New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 13 - LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY › Chapter 35 - BOARD OF MEDICAL EXAMINERS › Subchapter 14 - GENETIC COUNSELING ADVISORY COMMITTEE › Section 13:35-14.7 - Continuing education

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Upon biennial license renewal, licensed genetic counselors shall attest that they have completed courses of continuing education of the types and number of credit hours specified in (b) below. Falsification of any information submitted on the renewal application may require an appearance before the Committee and may subject a licensed genetic counselor to penalties and/or suspension or revocation of the license pursuant to 45:1-21 through 45:1-25.
(b) Each applicant for biennial license renewal shall be required to complete, during the preceding biennial period, 40 continuing education hours related to the practice of genetic counseling, except as provided in (c) below. These 40 continuing education hours shall include at least one hour in medical ethics.
(c) A licensed genetic counselor who is licensed in the second year of a biennial renewal period shall not be required to complete continuing education hours during that biennial period.
(d) A licensed genetic counselor who completes more than the minimum continuing education hours set forth above during the last six months of a biennial registration period may carry no more than 20 of the additional continuing education hours into a succeeding biennial period.
(e) A licensed genetic counselor may obtain continuing education hours through successful completion of continuing education courses or programs approved by the National Society of Genetic Counselors or its successor, one continuing education hour for each hour of instruction.
(f) At least 30 of the continuing education hours required by (b) above shall be in courses or programs designated as "Category One" by the National Society of Genetic Counselors or its successor.
(g) The Committee shall perform audits of randomly selected licensed genetic counselors to determine compliance with continuing education requirements.
(h) A licensed genetic counselor shall maintain certifications from the National Society of Genetic Counselors, or its successor, attesting to completion of continuing education hours for a period of four years after completion of the hours and shall submit this certification to the Committee upon request.
(i) The Committee may waive the continuing education requirements of this section, or provide a licensed genetic counselor additional time to complete continuing education requirements, on an individual basis for reasons of hardship, such as severe illness, disability, or military service.
1. A licensed genetic counselor seeking a waiver of the continuing education requirements shall apply to the Committee in writing at least 90 days prior to license renewal and set forth in specific detail the reasons for requesting the waiver. The licensed genetic counselor shall provide the Committee with supplemental materials that support the request for waiver.
2. A waiver of continuing education requirements granted pursuant to this subsection shall be effective only for the biennial period for which such waiver is granted. If the condition(s) that necessitated the waiver continue(s) into the next biennial period, a licensed genetic counselor shall apply to the Committee for the renewal of such waiver for the new biennial period.