2021 AT CE Renewal Deadline: Your Most Pressing Questions Answered

The information is this article is correct as of July 2021. Requirements are likely to change over time. Always confirm with your state’s licensing board and the BOC to ensure that you are following the most up-to-date rules.

The BOC requires athletic trainers to complete a predetermined number of CE hours every two years to maintain their certification. The upcoming deadline of December 31, 2021, is fast approaching, and many ATs are scrambling to make sure that they’ve completed the necessary number of CEUs to keep their national certification current.

BOC requirements are often complementary to state CE licensing requirements, but there are some differences, which means that it’s natural for questions to pop up.

We’ve compiled the answers to the most common questions here in a single location for you to reference at your convenience. Have a particular question in mind? Feel free to skip ahead!

1. How can I earn my required CEUs?
2. How do I report my hours?
3. In addition to CE, what are my other requirements to keep my license current?
4. How does the BOC determine if a course meets the requirements to be designated evidence-based practice?
5. What happens if I let my license or BOC certification expire?
6. Why do ATs who were licensed in 2020 only need to complete 25 CEUs?
7. How many CEUs do I need to earn?

1. How can I earn my required CEUs?

CEUs fall under four BOC categories. You can earn all of your required BOC Category A CEUs through MedBridge courses. State CE requirements may not allow entirely online learning, however, so be sure to reference the list provided in Question 7. You can also complete your EBP requirements through MedBridge.

You can earn your required CEUs in other ways, too:

• Category B CEUs are earned through professional and scholarly activities such as speaking engagements and publishing work. You can complete up to 33 of your 50 required CEUs in this category (17 of 25 for ATs licensed in 2020).
• Category C CEUs are earned through post-certification college or university coursework. These must be included on official transcripts. You can complete up to 40 of your 50 required CEUs in this category (20 of 25 for ATs licensed in 2020).
• Category D CEUs can be earned by completing professional programs sponsored by groups other than BOC-approved providers. You can complete up to 28 of your 50 required CEUs in this category (14 of 25 for ATs licensed in 2020).

2. How do I report my hours?

You have two options for reporting. You can report your hours online via the BOC Central Login at no cost. Alternatively, you can mail in your hours using this form; however, this option comes with a $25 fee. If you go the written route, you will need to submit the form by December 1 to allow time for processing by the December 31 deadline.

Note: If you are an AT MedBridge subscriber in Florida, you’re in luck! Because we report to CE Broker for all our Florida subscribers, you do not need to submit your own hours.

3. In addition to CE, what are my other requirements to keep my license current?

The BOC requires that you maintain ongoing certification in the competencies outlined in the BOC’s emergency cardiac care (ECC) guidelines. Maintaining ECC does not count toward your CEUs. You must also pay your certification maintenance fees. You can find the ECC guidelines and determine how much your fee will be in this BOC document.

Some states also have specific requirements to maintain state licensure. See the state list under Question 7 for a list of additional requirements, or check with your state’s licensing board.

4. How does the BOC determine if a course meets the requirements to be designated evidence-based practice?

From the start, an EBP course is built differently than other courses. An EBP course starts with a clinical question, provides information specific to a particular diagnosis or concern, and has a specific clinical bottom line. The course must also include strong references and address an education gap with current evidence supporting the clinical bottom line.

As an example, let’s look at the EBP-approved MedBridge course, “The Movement System: Advanced Running Assessment and Treatment,” presented by Jared Vagy. This course actually addresses three clinical questions:

• In runners with medial knee pain, does a manual muscle test as compared to a dynamometer, have higher reliability when identifying gluteus medius weakness?
• In runners with medial knee pain, does the single leg squat with contralateral reach exercise as compared to a side-lying resistance band hip exercise, increase muscle activation?
• In runners with lateral hip pain, does a single leg squat with running cadence metronome as compared to double leg squat at slow cadence, reduce pelvic drop?

The knowledge gap filled by this course is described as:

“Hip pain is a common complaint, and due to the complex nature of the hip and pelvic region, the treating clinician needs a systematic process for ruling in and out pathologies. Clinicians need to be able to choose and utilize good clinical tests in addition to understanding the patient presentation to accurately determine differential diagnosis. With so many special tests presented in the literature for the hip, the knowledge gap of which tests have the highest accuracy need to be identified depending on where the patient’s pain is located.”

Strong evidence is cited throughout the course:

• Jackson, S. M., Cheng, M. S., Smith Jr., A. R., & Kolber, M. J. (2017). Intrarater reliability of hand held dynamometry in measuring lower extremity isometric strength using a portable stabilization device. Musculoskeletal Science & Practice, 27, 137–141.
• Distefano, L. J., Blackburn, J. T., Marshall, S. W., & Padua, D. A. (2009). Gluteal muscle activation during common therapeutic exercises. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy, 39(7), 532–40.
• Giboin, L. S., Gruber, M., & Kramer, A. (2015). Task-specificity of balance training. Human Movement Science, 44, 22–31.

And what’s the clinical bottom line? One bottom line is:

“A single leg squat completed in time with a running cadence metronome reduces pelvis drop during the stance phase of running. Athletic trainers should incorporate this exercise into rehabilitation programs of runners with hip pain.”

Watch the course to find out the additional clinical bottom lines!

Once the course is created, it must go through a rigorous application process in which the BOC reviews the course and confirms that it has the needed elements to meet EBP requirements. Every MedBridge EBP course and webinar has been through this application and approval process.

5. What happens if I let my license or BOC certification expire?

The consequences of a lapsed license vary by state, so be sure to check your with your state’s licensing board.

Some states require you to maintain BOC certification to practice. If your certification lapses and is expired for less than two CE reporting periods, you have two options for reinstating your certification. You can see these options on the BOC website. If your license has been expired for more than two CE reporting periods, you will need to:

• Complete the application and pay a non-refundable application fee of $60.
• Successfully pass the BOC exam. The fee to take the exam is $330.
• Provide proof of current certification in emergency cardiac care.

Keeping your license and certification current is far less costly than maintaining your CE requirements!

6. Why do ATs who were licensed in 2020 only need to complete 25 CEUs?

BOC CEU renewal occurs on a two-year cycle. BOCs who were licensed in 2020 only worked for one of those years, so they only need to complete a single year’s worth of CE. ATs licensed in 2021 are exempt this year, but will need to complete the 50 CEUs requirement for the next cycle, which ends on December 31, 2023.

7. How many CEUs do I need to earn?

The BOC requires ATs to earn 50 CEUs per two-year certification period (ATs certified in 2020 only need 25 CEUs to re-certify). Ten of these hours must be in evidence-based practice (EBP). ATs certified in 2020 are required to complete five EBP hours as part of their required 25 CEUs.

The current certification period ends on December 31, 2021.

Individual states have different CEU requirements for state renewal. While meeting your state license requirements will often keep you current with the BOC’s requirements, meeting the BOC’s requirements won’t necessarily allow you to meet your state’s requirements.

Here is a breakdown of renewal requirements by state. States in green accept BOC certification for state CE requirements.

NOTE: This list is not intended to be a comprehensive description of everything required to maintain licensure in your state. Please refer to your state’s licensing board for a full description of your state’s requirements.

Alabama—26 hours annually, with a cycle running from December 1 to November 30. CPR certification is required.

Alaska—50 hours every two years (25 if you earned your license in 2020). Your two-year cycle ends on August 31, 2021.

Arizona—ATs who are not BOC-certified must complete 15 hours annually, with a due date of your license issue date.

Arkansas—25 CE hours on an annual cycle with a due date of June 30.

California—No state requirements.

Colorado—48 hours, due on October 31 of odd years.

Connecticut—25 hours per year with an annual due date based on your birth month.

Delaware—30 CEUs every two years, due on January 31 of odd years. CPR certification and ethics training are required. This requirement can be met with the MedBridge course “Ethics and Legal Issues in Geriatric Rehabilitation: 2019 Update (2021),” presented by Ron Scott.

District of Columbia—No district requirements.

Florida—24 hours every two years, due on September 30 of even years. Online courses are limited 10 hours. MedBridge webinars are accepted as live courses because attendance is tracked. CPR certification and medical errors training are required. Your medical errors training requirement can be met with the MedBridge course “Preventing Medical Errors: Education for Florida State Clinicians,” presented by Nancy Allen. Reminder: MedBridge automatically submits CE completions for Florida-based ATs!

Georgia—40 hours every two years, due on June 30 of even years.

Hawaii—25 hours per year to be turned in on June 30 every three years.

Idaho—80 hours every three years. License renewal varies from one to five years.

Illinois—40 hours every two years, to be turned in on May 31 of even years.

Indiana—50 hours due every two years on December 31 of odd years. 25 hours are required for ATs who have been licensed for less than a year. These match the BOC’s requirements.

Iowa—50 hours due every two years on February 28 of odd years.

Kansas—20 hours annually due on December 31. CPR certification is required.

Kentucky—60 hours every three years, due on June 30. HIV/AIDS training is required using a course approved by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Louisiana—12 hours annually due on June 30.

Maine—25 hours every year, due on August 31.

Maryland—50 hours every two years, due on September 30 of odd years.

Massachusetts—50 hours every two years (25 if you earned your license in 2018), due on your birthday. CPR certification is required.

Michigan—BOC certification is required. For state licensing, 75 hours is due every three years on your license issue date. Three hours in pain management are required. A one-time human trafficking training is required; however, this isn’t a continuing education requirement. Your human trafficking requirement can be met with the MedBridge course, “Human Trafficking for Health Care Professionals: Michigan,” presented by Hanni Stoklosa. Any of the following courses will count toward your pain management requirement:

• The Neuroscience of Sprains, Strains, Pain, and Sports Performance presented by Adriaan Louw
• Teaching People About Pain presented by Adriaan Louw
• A Clinical Application of Easing Pain via Neuroplasticity presented by Adriaan Louw
• The “How-To” of Teaching Patients About Pain (Recorded Webinar) presented by Adriaan Louw
• The Neuroscience of Pain presented by Adriaan Louw
• PNE+: Nonpharmacological Approach to Treating Pain presented by Adriaan Louw
• The Biopsychosocial Approach in Athletes Experiencing Pain presented by Adriaan Louw
• Pain Management for Children presented by Susan Stralka
• Pain Management for Adults presented by Susan Stralka

Minnesota—25 hours every year, due on July 1.

Mississippi—BOC certification is required. State licensing requires hours to be submitted every year by December 31.

Missouri—25 hours annually, due on January 30.

Montana—25 hours annually, due on August 31.

Nebraska—25 hours annually, due on May 1 of odd years. CPR certification is required.

Nevada—50 hours annually, due on June 30 of every year.

New Hampshire—Hours are due on December 31 of even years.

New Jersey—24 hours biannually, due on every two years on January 31. Two hours must be in concussion/head injury. CPR certification is required.

New Mexico—License renewal requires annual confirmation of BOC certification with an August 31 due date. 75 CEUs are due every three years. CPR certification is required.

New York—No state requirements.

North Carolina—75 hours every three years, due on January 31.

North Dakota—80 hours every three years, due on June 30.

Ohio—25 hours every two years, due on September 30 of even years. Five in-person hours are required. An ethics course is required. State requirements include two hours of EBP. Your ethics requirement can be completed with the MedBridge course “Ethical and Legal Issues in Geriatric Rehabilitation: 2019 Update (2021),” presented by Ron Scott.

Oklahoma—25 hours due annually on your license issue date.

Oregon—10 hours due annually on your license issue date. Concussion and traumatic brain injury training must be completed every three years. You can meet this requirement with any of the following MedBridge courses:

• Concussion Assessment: An Overview presented by Anne Mucha and Susan Whitney
• Oculomotor Assessment in Concussion presented by Anne Mucha
• Balance Examination in Concussion presented by Susan Whitney
• Concussion in Sport Part 1: Pathophysiology, Recognition, & Management presented by Todd Arnold
• Concussion in Sport Part 2: Clinical Evaluation and Return to Play presented by Todd Arnold

Pennsylvania—50 hours every two years (25 if you earned your license in 2018), due on December 31 of even years.

Rhode Island—50 hours every two years (25 if you earned your license in 2018), due on June 30 of odd years.

South Carolina—No general CE hours are required; however you are required to complete 2 CEUs from SCATA seminars and a CPR course. These are due biannually on your license issue date.

South Dakota—25 hours annually, due on July 1.

Tennessee—50 hours every two years, due on December 31.

Texas—40 hours every two hours due on your license issue date. Two hours of concussion training are required. Any of the following MedBridge courses will count toward this requirement:

• Concussion Assessment: An Overview presented by Anne Mucha and Susan Whitney
• Oculomotor Assessment in Concussion presented by Anne Mucha
• Balance Examination in Concussion presented by Susan Whitney
• Concussion in Sport Part 1: Pathophysiology, Recognition, & Management presented by Todd Arnold
• Concussion in Sport Part 2: Clinical Evaluation and Return to Play presented by Todd Arnold

Utah—50 hours every two years (25 if you earned your license in 2020), due on May 31 of odd years.

Vermont—50 hours every two years (25 if you earned your license in 2020), due on September 30 of odd years.

Virginia—50 hours every two years (25 if you earned your license in 2020), due in your birth month of odd years.

Washington—License renewal is due annually on your birthday with CE required every two years. Seven hours of HIV/AIDS training and ten hours of EBP are required.

West Virginia—50 hours every two years (25 if you earned your license in 2020), due on June 30.

Wisconsin—50 hours every two years (25 if you earned your license in 2020) due on June 30 of even years. CPR certification is required.

Wyoming—50 hours annually, due on September 30.