Puerto Rico Continuing Medical Education Credit Requirements

Puerto Rico CME Credit Requirements	CME Credits Required: 60 Term: 3 years AMA PRA Category 1 Credits required: 40
Puerto Rico State-Mandated CME Content/Additional Notes	75% specialty education (30 credits every 2 yrs)
Puerto Rico RN Required number of CE credits per year(s)	The license of every person licensed under the provisions of the South Carolina Nurse Practice Act to practice as a registered nurse (RN) or as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) in the state must be renewed biennially by April 30. Demonstration of competency for renewal of an active RN or LPN license biennially requires documented evidence of at least one of the following requirements during the licensure period: 1) Completion of thirty contact hours from a continuing education provider recognized by the board 2) Maintenance of certification or re-certification by a national certifying body recognized by the board 3) Completion of an academic program of study in nursing or a related field recognized by the board; OR 4) Verification of competency and the number of hours practiced as evidenced by employer certification on a form approved by the Board
Puerto Rico LPN Required number of CME credits per year(s)	The license of every person licensed under the provisions of the South Carolina Nurse Practice Act to practice as a registered nurse (RN) or as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) in the state must be renewed biennially by April 30. Demonstration of competency for renewal of an active RN or LPN license biennially requires documented evidence of at least one of the following requirements during the licensure period: 1) Completion of thirty contact hours from a continuing education provider recognized by the board 2) Maintenance of certification or re-certification by a national certifying body recognized by the board 3) Completion of an academic program of study in nursing or a related field recognized by the board; OR 4) Verification of competency and the number of hours practiced as evidenced by employer certification on a form approved by the Board
APRN Required number of CME credits per year(s)	N/A
ANCC accreditation accepted?	Yes
CE Requirements for RNs:	30 contact hours every licensing period. 20 contact hours may be earned through distance learning. Three hours of infection control that includes HIV, Hepatitis and TB is also required.
CE Requirements for LPNs:	21 contact hours every licensing period. 15 contact hours may be earned through distance learning. Three hours of infection control that includes HIV, Hepatitis and TB is also required.
CE for Specialty: Athletic Training	Puerto Rico licensees are require to complete two courses during the 2 year certification period. These courses are as follows: a. A course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) offered by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association. b. A designated professional seminar offered yearly by the South Carolina Athletic Trainers’ Association (SCATA) at the association’s annual conference. c. A seminar shall mean 2 designated courses within the scope of that year’s conference. d. The development of the courses’ course content and the monitoring of the courses will be under the supervision of the Committee. e. At the completion of the appropriate courses during the seminar, a card will be issued.
CE for Specialty: Audiology/SLP	CE: 16 Contact Hours must be completed per license, per 2 year renewal period. Licenses expire on March 31st of the second year. A speech-language pathologist or audiologist intern must satisfactorily complete eight hours (.8 CEUs) per license of approved continuing education per license period. A speech-language pathology assistant must satisfactorily complete eight hours (.8 CEUs) of approved continuing education per license period.
CE for Specialty: Dietetics/Nutrition	75 hours are required during the five year cycle. Licenses expire May 31 of odd numbered years, then there is a five-year re certification cycle. By maintaining a current registration with the Puerto Rico Commission on Dietetic Registration the CE requirements for license renewal are met. A compliance audit is conducted that randomly selects licensees that will be notified to submit to the Panel office proof of a current registration; CDR registration of 75 hrs every 5 yrs.
CE for Specialty: Emergency Medical Services	South Carolina has a four year licensure period. CE Requirements for EMTs and Paramedics EMT-Basic: 36 hours EMT-Intermediate: 36 hours EMT-Paramedic: 36 hours
CE for Specialty: Laboratory Technology	There are no Continuing Education requirements.
CE for Specialty: Massage Therapy	CE: 12 Contact Hours must be completed over a two year renewal period.
CE for Specialty: Medicine and Surgery	CE: 40 Hours of Category I CME sponsored by the AMA, AOA or another organization approved by the board as having acceptable standards for courses it sponsors, at least thirty hours of which must be related directly to the licensee’s practice area. Licenses must be renewed biennially, every two years.
CE for Specialty: Occupational Therapy	CE Requirements: Occupational Therapists (OT) and Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTA) must complete 16 hours of continuing education credit per biennium year, 8 must be related to direct patient care. One contact hour is 50 minutes of instruction or organized learning.
CE for Specialty: Pharmacy	15 hours of continuing education must be completed annually. 6 hours must be obtained through attendance at lectures, seminars, or workshops. At least 50% of the total number of hours required must be in drug therapy or patient management. 6 live hours are required. Home study must be approved by the board or ACPE. ACPE-approved courses for Pharmacy Technicians end in the letter “T”. ACPE-approved courses pharmacists (only) end in the letter “P”. Courses ending in the letter “P” cannot be used to meet pharmacy technician CE requirements.
CE for Specialty: Pharmacy Technician	10 hours of continuing education must be completed annually. 4 hours must be obtained through attendance of lectures, workshops or seminars. 4 live hours are also required.
Puerto Rico CE for Specialty: Physical Therapy	CE Requirements: PTs and PTAs must renew by December 31st of each even numbered year. 30 contact hours required biennially for PTs and PTAs.
Puerto Rico CE for Specialty: Psychology	24 hours of continuing education must be completed every renewal period. A minimum of 12 continuing education credits must be accumulated from Category A offerings and a maximum of 12 continuing education credits can be accumulated from Category B offerings. Psychologists can elect to earn all of their continuing education credits from Category A offerings. Puerto Rico licenses must be renewed biennially.
Puerto Rico CE for Specialty: Radiology Technology	CE per license: Radiography – 24 HRS. Nuclear Medicine – 24 HRS. Radiation Therapist – 24 HRS. Certified Limited Practice Radiographer – General – 12 HRS. Certified Limited Practice Radiographer – Chest – 6 HRS. Certified Limited Practice Radiographer – Podiatric- 6 HRS. Certified Limited Practice Radiographer – Chiropractic – 12 HRS. Certified Bone Densitometrist – 12 HRS. Certified Peripheral Bone Densitometrist – No CE required CE must be related to radiology technology. Renewal happens every two years.
Puerto Rico CE for Specialty: Respiratory Therapy	30 hours of continuing education are due biennially.
Puerto Rico CE for Specialty: Social Work	Renewal: forty (40) social work clock hours must be completed by December 31 biennially. A minimum of twenty of the forty (40) clock hours must be specifically provided by a trained social worker – a person with a BSW, MSW, or a doctorate degree in social work. Up to twelve (12) continuing education hours may be transferred from a surplus from the preceding license renewal to the present renewal every two years. All contact hours can be home study.

Note: All information should be verified with licensing board

Resources: http://www.acep.org/| http://ce.nurse.com/ | http://about.continuingeducation.com/