These regulations govern all podiatrists licensed to practice in the State. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. Terms Defined. “Board” means the Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners. “Credit hour” means 1 program hour. Initial Licensing. To qualify for licensure, an applicant shall: Meet all of the requirements as identified in Health Occupations Article, §§16-302—16-305, Annotated Code of Maryland, including submit to a State and national criminal history records check in accordance with Health Occupations Article, §16-302.1, Annotated Code of Maryland; and Except as provided in §A(2) of this regulation, at the time of application, possess a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification that was attained through completion of a Board-approved cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course that includes a hands-on practical component. 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. License Renewal. 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: Includes a hands-on practical component; and Is worth 3 credit hours. The Board may waive, modify, or waive and modify the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification required in §B(6) of this regulation if: The licensee submits a written request and documentation that sufficiently demonstrates an extraordinary hardship; and The Board receives the licensee's request not later than October 1 of the license renewal year. 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; Unless granted a waiver by the Board in accordance with §B(7) of this regulation, a licensee may not allow the required cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification to lapse at any time while licensed by the Board. Of the 50 credit hours required under §B(2) of this regulation: 25 credit hours: Shall be completed in person or online; Shall be directly related to the practice of podiatric medicine; and May include: The cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification required in §B(6) of this regulation; Attendance at programs offered at professional or scientific meetings of local, State, regional, national, or international professional or scientific organizations; or Attendance at regularly scheduled Board meetings; The additional required 25 credit hours may be completed: In person or online; Online; or Via other sources; 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. Accreditation by the Board of continuing education programming will be based solely upon the content of the programs. These programs shall be directed toward improvement, advancement, and extension of professional skill and knowledge relating to the practice of podiatry. Upon review of program content by the Board, credit shall be approved for the following: 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. Upon review of program content by the Board, credit may be approved for local, state, regional, or national continuing education courses including postgraduate studies, institutes, seminars, lectures, conferences, workshops, extension studies, home study, approved residency programs, or other forms of continuing education approved by the Board. After review of program content, the Board may withdraw its approval of a previously accredited program, and shall notify all attendant State practitioners of this action as soon as possible. Approved credits may be applied toward fulfillment of the continuing education requirement only in the renewal period in which they are earned. It is the responsibility of each podiatrist to keep accurate records of attendance at approved continuing education programs and to substantiate those records for the current licensing period upon request. Each podiatrist shall maintain records of attendance for a 5-year period. The Board may at any time request that within 10 working days a podiatrist substantiate the credits earned by providing satisfactory proof of completion of approved continuing education programs. The licensee shall show satisfactory proof of completion of approved continuing education programs. The Board shall disallow the requested credits in question, if the licensee is unable to substantiate the required credit hours. The Board may not renew a license if the required continuing education criteria are not met as specified in §§B—C of this regulation. Violation of this regulation may result in revocation or suspension of license or the imposition of other appropriate sanctions. Willful submission of fraudulent information to the Board constitutes a violation of these regulations and may result in revocation or suspension of license or the imposition of other appropriate sanctions. The Board may verify any information received regarding content, certification, and completion of a continuing education program. The Board, by majority vote, may vary the number of required credit hours, but except as set forth in Regulation .03E of this chapter, these may not exceed 50 hours every 2 years. The Board shall notify each podiatrist of the change at the time of renewal, which is effective in the year following that renewal, and remains in effect until further notice. This regulation applies to any practitioner who: 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. A practitioner may obtain reinstatement by submitting the following: 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: De-identified billing records; Sworn affidavits from colleagues; or Activity log from a hospital or other appropriate agency; 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. If any provision of these regulations or its application to any person or circumstances is held invalid, this invalidity may not affect other provisions or applications of the regulation which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end, the provisions of this regulation are declared severable. Health Occupations Article, §§16-205(a), 16-301, 16-302(h), 16-302.1, 16-303(a), 16-307, 16-308, and 16-311(28), Annotated Code of Maryland Effective date: February 4, 1976 (3:3 Md. R. 150) Regulation .02 amended effective October 24, 1994 (21:21 Md. R. 1814) Regulation .02A amended effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428) Regulation .02B amended effective October 1, 2012 (39:19 Md. R. 1237) Regulation .03 amended effective October 24, 1994 (21:21 Md. R. 1814); March 22, 2010 (37:6 Md. R. 478); October 1, 2012 (39:19 Md. R. 1237); November 9, 2015 (42:22 Md. R. 1379) Regulation .03A amended effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428); December 19, 2016 (43:25 Md. R. 1385) Regulation .03B amended effective October 24, 1983 (10:21 Md. R. 1902 Regulation .03C amended effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428) Regulation .03D adopted effective August 3, 1977 (4:16 Md. R. 1213) Regulation .03D amended effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428); April 14, 2003 (30:7 Md. R. 488); June 6, 2016 (43:11 Md. R. 634); November 13, 2023 (50:22 Md. R. 976) Regulation .03E amended effective April 14, 2003 (30:7 Md. R. 488) Regulation .04 amended effective October 24, 1994 (21:21 Md. R. 1814) Regulation .04B and D amended effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428) Regulation .05 amended effective October 24, 1994 (21:21 Md. R. 1814); March 22, 2010 (37:6 Md. R. 478) Regulation .05A amended effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428) Regulation .05B amended effective August 3, 1977 (4:16 Md. R. 1213); October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428) Regulation .05C amended effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428) Regulation .06 amended effective June 15, 1979 (6:12 Md. R. 1050); repealed effective May 15, 1981 (8:10 Md. R. 877) Regulation .06 adopted effective October 24, 1983 (10:21 Md. R. 1902) Regulation .06 amended effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428); October 24, 1994 (21:21 Md. R. 1814) Regulation .07 repealed effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428) Regulation .07 amended effective December 22, 2003 (30:25 Md. R. 1848) Regulation .07B amended effective May 18, 2020 (47:10 Md. R. 519) Regulation .08 amended effective September 5, 1980 (7:18 Md. R. 1740) Regulation .08 amended and recodified to Regulation .07 effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428) Regulation .09 recodified to Regulation .08 effective October 15, 1990 (17:20 Md. R. 2428)