As a Physical Therapist in South Carolina, you must complete 30 continuing education hours by December 31st of even-numbered years. Physical Therapist Assistants must also complete 30 hours for their South Carolina physical therapy continuing education.
Of those 30, at least 15 hours must be earned through “certified activities,” which I’ll explain later. And you’ll have to complete at least 3 hours in Ethics, Professionalism or Jurisprudence. As long as the Board approves, you can apply that Ethics course towards the 15 certified CEUs.
At a glance:
| South Carolina – 30 PT CEU hours every 2 years by December 31st in even years. |
South Carolina Physical Therapy CEU Requirements
From the South Carolina Physical Therapy Practice Act Website:
“A licensed PT or PTA shall earn three (3.0) CEUs per biennium period. At least fifteen (15) contact hours of the three (3.0) CEUs total must be obtained through the completion of Certified Activities.
“A PT or PTA must complete three (3) contact hours of study in ethics, professionalism, and/or South Carolina jurisprudence per biennium as part of his/her CEU requirements. This requirement shall be obtained by participation in a Certified Activity and will count towards the licensee’s required Certified Activity hours.
“‘CEU’ or ‘continuing education unit’ means ten (10) contact hours of participation in Certified Activities and/or participation in Approved Activities.”
What CEU Courses are Allowed in South Carolina?
The South Carolina Board of Physical Therapy acknowledges two kinds of continuing education: certified activities or approved activities. You must complete at least 15 hours in certified activities.
To qualify as a “certified activity,” each course must meet a particular standard. In general, the standard for a CEU course reflects who the provider is. For instance, if APTA or SCAPTA (the South Carolina chapter of APTA) provide or approve your course, then you’ll know it is technically certified. Other activities, such as a specialty fellowship or institutional coursework, will also qualify.
By contrast, an “approved activity” hasn’t gone through as rigorous an evaluative process and doesn’t meet the same standards. Depending on the provider, your CEU coursework might fit this category. Clinical instruction, volunteer work and attending in-service programs are other examples of “approved” continuing education.
If you’re unsure whether a course or activity qualifies for either category, contact the Board.
Can I Use MedBridge in South Carolina?
Yes, you can use an online CEU company like MedBridge Education to complete your South Carolina Physical Therapy continuing education. A quick check on the MedBridge website shows hundreds of approved courses for South Carolina PTs looking to renew their license.
The South Carolina Board of Physical Therapy hasn’t set a limit to how many online CEU courses or webinars you can use for your contact hours. And because MedBridge is an approved provider, you can complete all 30 hours – including those 15 certified hours – in one place, for one price.
In fact, you can even use MedBridge to complete your 3 hours of Ethics education. There are several courses you could take for South Carolina ethics or jurisprudence, but one example is Mediating Health Care Disputes by Ron Scott. Or you could take the same presenter’s course Ethics for Physical and Occupational Therapists. These two courses together will cover your 3-hour South Carolina Ethics requirement.
Whether you’re a PT or PTA, you can find plenty of eligible courses on MedBridge. Use the MedBridge promo code PTProgress to save 40% on unlimited CEUs.
Do I need to submit proof of my completed CEUs?
Every legitimate CEU provider, including MedBridge, will give you a certificate of completion when you finish a CEU course or activity. The South Carolina Board of Physical Therapy does not require that you submit this document or any other proof of your CEU completion with your license renewal.
Instead, you will simply report the CEU information on your application and retain the records for at least 3 years after your license renewal period ends. Be sure to store these documents safely in case you are selected by the board for a continuing competency audit.
May I carry over any completed CEUs?
No. The South Carolina Board of Physical Therapy does not allow any CEUs to carry over to a future renewal period.
How much is the renewal fee?
It costs $90 to renew a PT license and $80 to renew a PTA license.
When does my South Carolina Physical Therapy license expire?
All Physical Therapy licenses expire biennially on December 31st of even-numbered years.
How long does it take to renew a South Carolina Physical Therapy license?
For many states, it can take 4-8 weeks to process your request, so start the process early!
Compare Physical Therapy CEUs by State
How does your state compare? Take a look at all of the state-specific CEU requirements in this comprehensive article.
