Sec. 10.56.05.05. Obtaining Board Approval for Continuing Education Activities

A. To obtain approval by the Board of programs and activities qualifying for continuing education units, the program's sponsor or the licensee shall complete and submit the appropriate form, along with any required supporting documentation, to the Board at the appropriate time as provided in this chapter.

B. The required supporting documentation in §A of this regulation includes the following:

(1) For a program attended, signed certification by a program leader or instructor of the licensee's credit hours of participation in the program by certificate, letter on letterhead stationery of the sponsoring agency, or official continuing education validation form of the sponsoring agency;

(2) For publications, a copy of the title page and table of contents of a book or monograph, or a copy of a journal article;

(3) For completion of academic course work from an accredited institution as defined in COMAR 10.56.01.02B(1), an official transcript indicating that the course was taken and completed; and

(4) For a presentation, a copy of the text of the presentation.

C. Prior Approval Programs.

(1) To obtain prior approval of a qualifying program, the program's sponsor shall submit the request for prior approval of the program to the Board at least 6 weeks before the date the program will be given.

(2) To obtain continuing education units for attending a program that has received the Board's prior approval, either the sponsor or the licensee shall document the licensee's attendance of the program.

D. Subsequent Approval of Programs and Activities. When there has been no prior approval by the Board of the program or activity undertaken by the licensee for which the licensee seeks continuing education units, the licensee shall submit a request for approval of the program or activity to the Board, on the appropriate form, along with documentation which shows that the program meets the qualifications for continuing education credit and that the licensee attended the program.

E. Extension of Time.

(1) A licensed dietitian-nutritionist shall file a request in writing with the Board for an extension of time within which to complete continuing education requirements before October 1 of the renewal year.

(2) The Board shall consider and render a decision on the request within 60 days of receiving the written request.

(3) The Board may grant an extension until January 31 of the following year and conditionally renew a license if the Board determines that:

(a) Failure to fulfill the requirements is clearly a result of illness or other circumstances beyond the control of the licensed dietitian-nutritionist; and

(b) The licensed dietitian-nutritionist readily and appropriately attempted to meet the requirements.

(4) Continuing education units earned after October 31 of the second year to fulfill the conditions of an extension may be credited only to the preceding 2-year period.

(5) The Board shall audit a licensed dietitian-nutritionist who has been granted an extension of time for the completion of continuing education requirements.