Continuing Education Requirements for Athletic Trainers
Requirements for License Renewal
To renew an athletic trainer license, a licensee must complete the following:
- 40 clock-hours of continuing education during the previous two-year period, including 2 clock-hours of training in concussion management
- Current Emergency Cardiac Care certification from the Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers/Professional Rescuers at the Healthcare Provider level or beyond, which must be maintained throughout each two-year period
The two-year period begins on the first day following the license issuance month and ends upon the expiration date of the license.
Acceptable Coursework
Continuing Education courses will be accepted if completed with a national, regional or state health care professional association or an accredited college or university.
For a complete list of all acceptable activities, please refer to the Athletic Trainers Administrative Rules at Title 25, Texas Administrative Code, ยง110.25.
Non-Accredited Coursework
Academic and clinical course providers that are not a national, regional or state health care professional association or an accredited college or university must first obtain approval from the Department (see Requests for Departmental Approval, below) in order to be accepted, and the course must be related to athletic training or sports medicine.
Requests for Departmental Approval
Requests for approval from the Department are not required for national, regional or state health care professional associations. To request approval, submit the Athletic Trainer Non-Accredited Continuing Education Provider Application which can be submitted online or by mail and must include the following criteria:
- Relevance of the subject matter to increase or support the development of skill and competence in athletic training
- Objectives of specific information or skill to be learned
- Subject matter, educational methods, materials, and facilities utilized, including the frequency and duration of sessions and the adequacy to implement learner objectives
- Sponsorship and leadership of programs, including the name of the sponsoring individual(s) or organization(s), and program leaders or faculty, if different from sponsors and contact person
Unacceptable Coursework
The following types of activities may not be used for continuing education credit:
- Education incidental to the regular professional activities of a licensee, such as learning occurring from experience or research
- Professional organization activity, such as serving on committees or councils or as an officer
- Any continuing education activity completed after license expiration or before the date that the license was issued
- Performance of duties that are routine job duties or requirements
Reporting Completed Courses
TDLR uses an audit system for continuing education reporting. Each licensed athletic trainer is responsible for maintaining a record of his or her continuing education experiences. The certificates, diplomas, or other documentation verifying continuing education hours should not be forwarded to TDLR at the time of renewal unless the licensee has been selected for audit.
TDLR will select for audit a random sample of licensed athletic trainers for each renewal month. If selected for an audit, then you will be notified at the time of your renewal. You will be required to submit copies of certificates, transcripts or other documentation to verify attendance, participation and completion of continuing education requirements. If selected for audit, all documentation must be provided at the time of renewal before the license will be renewed.
The licensee is responsible for maintaining a record of continuing education experiences or certificates. If you are selected for audit, then you will be notified and records will be required to be submitted to TDLR.
