Chapter 02. Licensing and Continuing Education Requirements

“Board” means the Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners.

“Credit hour” means 1 program hour.

To qualify for licensure, an applicant shall:

The Board may waive, modify, or waive and modify the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification required in §A(1)(b) of this regulation if the applicant submits a written request and documentation that sufficiently demonstrates an extraordinary hardship.

The Board may not issue a license if the criminal history record information required under Health Occupations Article, §16-302.1, Annotated Code of Maryland, has not been received.

Biennial renewal of each practitioner's license is contingent upon the submission, upon request of the Board, of satisfactory proof of completion of the required number of credit hours of continuing education programs approved by the Board.

The Board shall establish the required number of credit hours. Except as set forth in §B(5) of this regulation, the required number of credit hours may not exceed 50 hours for 2 years.

The Board may refuse to renew the license of any podiatrist who fails to comply with these regulations.

The licensee shall earn the required number of credit hours on or before December 1 of the license renewal year.

If by December 1 of the license renewal year, the licensee fails to earn the required number of credit hours, the licensee may request an extension of time until December 31 of the license renewal year to earn the required number of credit hours plus an additional number of credit hours as established by the Board. The Board at its discretion, upon good cause shown, may grant an extension of time up to or beyond December 31, and may impose a requirement that the licensee earn up to double the number of required credit hours still to be earned. For example, if on December 1 the licensee has earned only 40 of the 50 required credit hours, the licensee may be required to earn 20 credit hours to meet the continuing education requirement.

To qualify for renewal, a licensee shall possess a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification that was attained through completion of a Board-approved cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course that:

The Board may waive, modify, or waive and modify the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification required in §B(6) of this regulation if:

A licensee applying for renewal may earn 1 credit hour for every 5 hours of pro bono podiatric services provided and pre-approved by the Board on a case-by-case basis with a maximum of 5 credit hours per renewal cycle;

25 credit hours:

The additional required 25 credit hours may be completed:

All credit hours shall be pre-approved by the Board; and

The Board may not accept a submission for continuing education credit of less than 0.5 hours.

Continuing education programs given by a college of podiatric medicine approved by the Council on Education of the American Podiatric Medical Association;

Lectures and scheduled courses at national and regional meetings of the American Podiatric Medical Association;

Continuing education programs given or arranged by the Education Committee of the Maryland Podiatric Medical Association.

Has been on inactive status; or

Applies to the Board for reinstatement of the license and has failed to renew the license for one licensing cycle or a 2-year period, whichever is longer.

Evidence of completion of continuing education requirements equal to those required for the period during which the individual has not held an active license, if this requirement does not exceed 125 hours;

A licensure affidavit;

An acceptable response to an inquiry to the National Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank;

An acceptable history of malpractice cases;

Proof of out-of-State practice preceding the request for reinstatement that is sufficient to demonstrate current clinical proficiency such as:

Proof of passing the Jurisprudence Examination as administered by the Board within the last licensing cycle preceding the reinstatement application; and

Reinstatement processing and licensure fees as set forth in COMAR 10.40.03.