral science, science, or risk management. The grant proposal must be completed within the twenty-four (24) months prior to the license expiration date. |
One (1) grant proposal is valued at ten (10) CCUs. Licensees may submit a maximum of one (1) grant proposal (ten (10) CCUs). |
Documentation required for consideration is a copy of the grant and letter submitted to the grant-provider. |
|
Grant Review for Research Pertinent to Healthcare The Board will maintain and make available a list of grant-issuing entities that are automatically approved for grant review and assigned a standard approval number by the board-approved organization. The review must be completed within the 24 months prior to the license expiration date. |
One grant review is valued at three (3) CCUs. Licensees may submit a maximum of two (2) grant reviews (six (6) CCUs). |
A grant-issuing entity not on the list of recognized entities for grant review but pertinent to the physical therapy profession may be submitted to the board approved organization for consideration. Documentation required for consideration includes the following:
|
|
Teaching and Presentation Activities First-time development or coordination of course(s) in a CAPTE-accredited PT or PTA program, a post-professional physical therapy degree program, or a CAPTE accredited program bridging from PTA to PT. This activity type is automatically approved and is assigned a standard approval number by the board-approved organization. |
One (1) student contact hour equals four (4) CCUs. Licensees are limited to the following number of CCUs:
|
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of the course syllabus indicating the licensee as course coordinator or primary instructor. |
|
College Course Development First-time development or coordination of course(s) in a regionally accredited U.S. college or university program for other health professions. |
One (1) student contact hour equals four (4) CCUs. Licensees are limited to the following number of CCUs:
|
Documentation required for consideration is a copy of the course syllabus indicating the licensee as course coordinator or primary instructor. |
|
Guest Lecturer Presentation or instruction as a guest lecturer in a CAPTE-accredited PT or PTA program, or a post-professional physical therapy degree program, or a CAPTE accredited program bridging from PTA to PT. |
One (1) student contact hour equals two (2) CCUs. Licensees are limited to the following number of CCUs:
|
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of the course syllabus indicating the licensee as course presenter or instructor. |
|
College Instructor Presentation or instruction as a guest lecturer in a regionally accredited U.S. college or university program for other health professions. |
One (1) student contact hour equals two (2) CCUs. Licensees are limited to the following number of CCUs:
|
Documentation required for consideration is a copy of the course syllabus indicating the licensee as course coordinator or primary instructor. |
|
Course Development First-time development, presentation or co-presentation at state, national or international workshops, seminars, or professional conferences, or at a board-approved continuing education course. |
One (1) contact hour equals four (4) CCUs. Licensees are limited to the following number of CCUs:
|
Documentation required for consideration includes one of the following: a copy of a brochure for the presentation indicating the licensee as a presenter; or, a copy of the cover from the program and page(s) indicating the licensee as a presenter. |
|
Clinical Instructor Service as a clinical instructor for full-time, entry-level PT or PTA students enrolled in accredited education. |
Valuation of clinical instruction is as follows:
Licensees are limited to the following number of CCUs:
|
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a letter or certificate from the coordinator of clinical education confirming clinical supervision and the number of weeks supervised from the education program. |
|
Specialty Examination The Board will maintain and make available a list of recognized specialty examinations. Successful completion of a recognized specialty examination (initial or recertification) is automatically approved and assigned a standard approval number by the board-approved organization. The specialty examination must be successfully completed within the twenty-four (24) months prior to the license expiration date. |
Each recognized specialty examination is valued at thirty (30) CCUs. |
Documentation required for consideration includes the following:
|
|
APTA Certification for Advanced Proficiency for the PTA This activity type is automatically approved and is assigned a standard approval number by the board approved organization. The certification must be successfully completed within the twenty-four (24) months prior to the license expiration date. |
Completion of specialty certification is valued at twenty (20) CCUs. |
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of the letter notifying the licensee of completion of the advanced proficiency, and a copy of the certificate of proficiency. |
|
Residency or Fellowship The Board will maintain and make available a list of approved residencies and fellowships. The residency or fellowship must be successfully completed within the twenty-four (24) months prior to the license expiration date. |
Completion of the residency or fellowship is valued at up to thirty (30) CCUs. |
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of the certificate of graduation indicating completion of the fellowship or residency. |
|
Mentorship Mentorship of a resident or fellow in an approved accredited residency or fellowship program. |
Mentorship of a resident or fellow for a minimum of 150 hours of 1:1 mentoring is valued at ten (10) CCUs. The Board will consider partial credit for those mentors who provide mentorship for only a portion of the residency or fellowship. Licensees may submit a maximum of twenty (20) CCUs for this activity. |
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of a letter from the residency or fellowship program confirming participation as a clinical mentor, with the dates and number of hours served as a clinical mentor. |
|
Professional Membership and Service Licensees must demonstrate membership or participation in service activities for a minimum of one (1) year during the renewal period to receive credit. Credit is not prorated for portions of years. |
Licensees may submit activities in this category for up to one half of their CC requirement (PT – fifteen (15) CCUs, PTAs – ten (10) CCUs) at time of renewal. |
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of the current membership card. |
|
Membership in the APTA |
One (1) year of membership is valued at one (1) CCU. |
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of the current membership card. |
|
Board Service Service on a board, committee, or taskforce for the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) (or an APTA component), or the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). |
One (1) year of service is valued at three (3) CCUs. Licensees are limited to the following number of CCUs per renewal:
|
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of a letter on official organization letterhead or certificate confirming completion of service. |
|
Service as a TPTA Continuing Competence Approval Program Reviewer |
One (1) year of service is valued at three (3) CCUs. Licensees are limited to the following number of CCUs per renewal:
|
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of a letter or certificate confirming completion of service on official organization letterhead. |
|
Item Writer Service as an item writer for the national PT or PTA exam or an American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) exam. |
One (1) year of service is valued at five (5) CCUs. Licensees are limited to the following number of CCUs per renewal:
|
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a copy of a letter or certificate confirming completion of service on official organization letterhead. |
|
Voluntary Charity Care Providing physical therapy services for no compensation as a volunteer of a charitable organization as defined in §84.003 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. |
Voluntary charity care must be non-work-related. Proof of voluntary charity care can count toward up to one-half (1/2) of the continuing competence requirement. Ten (10) hours of voluntary charity care equals one (1) CCU. |
If selected for audit, the licensee must submit a letter indicating the dates and number of hours of voluntary charity care on official charitable organization(s) letterhead. |
Are there limitations on the types of courses that can be taken?
N/A
What type of courses or activities are not allowed?
N/A
What type of approval is needed for the courses?
All continuing competence activities submitted to satisfy renewal requirements must be board approved by an organization selected by the board.
- Texas Physical Therapy Association
What are the reporting requirements?
Attestation to the completion of CE on the renewal application.
How long must continuing education records be retained?
Four (4) years.
Waiver
CCUs required for renewal of a license may be waived by the board because of hardship for health and medical problems that prevent a licensee from obtaining the CCUs. Waiver requests must be submitted prior to license expiration. The license cannot be renewed until the waiver has been approved by the Board.
Audit
The executive council will conduct an audit of a random sample of licensees at least quarterly to determine compliance with continuing competence requirements. Failure to maintain accurate documentation, or failure to respond to a request to submit documentation for an audit within 30 days of the date on the request, may result in disciplinary action by the board.
- Licensees who are more than 90 days late in renewing a license are not included in the audit, and must submit documentation of continuing competence activities at time of renewal.
- The board or its committees may request proof of completion of continuing competence activities claimed for renewal purposes at any time from any licensee.
References
3 Tex. Admin. Code § 341.2
3 Tex. Admin. Code § 341.3
3 Tex. Admin. Code § 341.4