# Title 61.5 — North Dakota Board of Physical Therapy

## Article 61.5-03 — Continuing Competence

## Chapter 61.5-03-02 — Continuing Competence Activities and Unit Standards

### § 61.5-03-02-01. Unit standards.

One unit equals one hour of participation in competence activities. The following unit standards
apply to any continuing competence activity that is intended to meet the continuing competence
requirements for physical therapists or physical therapist assistants:
1. The educational activities must have significant intellectual or practical content dealing
primarily with matters directly related to the practice of physical therapy or to the professional
responsibility or ethical obligations of the participants.
2. Each person making a presentation at a continuing competence activity must be qualified by
practical or academic experience to teach the subject the person covers.
3. Credit may not be given for entertainment or recreational activities or programs, employment
orientation sessions, holding an office or serving as an organizational delegate, meeting for
the purpose of making policy, or noneducational association meetings.
4. Credit may not be given for meals, keynote speeches, introductory or preliminary sessions,
postsession activities, and similar events associated with continuing competence programs.
History: Effective April 1, 1992; amended effective January 1, 2016; April 1, 2020.
General Authority: NDCC 43-26.1-03(5)
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-26.1-03(7)
### § 61.5-03-02-02. Activity content.

Twenty-five units are required every two years. The units may include:
1. Activities related to physical therapy approved by the American physical therapy association,
state physical therapy associations, and state physical therapy boards.
2. Completion of an American physical therapy association specialty certification or recertification
will equal fifteen units.
3. Completion of a physical therapy residency program equals twenty-five units.
4. One unit for every one hundred sixty-five hours of clinical instruction with a maximum of five
units per reporting period.
5. A person teaching an approved continuing competence activity must be awarded additional
credit for preparation time not to exceed a ratio of five to one between preparation time and
presentation time respectively. This credit may be taken for only one course annually.
6. Teaching at an accredited physical therapy or physical therapist assistant program as long as
teaching is not the licensee's primary occupation. One unit is allowed per direct contact hour
in teaching a maximum of five units per recording period.
History: Effective April 1, 1992; amended effective July 1, 2004; January 1, 2016; April 1, 2020.
General Authority: NDCC 43-26.1-03(5)
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-26.1-03(7)
