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New Brunswick Association of Optometrists
Continuing Education Policy
Continuing Education Requirement
Continuing Education is mandatory in order to maintain licensure to practice optometry.
Current Requirements
Each member, including new registrants, is required to complete a minimum of thirty-five (35) credit hours
of continuing education in each three-year period. Certified Therapeutic Optometrists shall complete fortyfive
(45) credit hours of continuing education in each three-year period. Council may relieve a member
from completing the continuing education requirement in any three year period for good reason shown by
the member.
Continuing education sessions include courses, lectures or seminars and the equivalencies set out herein.
There is no limit on continuing education outside of a classroom or clinic format, such as online education,
provided that the member shall provide proof of having passed an examination or some form of testing
acceptable to the Registrar.
The three year period will commence on January 1st of same year the member is registered as a member of
NBAO and will conclude on December 31st of the third year. The continuing education period will be
repeated in three-year cycles thereafter.
Members exceeding their continuing education requirements in a three-year period may carry forward not
greater than five hours of CE credit towards the next three-year period.
The Association shall offer approved continuing education sessions consisting of a minimum of thirty-five
(35) hours at least every three years, or those number of hours determined by Council, preferably to be held
in conjunction with the annual meeting of the Association, otherwise to be held at a time fixed by Council.
Council may sponsor or fix the fees for more than one course each year. The Registrar shall maintain an
accurate record of the hours of actual attendance of members at any course offered by the Association, and
the Registrar’s record shall be final.
Continuing Education Categories
The CE Policy recognizes two categories of continuing education: categories A & B. A minimum of twothirds
of the required hours must be obtained from Category A. Certified Therapeutic Optometrists must
complete ten (10) hours of approved continuing education in the use of pharmaceutical agents (Category
A).
Category A Providers
- A Canadian or American national, provincial or state Optometric Association or Regulatory body
- A Canadian or American School or College of Optometry, or an accredited university in another
health discipline (provided that the subjects are related to optometry, ophthalmology or optics)
- A not-for-profit Optometric organization where the primary goal of the organization is to provide
or promote educational opportunities or provide clinical care
- Any other provider in the provision of COPE approved Continuing Education activities
Category B Providers
- Other courses provided by other providers (not listed as Category A) may be approved by Council,
in the event that the continuing education is relevant to a member’s maintenance of standards of
practice and/or continuing competence
- Providers of continuing education for practice management
- Study Groups: One (1) CE credit hour will be accepted for each study group meeting
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Continuing Education Equivalencies (for Category A)
- A member who prepares and delivers a post-graduate course or lecture approved by Council shall
be credited with twice the total class-hours of post-graduate study it takes to deliver such a course
or lecture.
- Supervising Optometrist in an Extern Rotation for students from ACOE accredited Schools: one
rotation in an academic term is equivalent to seven (7) hours to a maximum of twenty-one (21)
hours in a three year CE cycle.
- Participation in the Canadian Assessment of Competence in Optometry (CACO):
? Clinical Assessor: 1 credit hour per 2 hours spent assessing or training to assess
candidates for the CACO to a maximum of 24 hours per three-year period
? Question Author: 1 credit hour per question accepted to the database to a maximum of 24
hours per three-year period
? Question Item Selector: 1 credit hour per 2 hours spent selecting questions for the
examination to a maximum of 24 hours per three-year period
- Publication of an article in a refereed optometric journal is equivalent to 10 hours
- Publication of a case report in a refereed journal is equivalent to 2 hours
- Graduate Studies in optometry or a related health discipline
? one full year of full-time graduate studies is equivalent to the 45 hours of the cycle
requirements
? one year of part-time studies is equivalent to 20 hours of the cycle requirements
- Residency at an ACOE accredited School
? one full year of residency training is equivalent to the 45 hours of the cycle requirements
- Faculty appointment at an ACOE accredited School
? an appointment as a full-time faculty member is equivalent to 45 hours of the cycle
requirements
? an appointment as a part-time faculty member is equivalent to 20 hours of the cycle
requirements
- Clinical Supervisor appointment at an ACOE accredited School is equivalent to 7 hours of
continuing education credit per academic year
- Fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry
? equivalent to 20 hours during the cycle that the fellowship is awarded
- Diplomate of the American Academy of Optometry
? equivalent to 45 hours during the cycle that the diplomate is awarded
