Recertification

REQUIREMENTS - CRA, OCT-C
APPEALS
CRA Recertification APPLICATION AND INFORMATION
CEC's FOR PUBLICATION

Download CRA Recertification Instructions (PDF)
Download CRA Recertification Form (PDF)
Download OCT-C Recertification Instructions (PDF)
Download OCT-C Recertification Form (PDF)

 

Chair, Recertification Section
Peter B. Hay, BA,CRA,FOPS
Retina Vitreous Surgeons of CNY
3107 East Genesee Street
Syracuse, NY 13224
Email: Recert@opsweb.org

 

The OPS/BOC requires each Certified Retinal Angiographer (CRA) and OCT-C (Optical Coherence Tomographer) to re-certify at three-year intervals by accumulating Continuing Education Credits in the field of Ophthalmic Photography and related curriculum. The purpose of recertification is to enhance continued competence of certificants through continuing education. Approved courses encourage exposure to new approaches and technology in addition to the renewal of basic skills. The Board deems a three-year interval appropriate given the pace of changing advances in Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Photography, the time commitment required to achieve the required CECs, and the availability of programming.

The certificant must provide proof of compliance with recertification requirements before the end of the third year of each interval of certification. Failing to comply results in the revocation of certification. Once revoked, certification can be regained only by fulfilling the current requirements for certification.

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Requirements for recertification are:

• CRA Recertification Requirements

1. CRA Recertification requires the accrual of fifteen hours of continuing education credits (15 CEC's) during each three-year interval following initial certification.

CEC's may be earned in the following manner:

• Of the fifteen required hours, a minimum of five (5 CEC's) MUST be earned by attending official OPS or OPS approved courses or workshops. Each hour of lecture or workshop equals one credit hour (1 CEC).
• Of the fifteen required hours, a maximum of ten (10 CEC's) MAY be earned by teaching official OPS or OPS approved courses or workshops. Each hour of lecture or workshop equals one credit hour (1CEC).
• Of the fifteen required hours, a maximum of ten (10 CEC's) May be earned by attending NON-OPS APPROVED courses or workshops. These include courses or workshops approved by the Joint Commission of Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) or courses approved by the American Medical Association (AMA) for Category I Continuing Ophthalmic Medical Education. Each hour of these courses or workshops equals one half-credit hour (1/2 CEC).
• Of the fifteen required hours, a maximum of ten (10 CEC's) may be earned by first authorship or co-authorship of, the OPS Journal, ophthalmic journals, photographic journals, ophthalmic or photographic text books and other scientific publications. All submissions must be of merit and well recognized. The total value for any submission shall not exceed three (3 CEC's). Submission of publications for CEC review must be made by separate application. (See CEC's for Publication for details)

2. CRA Recertification requires the submission of a current certificate in cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) that included both written and hands-on examinations (American Red Cross or American Heart Association are preferred).

• OCT-C Recertification Requirements

1. OC-C Recertification requires the accrual of eight hours of continuing education credits (8 CEC's) during each three-year interval following initial certification.

• Payment of the prevailing recertification fee, payable in US dollars to the Board of Certification.

Recertification Fees

• Non-OPS Member Fee: $160.00
• OPS Member Fee: $80.00

Please call the OPS Membership Office at 1-800-403-1677 to verify your membership status before submitting your payment. Fees should be payable to the Board of Certification in US dollars.

 

Responsibility and Verifications

It is the responsibility of certificants to keep track of their CEC's and submit their application with supporting documentation verifying course teaching, course or workshop attendance or publication credits. Credits for teaching must be supported by a copy of the printed program reflecting the type and degree of involvement. A certificate of attendance or statement of attendance on official letterhead from the course director of courses or workshops is required. A receipt of courses paid for is not acceptable as evidence of attendance. Credits for publications must be supported by a validation letter from the Chairman, Recertification Section.

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Appeals

Should recertification be denied, the applicant may appeal within thirty (30) days to the Chair of the Recertification Section. Should this appeal be denied, the applicant may further appeal to the Board of Certification for a decision, which will be final and binding.

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Recertification Applications and Information

The Chair of the Recertification Section annually mails recertification postcard reminders with application download information to certificants with an expiration date of December 31st of the concurrent year.

Certificants having difficulty completing their requirements or expect to be unable to meet the December 31st deadline should contact the section chair as soon as possible. He/she may be able to provide assistance or a course of action necessary for completing the requirements.

Certificants should contact the section chair at Recert@opsweb.org, or by mail, fax or phone for current answers to questions or concerns about recertification requirements or accrual of continuing education credits.

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Continuing Education Credits for Publications

Application:
Application is initiated by requesting a CEC Evaluation Form from the Recertification Section Chair. The completed form and a copy of each publication are submitted for review. The chair will issue a written report validating CEC's for recertification use.

Continuing Education Credits (CEC's) may be earned in the following manner:

• OPS Journal Publications: three (3) CEC's per publication.
• Textbook Publications: two (2) CEC's per publication.
• All other Publications-per case basis: one (1) CEC per publication.

Publication of the same material in different publications will receive credit only once. Credit will be given for the first year of a publication. Challenges to credit evaluations received by the chair will be forwarded to the BOC Executive Committee, which will deliberate the case. The decision of the BOC Executive Committee will be final and binding.

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