Continuing Professional Education

Continuing Professional Education Office

The Office of Continuing Professional Education registers students for live seminars, online webinars/seminars, and certification preparation and examination.

Telephone: 800-241-1027, ext. 1400

General

While the University supports clinical specialization, it also supports cross-disciplinary and multiskilled practices. The University offers its seminars to multiple professionals—provided their education and licensure enable them to use the instruction provided. Admission to continuing professional education seminars is open to all appropriately licensed healthcare professionals.

While every effort is made to allow therapists to attend any seminar of their choosing, certain advanced seminars require prerequisite seminars. Additionally, seminars are structured to be integrated with specialty certifications, and transitional and post-professional advanced degree programs. The University reserves the right to restrict attendance to only those professionals whom it determines have appropriate qualifications. Health practitioners other than physical and occupational therapists (e.g., MDs, Physical Therapy Assistant (PTAs), Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTAs)) may attend selected seminars, provided their license enables them to practice the content of the seminar. Professional licensure required for specific seminars is published elsewhere in this Catalog and in seminar brochures.

The University has long held that continuing education should be structured toward a meaningful goal. To meet professional development goals, certification programs offer a series of seminars, which culminate in a comprehensive examination (written, oral, and practical testing to define competency in the selected clinical area). Certifications are an integral part of the University’s transitional and post-professional degrees.

Certification Preparation and Exam is a three-day event covering each area in the prerequisite seminar track to provide a review of the content of each prerequisite seminar. The instructors also present an update where appropriate. The objective is the safe application and interpretation of advanced clinical skills. Certification results are confidential. The names of those who pass are published only with written authorization. Some attend the week purely for the value of review. Some attend more than twice before taking the exams. Those who do not satisfactorily complete all the components of the certification process may be retested.

Seminars leading to certification may be taken for either CEUs or toward graduate credit. Graduate credit is earned by completing distance education coursework after attending the seminars. CEUs are awarded for seminar course attendance unless students register for graduate credit. CEUs are invalid once students register in the distance education portion of the seminar course for academic credit. This policy is disclosed on continuing education certificates. If all the seminars leading to certification are taken for graduate credit, 17 to 19 hours are awarded toward an advanced degree (varies by specialty track).

Certification Event

A candidate may register to attend the Certification Preparation and Examination Event provided he or she has completed or will have completed all the prerequisite seminars for the chosen certification prior attending the certification testing event.

Note: Early registration is encouraged, as waiting lists often develop. The special refund policy for certifications is designed to discourage late withdrawal.

Publication

After successful completion of certification, the therapist may give permission for his or her name to be added to the Certification Graduate Listing. This listing is made freely available to professional colleagues and for referrals and is a highly regarded resource. It can be accessed by visiting the USAHS website at www.usa.edu and selecting the Continuing Education link located in the upper left-hand menu.

Certification Curricula

The S1 and E1 seminars are requirements for most certifications and do not have to be repeated when obtaining more than one certification. Each certification is summarized below, along with who may attend, applicable CEUs, and seminar tuition amounts (additional tuition charges are applied if a seminar is taken for graduate credit).

There are additional certification-track credit requirements for transitional degree students. The Foundations of Clinical Orthopaedics (FCO; two credits) is highly recommended for all degree-seeking students.

Registration Policies and Procedures for CPE and Certifications

To register for Continuing Education seminars, please go to the Continuing Education link located at cpe.usa.edu. If further assistance is needed, please call 1-800-241-1027 x1400.

Registration-Deposit: A $100 non-refundable deposit is required when registering for a seminar. A 50% non-refundable, non-transferable deposit is required when registering for a certification.
Registration-Balance & Refund Policy: Tuition is due 30 days prior to the first day of the seminar. With two weeks’ notice of seminar cancellation, tuition may be transferred to another seminar, placed into a funds on hold account, or the balance, (less the $100 deposit) may be refunded.

Cancellations occurring up to three working days prior to the start of the seminar, only 50% of the balance will be refunded. Within three working days’ notice, 100% of balance may be transferred to another seminar or placed into a funds on hold account. No refunds will be issued. Transfer of funds limited to two seminars. After the seminar begins, no refunds may be issued.

Seminar dates, locations, and tuition are subject to change. Notice is sent when class is confirmed. Please verify the seminar has been confirmed before booking non-refundable reservations by calling the Continuing Professional Education Department 1-800-241-1027 x1400.

In the event of employer-paid registrations, the employer has the right to cancel the registration under the above policy. The therapist will be contacted and may be given the option to remain registered for the seminar and become the responsible party for the tuition.

Tuition Refund Policy for Iowa Residents

For Iowa resident online students, continuing education seminar tuition refund fees will be determined in accordance with the policy above. 

In the event of employer-paid registrations, the employer has the right to cancel the registration. The therapist will be contacted and may be given the option to remain registered for the seminar and become the responsible party for the fee.

Retention of Student Records

The University retains CPE student records indefinitely.

Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Enrolling and attending our continuing education seminars qualifies the therapist for a certificate of attendance which confers continuing education units. These CEUs are accepted by most state licensing bodies toward maintaining the professional license. It is the responsibility of the individual therapist to ensure the CEUs are approved in their state.

Seminar Approvals/Accreditation

USAHS is accredited as an Accredited Provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 7918 Jones Branch Dr., Suite 300, McLean, VA 22102.

In obtaining this accreditation, the University of St. Augustine has demonstrated that it complies with the ANSI/IACET Standards, which are widely recognized as standards of good practice internationally.

Because of their Accredited Provider membership status, USAHS is authorized to offer IACET CEUs for its programs that qualify under the ANSI/IACET Standards. All University seminars are recognized by the Florida Physical Therapy Association and meet licensure requirements for Florida physical therapists and by the Florida Occupational Therapy Association and meet licensure requirements for Florida occupational therapists. Continuing education seminars are not under the purview of the Commission for Independent Education.

Seminar Availability

Seminars are held nationwide, according to interest. Schedules are completed a year in advance and are advertised widely in physical therapy and occupational therapy publications. The schedule may be viewed on the USAHS’ website, Continuing Professional Education. Continuing education seminar calendars are also available by calling 1-800-241-1027, ext. 1400. The University seeks to offer each of its listed seminars at least once annually and usually eliminates seminars that are not held at least every other year from its regular listing.

Waiting Lists

If the seminar for which you apply is full, you have the option of being placed on a waiting list, transferring to another seminar, or receiving a refund. Graduate students enrolled in any of the University’s transitional or post-professional programs have priority on the waiting list. Early registration is recommended.

Cancellation by the University

The University does not wish to cancel the advertised seminars. However, it is sometimes necessary. Registrants are notified a minimum of three weeks prior to the seminar start date. The University is not responsible for reimbursement of expenses, including nonrefundable airline tickets.

Hours of Attendance

Unless otherwise noted, most seminars begin at either 8:00, 8:30, or 9:00 a.m. on the first day, and run from seven to eight hours daily, not including the lunch hour. All sessions must be attended. Should more than two hours of any one seminar be missed, the policy of the University is to exclude the student from further participation in that seminar, at the discretion of the instructor. The instructor will determine whether missing that specific part of the seminar compromises the student’s understanding of subsequent sessions or may place a fellow student or future patient in jeopardy. The Certificate of Attendance may be withheld as the stated hours may no longer be valid. (Remedial activity may be required.)

Sequencing of Seminars

Some University seminars require that a prerequisite seminar be taken first. Contact the CPE Registration Office for more information.

Seminars from Other Organizations

The University is unable to recognize prerequisite seminars given by instructors outside of the University for continuing education seminars.

Accommodations

Most continuing education seminars outside of St. Augustine are held at hotels or at sponsoring clinical sites. Securing room accommodations may be accomplished by contacting the hotel directly or through a travel agent. Please note that the University is not responsible for the standard of your accommodations. On occasions where securing conference space at a hotel is linked to patronage of guest rooms, those that elect to stay at the designated hotel will have priority of registration.

Dress

Dress should be appropriate for attending a professional conference. Good judgment is required when attending seminars held in a hotel that is frequented by other professionals. For the practical sessions, usually beginning the first day, the registrant must be prepared to expose the area under examination. For extremity seminars, all peripheral joints apart from the hip will need to be exposed. Shorts or loose slacks are preferred for lab sessions. For spinal seminars, the entire spine from the occiput to sacrum must be exposed except for a narrow bra or bikini top. One-piece bathing suits that do not easily expose the iliac crest and sacrum are unacceptable as they may interfere with the learning process of other registrants.

Physical Health

Instructors maintain the right to discontinue instruction to any student who is in unsatisfactory health due to illness.

Students who are pregnant must inform the instructor. At the student’s discretion, and with permission of the instructor, she may be a full participant with the exception of manipulation techniques that involve stretching the soft tissues around the pelvis and subcranial regions.

Cosponsorship of Seminars

The University welcomes inquiries to cosponsor seminars. Generally, the University requires the cosponsor to provide space and amenities at a convenient and suitable location as well as to help promote local and regional attendance. In return, USAHS provides a complimentary seat and opportunities to earn additional free seminar slots based on paid registrations. In addition, discounted tuition is also offered to individuals identified by the cosponsoring hospital, school, clinic, or chapter. Further information is available from the Assistant Director of Continuing Professional Education.

Release of Liability

It is required that students who are registering for a seminar with a laboratory component sign a Release of Liability Form. The form is distributed at the seminar and completed before the commencement of the program.