21 NCAC 32S .0216          CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION

(a)  A physician assistant shall complete at least 50 hours of Continuing Medical Education (CME) every two years. The CME shall be recognized by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) as Category I CME. The physician assistant shall provide CME documentation for inspection by the Board or its agent upon request. The two-year period shall begin on the physician assistant's birthday following the issuance of his or her license.

(b)  A physician assistant who prescribes controlled substances shall complete at least two hours of CME, from the required 50 hours, designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices. The controlled substance prescribing CME shall include instruction on controlled substance prescribing practices and controlled substance prescribing for chronic pain management. CME that includes recognizing signs of the abuse or misuse of controlled substances, or non-opioid treatment options shall qualify for purposes of this Rule.

(c)  A physician assistant who possesses a current certification with the NCCPA shall be deemed in compliance with the requirement of Paragraph (a) of this Rule. The physician assistant shall attest on his or her annual renewal he or she is currently certified by the NCCPA. Physician assistants who attest he or she possesses a current certificate with the NCCPA shall not be exempt from the controlled substance prescribing CME requirement of Paragraph (b) of this Rule. A physician assistant shall complete the required two hours of controlled substance CME unless the CME is a component part of their certification activity. Physician assistants who complete the federally required training under the Medication Access and Training Expansion Act (MATE), 21 U.S.C 823(l), shall be deemed in compliance with the controlled substance prescribing requirements of this Rule for the two-year CME period in which the MATE training was completed.

(d)  Courses pertaining to interprofessional continuing education and courses pertaining to cultural competency or implicit bias training shall qualify for any CME hours required under this Rule so long as such courses are approved by the NCCPA.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 90-5.1(a)(3); 90-5.1(a)(10); 90-18.1; S.L. 2015-241, 12F.16(b) and 12F.16(c);

Eff. September 1, 2009;

Amended Eff. May 1, 2015; November 1, 2010;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. March 1, 2016;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2024; January 1, 2022; April 1, 2020; September 1, 2016.