CORE CRITERIA

Each educational session/self-study product must meet the following criteria:

• All continuing professional education activity types addressing diet and nutrition topics must include a CDR-credentialed RD or DTR in program planning*. This policy change is effective for continuing professional activities offered on or after June 1, 2018 and for CDR credentialed practitioners recertifying or beginning a new recertification cycle on or after June 2, 2018.
  • *This rule does not apply to:
    1. Joint Accreditation Accrediting Organizations: Activities offered by providers accredited by Joint Accreditation Accrediting Organizations (Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education [ACCME], Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education [ACPE], American Nurses Credentialing Center [ANCC], American Academy of Physician Assistants [AAPA], Association of Social Work Boards [ASWB], American Dental Association’s Continuing Education Recognition Program [ADA CERP], American Psychological Association [APA], Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer [BOC], and Association of Regulatory Boards of Optometry’s Council on Optometric Practitioner Education [ARBO/COPE])
    2. Joint Accreditation Accredited Providers, CE Offered by Jointly Accredited Providers
    3. Academic Coursework (Activity Type 100): Nutrition and dietetics-related academic coursework, including distance learning, at a university accredited by a USDE recognized accrediting agency can be awarded CPEUs based on the following list. Under the activity description in your Activity Log, indicate whether the coursework was taken during a semester, trimester, or quarter. Academic coursework that qualifies for CPE credit must be started after you have become an RD or DTR and must be completed in your current recertification cycle and the course completion date shall not extend beyond the last day of the term. For those RDs or DTRs concluding a 5-year recertification cycle, the date of completion of academic coursework can be the date of notification of successful course completion. However, successful notice must be received by May 31 of the last year of the recertification cycle.
    4. Other organizations: Activities offered by American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), American Psychiatric Association (APA), and American Public Health Association (APHA) 
        
• Are dietetics-related. Dietetics-related means: The integration, application, and communication of principles derived from food, nutrition, social, business, and basic sciences to achieve and maintain optimal nutritional status of individuals through the development, provision, and management of effective food and nutrition services in a variety of settings and as defined by the essential practice competencies. 
   
• Are relevant to knowledge, skills, behavior, and attitudes of professional dietetics practice. 
   
• Are developed by instructors or individuals who have appropriate academic training, certification, or demonstrated expertise to present or develop materials in a particular subject area. 
   
• Academic degrees should be relevant and from a USDE recognized accrediting agency. Foreign academic degrees accredited by foreign equivalent institutions are accepted on the condition that they have been verified by one of the agencies listed on the Independent Foreign Degree Evaluation Agencies list on pages 21 - 22 of the Appendix. Publications in scientific, peer-reviewed professional journals or presentations at scientific, peer-reviewed conferences may also be used to help establish expertise. 
   
• Demonstrate that the content, quality, and scientific integrity of activities and materials are maintained. 
   
• Presentations and materials that are clinical in nature are evidence-based. A balanced discussion of the topic, including risk versus benefit information where appropriate, is ensured. Controversial or disputed issues are presented as such and supported by documentation from current and reputable, refereed, scientific journals.
   
• Disclose potential conflicts of interest, including commercial bias.
   
• Are (typically) a minimum of one (1) contact hour in length. Exceptions include professional reading, poster presentations and exhibits, and self-study activities, which can be a minimum of 0.5 CPEUs. 
   
• Continuing Professional Education (CPE) offerings must comply with all CDR Approved Activity Type specific criteria. 

 

For additional self-study content criteria, click here.

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