Standards for Continuing Education

A Continuing Education activity may be used to satisfy the Continuing Education requirements set forth in 105 CMR 802.300 only if it contributes directly to the professional competence of a Registered Sanitarian and meets all of the applicable standards set forth in 105 CMR 802.310. (1) Amount of Credit Earned. (a) 50 consecutive clock minutes is equivalent to one Contact Hour. (b) A Registered Sanitarian is required to complete a total 12 Continuing Education Contact Hours for each calendar year. (2) Provider Standards. (a) Learner Objectives shall be written and be the basis for determining content, learning experience, teaching methodologies, and Evaluation. (b) Subject matter description shall include learner Objectives, content, time allotment, teaching methods, faculty, and Evaluation format. (c) Learning experiences and teaching methods should be appropriate to achieve the Objectives of the Program. (d) Principles of adult education should be used in the design of the Program. (e) Time allotted for each activity should be sufficient for the learner to meet the Objectives of the Program. (f) Facilities and educational resources should be adequate to implement the Programs. (g) Faculty should possess knowledge of the principles of adult education and should provide documentation to the Provider/learner illustrating competency in the content of the planned learning experience. (3) Evaluation. Provision must be made for evaluating the participant’s attainment of the stated learner Objectives or outcomes. Participants must be given the opportunity to evaluate faculty, learning experiences, instructional methods, facilities, and educational resources used for the Programs. (4) Records. Records of completed Programs shall be kept by the Provider for a period of four years. Records should include content, Objectives, outline of offering, faculty qualifications, teaching methods and materials, Evaluation tools and data, and a list of participants. Subject Matter. Appropriate subject matter for Continuing Education purposes shall include, but shall not be limited to, one or more of the following: (a) Public health or environmental health science and practice; (b) Public and environmental health education; (c) Research in public and environmental health; (d) Social, economic, political, or legal aspects of public and environmental health; (e) Environmental health and consumer education; (f) Health and racial equity; (g) Subject matter which improves competency, is not specified on the forgoing list, and is related to one or more of the Basic Sciences. Methods of Obtaining Contact Hours. Continuing Education Contact Hours shall be obtained as follows: (a) By attending workshops, lectures, and seminars in accordance with 105 CMR 802.300 and 105 CMR 802.310; or (b) By completing an academic course within the framework of a curriculum that leads to an academic degree in environmental health or is relevant to environmental health, or any course within that curriculum necessary to an individual’s professional growth and development; or (c) By completing a self-study or correspondence course. The course should: 1. be developed by a professional group such as an educational corporation or professional association; 2. follow logical sequence; 3. involve the learner by requiring active response to module materials and providing feedback; 4. contain a test to indicate progress and verify completion of module; and 5. supply a bibliography for continued study; or (d) By teaching a particular academic course, seminar series, or workshop in the field of environmental health for the first time; or (e) By delivering a paper or lecture in the field of environmental health; or (f) By publishing an article in a peer-reviewed professional or scientific journal or a book in the field of environmental health. (7) As provided in 105 CMR 802.310(1) through (6), first time teaching of an academic course, seminar series, workshop, or publishing of a book may be considered for up to nine Contact Hours; a published article may be considered the equivalent of up to five Contact Hours; and a lecture or paper may be considered the equivalent of up to three Contact Hours. Employee orientation or in-service training presentations concerning standard operating procedures specific to the employing agency or entity shall not be accepted for Continuing Education purposes.