Chapter 02. Continuing Education Requirements
Regulation .01 Scope.LinkCopy Citation
This regulation governs all optometrists licensed to practice in the State of Maryland.
Regulation .02 Definitions.LinkCopy Citation
A.
In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated.
B.
Terms Defined.
(1)
“Accredited” means continuing education activities produced and delivered by:
(a)
COPE administrators in compliance with COPE accreditation criteria, standards for commercial support, and policies and procedures; or
(b)
Non-COPE administrators in compliance with a program accepted as substantially equivalent to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) accreditation system.
(2)
“Council on Optometric Practitioner Education (COPE)” means the program of the Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry, which accredits continuing education courses and activities accepted as substantially equivalent to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) accreditation system for optometrists.
(3)
“Credit hour” means the increment of educational instruction time.
(4)
“Diagnostic Pharmaceutical Agents (DPA) certified optometrist” means a licensed optometrist who has fulfilled the requirements of the Board and is certified by the Board to use diagnostic pharmaceutical agents in the practice of optometry and provides diagnostic services to patients in Maryland.
(5)
“Pro bono work” means work provided in Maryland within the scope of practice of the licensee without financial reimbursement or direct financial gain.
(6)
“Therapeutic Pharmaceutical Agents (TPA) certified optometrist” means a licensed optometrist who has fulfilled the requirements of the Board and is certified by the Board to use therapeutic pharmaceutical agents in the practice of optometry and provides therapeutic services to patients in Maryland.
Regulation .03 Registration Renewal.LinkCopy Citation
A.
A licensee shall submit a signed form attesting to the licensee's completion of the required credit hours at the time of license renewal.
B.
First-Time Renewal Requirements. Licensees eligible for renewal:
(1)
From another state licensed for less than 2 years, may earn credit hours which may be prorated for first-time renewal based on the license issuance date;
(2)
That did not apply within a year of graduation and has been licensed for less than 2 years, may earn credit hours which may be prorated for first-time renewal based on the license issuance date;
(3)
That have applied for renewal within 1 year of graduation from an accredited school or college of optometry may have continuing education requirements waived by the Board; and
(4)
Are required to complete Implicit Bias Training and CPR certification.
C.
A licensee shall retain supporting documents for inspection by the Board for 4 years after the date of renewal.
D.
If a licensee submits the renewal form after the deadline, the Board shall:
(1)
Assess a late fee; and
(2)
Audit the licensee.
E.
Failure to meet continuing education requirements or failure to substantiate credit hours submitted upon request of the Board may result in suspension, revocation, or denial of licensure.
Regulation .04 Continuing Education Audit Procedure.LinkCopy Citation
A.
At the time of renewal, the Board shall audit a minimum of 20 percent of the renewal applications.
B.
The Board shall send notification of audit to licensees to be audited.
C.
The licensee being audited shall submit to the Board, within 60 days, a report of the continuing education hours required for renewal on a form approved by the Board, along with the appropriate documentation.
Regulation .05 Required Credit and Other Course Credit.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Credit for continuing professional education shall be:
(1)
Accredited; or
(2)
Approved by the Board solely on whether or not it constitutes improvement, advancement, and extension of one’s professional skill and knowledge relating to the practice of optometry.
B.
General Requirements.
(1)
TPA certified optometrists shall:
(a)
Document 50 hours of continuing professional education every 2 years, with 30 of the 50 hours focused on therapeutic topics; and
(b)
Provide proof of CPR certification every renewal which may count as 3 credit hours.
(2)
DPA certified optometrists shall:
(a)
Document 36 hours of continuing professional education, every 2 years, with 6 of the 36 hours focused on diagnostic pharmaceuticals; and
(b)
Provide proof of CPR certification every renewal which may count as 3 credit hours.
(3)
Non-Certified licensed optometrists shall:
(a)
Document 36 hours of continuing professional education every 2 years; and
(b)
Provide proof of CPR certification every renewal which may count as 3 credit hours.
(4)
The Board accepts:
(a)
Only accredited or Board-approved continuing education programs; and
(b)
Therapeutic courses that fall within the Ocular Disease and related Systemic Disease categories.
C.
Trainings.
(1)
Except for those identified in §I of this regulation, an optometrist who is issued a license by the Board may complete continuing professional education by attending in-person, virtual synchronous, or asynchronous trainings with post-test assessments conducted by an accredited administrator. The trainings may include:
(a)
Courses given by:
(i)
The Maryland Optometric Association;
(ii)
Another Statewide association; or
(iii)
Any organization approved by the Board, solely on whether or not it constitutes improvement, advancement, and extension of one’s professional skill and knowledge relating to the practice of optometry.
(b)
Observation of ophthalmic procedures at sites approved by the Board; or
(c)
Other continuing professional education activities given by:
(i)
The Maryland Optometric Association;
(ii)
Another Statewide association; or
(iii)
A nonprofit organization approved by the Board.
(2)
If requested pursuant to Regulation .04 of this chapter, an optometrist shall provide to the Board a certificate of attendance or other method of verifying attendance at an event conducted by an accredited event administrator.
(3)
In accordance with §A of this regulation, events conducted by an accredited event administrator shall have Board approval.
D.
Other than those required in §C of this regulation, credit hours may be approved for the following:
(1)
Scheduled post-graduate or continuing education courses given by schools or colleges of optometry which have been approved by the Board;
(2)
Courses, either in-person, online, or both, that have received accreditation; however, the Board reserves the right to refuse credit when its established criteria are not met;
(3)
Courses, either in-person, online, or both, on Practice Management directly related to optometric care, up to a maximum of 4 hours per renewal cycle;
(4)
Courses given by local optometric societies or health-related sponsors, or both, upon prior approval by the Board.
(5)
Courses, seminars, and lectures prepared and given by Maryland licensed optometrists for which credit will be awarded at the rate of 2 hours for preparation and 1 hour for lecture, up to a maximum of 24 hours per renewal cycle;
(6)
Published papers in professional journals, papers approved for publication, or papers that have been peer-reviewed for which credit will be awarded at 2 hours per paper, up to a maximum of 12 hours per renewal cycle;
(7)
Observation of ophthalmic procedures at sites approved by the Board, up to a maximum of 8 hours per renewal cycle;
(8)
Courses, either in-person, online, or both, in optometric ethics, Maryland optometric jurisprudence, or both, as approved by the Board, up to a maximum of 4 hours per renewal cycle;
(9)
Pro bono work providing patient eye care as outlined in §J of this regulation;
(10)
Public board meeting attendance as outlined in §K of this regulation;
(11)
Courses, either in-person or online, and certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) up to a maximum of 3 hours per renewal cycle; and
(12)
Courses in cultural competency, up to a maximum of 4 hours per renewal cycle.
E.
Credit hours will be allowed on the basis of 50 minutes being equivalent to an hour, except for pro bono work. Fractional credit hours are allowed.
F.
Unless Board or COPE approved, credit may not be allowed when a specific product, technique, procedure, or company is promoted or promulgated for the economic benefit of a particular person, company, group, etc.
G.
Unless there are extenuating circumstances, credit is allowed only in and for the license year in which the course was actually attended.
H.
The determination of whether or not a course meets these standards shall be entirely within the Board's province. The Board shall also determine whether or not credit for an entire course, or any lesser number of hours, may be granted.
I.
The Board may waive continuing education requirements for, but not limited to, licensees who:
(1)
Have applied for licensure within 1 year of graduation from an accredited school or college of optometry; and
(2)
Are renewing their license for the first time.
J.
Pro Bono Work.
(1)
Pro bono work shall earn 2 credit hours for each 3 hours of approved continuing education activity, up to a maximum of 12 credit hours per renewal cycle.
(2)
The licensee shall provide to the Board a written application for approval of pro bono work. The application shall include:
(a)
The place where the pro bono will be provided;
(b)
The type of work to be provided;
(c)
The number of hours of actual work provided for which the licensee desires credit hours; and
(d)
A statement guaranteeing that the work provided no financial benefit to the licensee.
(3)
Upon completion of the work, the licensee shall obtain from the facility evidence of completion of pro bono hours.
(4)
Credit hours for pro bono work are in the general category.
K.
Public Board Meeting Attendance.
(1)
Licensees may receive 2 credit hours for attending in its entirety an open session meeting of the Board of Examiners in Optometry.
(2)
The Board shall issue to the licensee a certificate of proof of attendance.
(3)
A licensee may not earn more than 4 credit hours in this area per renewal cycle.
Regulation .06 Proof of Education.LinkCopy Citation
A.
Each optometrist is responsible for obtaining proof of hour credits and maintaining this documentation for inspection by the Board for 4 years after the date of renewal.
B.
To obtain credit, one's participation shall be attested to in writing by someone in charge of the program.
C.
Failure to do so shall be grounds for nonrenewal of the license.
Regulation .07 Change of Annual Requirements of Number of Hours.LinkCopy Citation
The Board, by majority vote, may change the number of required hours of continuing education, subject to the requirements in Health Occupations Article, §11-309, Annotated Code of Maryland. An optometrist shall be notified of any change at the time of the renewal of the optometrist’s license. The change is effective for the year following that renewal.
Regulation .08 Severability.LinkCopy Citation
If any provision of these regulations or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, this invalidity may not affect other provisions or applications of these regulations which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end, the provisions of these regulations are declared severable.
Chapter annotations
Authority: §§1-225, 11-101, 11-205, 11-308(c), and 11-309, Annotated Code of Maryland
History: Effective date: September 9, 1974
History: Regulation .04 amended effective June 6, 1983 (10:11 Md. R. 975)
History: Regulation .04F adopted effective December 3, 1984 (11:24 Md. R. 2069)
History: Chapter revised effective April 8, 1996 (23:7 Md. R. 552)
History: Regulation .02 amended effective October 19, 2009 (36:21 Md. R. 1591)
History: Regulation .02B amended effective May 20, 2019 (46:10 Md. R. 488); July 7, 2025 (52:13 Md. R. 656)
History: Regulation ,03 amended effective July 7, 2025 (52:13 Md. R. 656)
History: Regulation .04 amended effective October 19, 2009 (36:21 Md. R. 1591)
History: Regulation .04A amended effective May 20, 2019 (46:10 Md. R. 488)
History: Regulation .05 amended effective March 26, 2007 (34:6 Md. R. 627); October 19, 2009 (36:21 Md. R. 1591); October 1, 2012 (39:19 Md. R. 1237); May 20, 2019 (46:10 Md. R. 488); July 7, 2025 (52:13 Md. R. 656)
History: Regulation .05B amended effective April 16, 2012 (39:7 Md. R. 493)
History: Regulation .05J adopted effective April 16, 2012 (39:7 Md. R. 493)
History: Regulation .06B, C amended effective October 19, 2009 (36:21 Md. R. 1591)
History: Regulation .07 amended effective May 20, 2019 (46:10 Md. R. 488)