Continuing Education

For full details please refer to the ACBSP Policy & Procedures Manual.

621.1A Formal Academic Educational Courses.  

This category includes participation in educational programs designed to enhance physician knowledge and clinical competency and to improve patient care. 

Programs must be related to the field of chiropractic sports medicine. Such activities must be completed following initial certification and must satisfy the quality guidelines described in this policy (see CEU Requirements). 

621.1B Professional Conferences, Meetings, Seminars, Workshops 

This category includes attendance at qualified professional conferences, meetings, seminars and workshops designed to enhance physician knowledge and clinical competency and to improve patient care. Participation in events must satisfy the quality guidelines described in Section 621.3, below. Qualified events may include, but are not limited to: the ACBSP Annual Chiropractic Sports Sciences Symposium; and, other professional and educational activities, subject to review and approval by the ACBSP. 

621.1C Scientific Papers and Publications 

This category includes development, authorship and/or presentation of scientific papers, abstracts and publications intended for chiropractic physician education. An original scientific paper is defined as one that reflects a search of literature, appends a bibliography and contains original data gathered by the author. Such activities may include, but are not limited to: a published manuscript in a peer-reviewed journal; and, a book, or chapter of a book related to the field of chiropractic sports medicine. A copy of the paper/publication in finished form must be submitted to the ACBSP for review and approval. Papers and publications will be judged on a case-by-case basis and the number of CEUs granted will not exceed 50% of the annual continuing education requirement. 

621.1D Professional Services 

This category includes activities involving substantive participation or service related to the review, evaluation, development and application of chiropractic sports physician knowledge and competency. Such activities may include, but are notlimited to: 

• Service on ACBSP examination committees, including Angoff value, item writer and item evaluation committees, and practical exam committees. 

• CEUs for service on ACBSP examination committees, including Angoff value, item writer and item evaluation committees, and practical exam committees, will be calculated as 1 CEU per hour of active participation and these CEUs may be applied in a 1:1 ratio to meet part or all of the participating certificant’s annual ACBSP™ continuing education requirement; however, the CEUs will not be submitted for states’ approval and therefore, may or may not meet a doctor’s state licensure requirements. 

• Defined service in a specific project as a professional consultant or subject matter expert related to the field of chiropractic sports medicine. 

• Service on a medical team or as a treating doctor during a nationally recognized athletic event. 

• Service on a medical team or as a treating doctor during a nationally recognized event will be calculated as 0.25 CEU per hour of active participation with a maximum of 50% of the annual continuing education requirement allowed per year. These CEUs will only apply to ACBSP continuing education hours and may not apply to state licensure requirements. A verification form is available in the appendix of this policy. 

A DACBSP or CCSP member who completes an internship at an Olympic Training Center, or is a member of a medical team for the Goodwill Games, Pan- American Games or the Olympic Games for the United States will fulfill the entire continuing education requirement for the one-year period in which they served.

621.1E DACBSP Mentorship of CCSP 

This category includes participation in activities specifically by CCSPs under the direct supervision of a mentoring DACBSP. Only CCSPs may earn continuing education credit under this category. In order for any activity to be approved and accepted, the CCSP and mentoring DACBSP must submit a detailed plan for ACBSP review at least thirty (30) days prior to the proposed date of the activity, including the following information: the subject and practice area(s) addressed by each proposed activity; the anticipated number of contact hours to be earned for each proposed activity and relevant dates; the number of credits requested upon completion of each activity; the names, addresses and contact information of both the CCSP and DACBSP; and, an express, written and signed statement by both certificants indicating that the mentorship will not involve any type of monetary exchange between parties.  

CCSPs must maintain a written daily journal, including detailed explanations of the skills learned and knowledge gained during the mentored experience and may be required to prepare patient summary case reports. CCSPs will be granted 1.0CEU for every four (4) hours of practical activity completed, with a maximum of 8.0 CEUs that may be earned under this category during any one-year period. Credit is not granted for coffee breaks, social functions, or time allotted to business or administrative matters. 

621.1F Online Courses and Home Study 

This category includes structured and self-paced educational activities designed to enhance knowledge and clinical competency and to improve patient care. 

• Online Education: CEUs can be earned online and must satisfy the quality guidelines described in section 3 below. Effective January 1, 2015, certificants may meet 100% of the ACBSP annual continuing education requirement via online education. 

• Home Study: Such activities may include, but are not limited to the review and analysis of professional journals recognized by the professional scientific community and successful completion of the self-test (quiz) included in the journal. Quiz results must be submitted to the ACBSP national office.  

All activities must be reviewed and approved by the ACBSP. Certificants will be granted 1.0 CEU per quiz successfully completed and approved. In any given one-year period, CCSP and DACBSP members may earn a maximum of 3.0 CEUs under this category. 

621.1G Non-ACBSP Certifications and Specialties 

This category includes the satisfaction, completion and maintenance of professional certification(s) in sports-related disciplines, administered by other recognized organizations, including: Athletic Training Certification by the National Athletic Trainer’s Association Board of Certification; EMT Certification by an authorized EMT certifying organization; and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist by the NSCA Certification Commission. In any given one-year period, CCSP and DACBSP certificants will be exempt from ACBSP continuing education requirements, as long as all certification and recertification requirements are completed in compliance with the respective organization’s requirements. A request for exemption, including supporting documentation of such other recognized certification(s), must be submitted to the ACBSP for review and approval. 

621.1H Instruction Research Hours 

Members may earn continuing education credit for researching and teaching post-graduate level courses that are directly related to the field of sports medicine. 1.0 CEU credit(s) will be provided, on a one-time basis, for each live hour of a new sports medicine presentation to provide credit for the research activities performed by the certificant. No additional credits are made available for instruction of the course. Instruction Research hours may not exceed more than 50% of the total annual CEU requirements. The ACBSP recommends submitting the lecture notes or another form of confirmation to the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors, in their sole discretion, may deny any submitted request for continuing education credits. 

Approved Topics:

• ACR credit

• Athletic Training Certification (National Athletic Trainer’s Association)

• Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (by the NSCA Certification Commission)

• COVID-19 Staff education

• Cupping

• Dry Needling

• EMT Certification (authorized EMT certifying organization)

• Ethics and boundaries

• Extremities

• Head trauma and concussion

• Look up terminology – brief search

• Lower Extremities

• Nutrition

• Patient care related

• Radiology

• Rehab

• Spinal trauma

• Sport injury – things they need to know to treat athletics

• Symposium credits

• Taping

• Techniques: FAKTR, Graston, ART

• Upper Extremities

• Written and practical exam service

Unacceptable Topics:

• Billing and coding, insurance and Medicare

• Documentation

• DOT examiner training

• ICD 9 & 10

• Laws and legislation

• Manipulative techniques

• Practice management and philosophy