Text of Statute

(A) On or before the deadline established under division (B) of this section for applying for renewal of a certificate of registration, each person holding a certificate under this chapter to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatry shall certify to the state medical board that in the preceding two years the person has completed one hundred hours of continuing medical education. The certification shall be made upon the application for biennial registration submitted pursuant to division (B) of this section. The board shall adopt rules providing for pro rata reductions by month of the number of hours of continuing education required for persons who are in their first registration period, who have a registration period of less than two years due to initial implementation of the staggered renewal schedule established under division (B) of this section, who have been disabled due to illness or accident, or who have been absent from the country.

In determining whether a course, program, or activity qualifies for credit as continuing medical education, the board shall approve all continuing medical education taken by persons holding a certificate to practice medicine and surgery that is certified by the Ohio state medical association, all continuing medical education taken by persons holding a certificate to practice osteopathic medicine and surgery that is certified by the Ohio osteopathic association, and all continuing medical education taken by persons holding a certificate to practice podiatry that is certified by the Ohio podiatric medical association. Each person holding a certificate to practice under this chapter shall be given sufficient choice of continuing education programs to ensure that the person has had a reasonable opportunity to participate in continuing education programs that are relevant to the person's medical practice in terms of subject matter and level.

The board may require a random sample of persons holding a certificate to practice under this chapter to submit materials documenting completion of the continuing medical education requirement during the preceding registration period, but this provision shall not limit the board's authority to investigate pursuant to section 4731.22 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) Every person holding a certificate under this chapter to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatry wishing to renew that certificate shall apply to the board for a certificate of registration upon an application furnished by the board, and pay to the board at the time of application a fee of three hundred five dollars, according to the following schedule:

(a) Persons whose last name begins with the letters "A" through "B," on or before April 1, 2001, and the first day of April of every odd-numbered year thereafter;

(b) Persons whose last name begins with the letters "C" through "D," on or before January 1, 2001, and the first day of January of every odd-numbered year thereafter;

(c) Persons whose last name begins with the letters "E" through "G," on or before October 1, 2000, and the first day of October of every even-numbered year thereafter;

(d) Persons whose last name begins with the letters "H" through "K," on or before July 1, 2000, and the first day of July of every even-numbered year thereafter;

(e) Persons whose last name begins with the letters "L" through "M," on or before April 1, 2000, and the first day of April of every even-numbered year thereafter;

(f) Persons whose last name begins with the letters "N" through "R," on or before January 1, 2000, and the first day of January of every even-numbered year thereafter;

(g) Persons whose last name begins with the letter "S," on or before October 1, 1999, and the first day of October of every odd-numbered year thereafter;

(h) Persons whose last name begins with the letters "T" through "Z," on or before July 1, 1999, and the first day of July of every odd-numbered year thereafter.

The board shall deposit the fee in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code, except that, until July 30, 2001, the board shall deposit twenty dollars of the fee into the state treasury to the credit of the physician loan repayment fund created by section 3702.78 of the Revised Code.

(2) The board shall mail or cause to be mailed to every person registered to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatry, an application for registration addressed to the person's last known post-office address or may cause the application to be sent to the person through the secretary of any recognized medical, osteopathic, or podiatric society, according to the following schedule:

(a) To persons whose last name begins with the letters "A" through "B," on or before January 1, 2001, and the first day of January of every odd-numbered year thereafter;

(b) To persons whose last name begins with the letters "C" through "D," on or before October 1, 2000, and the first day of October of every even-numbered year thereafter;

(c) To persons whose last name begins with the letters "E" through "G," on or before July 1, 2000, and the first day of July of every even-numbered year thereafter;

(d) To persons whose last name begins with the letters "H" through "K," on or before April 1, 2000, and the first day of April of every even-numbered year thereafter;

(e) To persons whose last name begins with the letters "L" through "M," on or before January 1, 2000, and the first day of January of every even-numbered year thereafter;

(f) To persons whose last name begins with the letters "N" through "R," on or before October 1, 1999, and the first day of October of every odd-numbered year thereafter;

(g) To persons whose last name begins with the letters* "S," on or before July 1, 1999, and the first day of July of every odd-numbered year thereafter;

(h) To persons whose last name begins with the letters "T" through "Z," on or before April 1, 1999, and the first day of April of every odd-numbered year thereafter;

Failure of any person to receive an application from the board shall not excuse the person from the requirements contained in this section. The application shall contain proper spaces for the applicant's signature and the insertion of the required information, including a statement that the person has fulfilled the continuing education requirements imposed by this section.

The applicant shall write or cause to be written upon the application so furnished the applicant's full name, principal practice address and residence address, the number of the applicant's certificate to practice, and any other facts for the identification of the applicant as a person holding a certificate to practice under this chapter as the board considers necessary. The applicant shall include with the application a list of the names and addresses of any clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse-midwives, or certified nurse practitioners with whom the applicant is currently collaborating, as defined in section 4723.02 of the Revised Code. The applicant shall execute and deliver the application to the board by mail or in person. Every person registered under this section shall give written notice to the board of any change of principal practice address or residence address or in the list within thirty days of the change.

The applicant shall report any criminal offense that constitutes grounds for refusal of registration under section 4731.22 of the Revised Code to which the applicant has pleaded guilty, of which the applicant has been found guilty, or for which the applicant has been found eligible for intervention in lieu of conviction, since last signing an application for a certificate of registration.

(C) The board shall issue to any person holding a certificate under this chapter to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatry, upon application and qualification therefor in accordance with this section, a certificate of registration under the seal of the board. A certificate of registration shall be valid for a two-year period, commencing on the first day of the third month after the registration fee is due and expiring on the last day of the month two years thereafter.

The board shall publish and cause to be mailed to each person registered under this section, upon request, a printed list of the persons so registered.

(D) Failure of any certificate holder to register and comply with this section shall operate automatically to suspend the holder's certificate to practice. Continued practice after the suspension of the certificate to practice shall be considered as practicing in violation of section 4731.41 , 4731.43 , or 4731.60 of the Revised Code. Subject to section 4731.222 [4731.22.2] of the Revised Code, the board shall reinstate a certificate to practice for failure to register upon an applicant's submission of the biennial registration fee, the applicable monetary penalty, and certification by signature of the applicant that the applicant has completed the requisite continuing medical education. The penalty for reinstatement shall be fifty dollars if the certificate has been suspended for two years or less and one hundred dollars if the certificate has been suspended for more than two years. The board shall deposit the penalties in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.

(E) If an individual certifies completion of the number of hours and type of continuing medical education required to receive a certificate of registration or reinstatement of a certificate to practice, and the board finds through the random samples it conducts under this section or through any other means that the individual did not complete the requisite continuing medical education, the board may impose a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars. The board's finding shall be made pursuant to an adjudication under Chapter 119 . of the Revised Code and by an affirmative vote of not fewer than six members.

A civil penalty imposed under this division may be in addition to or in lieu of any other action the board may take under section 4731.22 of the Revised Code. The board shall deposit civil penalties in accordance with section 4731.24 of the Revised Code.

(F) The state medical board may obtain information not protected by statutory or common law privilege from courts and other sources concerning malpractice claims against any person holding a certificate to practice under this chapter or practicing as provided in section 4731.36 of the Revised Code.

History

HISTORY: 132 v H 418 (Eff 12-1-67); 136 v H 682 (Eff 7-28-75); 136 v H 1426 (Eff 7-1-76); 139 v H 694 (Eff 11-15-81); 139 v H 317 (Eff 3-27-82); 140 v H 37 (Eff 6-22-84); 141 v H 428 (Eff 12-23-86); 143 v H 111 (Eff 7-1-89); 144 v H 454 (Eff 4-30-92); 145 v H 152 (Eff 7-1-93); 146 v S 154 (Eff 9-10-96); 147 v H 215 (Eff 6-30-97, 9-29-97); 147 v H 606 (Eff 3-9-99); 148 v H 283 (Eff 6-30-99); 148 v H 341. Eff 8-10-2000.

* So in enrolled bill, division (B)(2)(g).