CE Eligible Activities


To be eligible for CE clock hours, an educational program or offering must:
  •     be cancer registry-related, and
  •     present materials beyond the level required for certification of a Cancer Registrar.

To qualify for CE clock hours, educational activities must improve or expand the existing base of knowledge or skills of the certified Cancer Registrar. Included in the definition of eligible activities are:

   •  Educational programs which have been recognized by NCRA’s Program Recognition Committee. Be aware: the total CE hours awarded to programs by NCRA’s Program Recognition Committee are subject to individual CE hour limitations as stated below.

  •  Other registry or oncology related programs, workshops, seminars, conferences, and video- teleconference group seminars, or institutes which contribute to the continuing education of the Oncology Data Specialist.
 

"Category A" CE Requirement

ODS's must report at least 4 CE's that fall within "Category A" which covers the specific topic(s) of: directly assigned stage and/or site specific coding principles. The goal of this continuing education requirement is to ensure ODSs are staying current on these ever-changing topic areas.

* Directly assigned stage topics include: SEER Summary Stage, Extent of Disease, AJCC Clinical and Pathologic TNM Staging 
*A minimum of twenty (20) CE's are still required to properly maintain the ODS credential; the 4 Category A CE's are a required subset of a ODS's submitted CE total for their CE Cycle
*Submitting completion of Category A CE's will be similar to current reporting of CE's. Be prepared to list the specific training(s) &/or course(s) 
*Category A CE requirement was implemented in 2017 and will remain in effect for all future CE Cycles and for all ODSs.

 

*If a ODS does not provide the required Category A CEs' then a 45-day extension will be provided to correct the deficiency.  Not fulfilling the Category A requirement after the 45-day time period would be grounds for disapproval.

Learn more about Category A.
 

Eligible Activity

Description

CE Hour Restriction

Tumor boards or cancer conferences

 

A regularly scheduled educational activity hosted by
a facility to increase knowledge and or skills related to the Cancer Registry field. Copy of sign-in/attendance record required.

 

Limited to 2 CE hours per two-year cycle

Virtual attendance to mixed media programs*

 

Webinars, online educational programs, DVD/CD viewing and audio/video teleconference related to the Cancer Registry field. Formalized recognition
of attendance required, i.e. certificate of completion, personal signature, post session quiz or copy of attendance sheet.

 

CE hours as listed in the program

*Archived educational programs older than the current CE cycle are not eligible to be submitted for CE credit, unless the topic(s) are still current.

 

 

NCRA’s Journal of Registry Management CE Quiz

 

A quiz offered in paper and online issues of the Journal of Registry Management. Must have a passing score of 70% to earn CE credit.

 

 

 

Updates on guidelines and rules by standard-setting agencies

 

Updates set by standard setting agencies to expand/enhance the ODS's base knowledge. Agencies include AJCC, CDC/NPCR, COC, IARC/IACR, SEER and NAACCR. Updates must be presented in a formalized educational setting. Formalized recognition of attendance required.

 

CE hours as listed in the program

 

Non-fundamental computer vendor updates directly related to Cancer Registry software product

 

Updates must be presented in
a formalized educational
setting with a certificate of completion from the vendor.

 

Limited to 4 CE hours per two-year cycle

 

ICD-10-CM (diagnosis) and ICD-10-PCS (procedures) updates directly related to the cancer registry field.

 

To be eligible for clock hours, ICD-10-CM and/or ICD-10-PCS educational programs must include information directly related to the cancer registry field. General updates to ICD-10-CM and/or ICD-10-PCS not related directly to Cancer Registry should not be submitted for CE hours.

 

Limited to 2 CE hours per two-year cycle.

 

College Level Course Audit

 

Audit (attending, but not for grade) of academic courses and independent study programs relevant to the registry field

 

-One semester three (3) credit class=2 CE hours
-One quarter three (3) credit
class=1 CE hour

-Limited to 6 CE hours
per 2 year cycle.

 

College Level Courses

 

College, University, and correspondence credit courses and independent study programs relevant to the Cancer Registry profession. College transcript required.

 

-One semester three (3) credit class=4 CE hours

-One quarter three (3) credit class=2 CE hours

-Limited to 12 CE hours per 2 year cycle.

 

Participation within the Item Review Committee or the Examination Construction Committee

 

To be eligible for clock hours, one must have active participation within the Item Review Committee or the Examination Construction Committee. Category requires the signature of the Council Administrator verifying that such participation has been active.

 

Two (2) CE hours awarded for each year of service

 

Active participation in professional organizations

 

To be eligible for clock hours one must serve as an elected officer, committee chair, or committee member. Category requires the signature of the President of the professional organization; verifying that such participation has been active.

 

Limited to 1 CE hour per year

 

Engagement in Advocacy Program

 

Participation in NCRA Advocacy Engagement Programs where training in advocacy practices is provided, and individuals act as subject matter experts in developing related collateral and serve as a presenter in the advocacy engagement activity.

 

-One (1) CE hour for each three (3) hours of advocacy effort(s). 
- Limited to two (2) hours per CE Cycle.

 

Formal presentation of a non-fundamental topic relating to the Cancer Registry field to an audience

 

To be eligible for clock hours, the presentation must be an original, Cancer Registry related topic developed by the speaker and presented to an audience.

 

Speaker at an educational program

-One (1) CE for every 30 minutes of podium time
-Limited to 5 CE hours per two-year cycle

Panel participant at an educational program
-One (1) CE for every 60 minutes of podium time
-Limited to 5 CE hours per two year cycle

 

Instructor of a College level credit course related to the Cancer Registry field

 

Teaching a College/University level course, correspondence credit courses and independent study programs relevant to the Cancer Registry profession.

 

-One semester three (3) credit class = 6 CE hours

-The same course can only be used once during a CE cycle.
-Limited to 12 CE Hours per two-year cycle.

 

Publication of material relevant to the Cancer Registry field

 

Publication is the development of an original work, relevant to the Cancer Registry field, reproduced for distribution to the public.

 

-Author of a textbook, workbook or manual = 10 CE hours

-Author of a chapter in a textbook, workbook or manual = 5 CE hours

-Author of an article in a journal = 3 CE hours;

-Editor of a textbook, workbook or manual = 6 CE hours

-Editor of a professional or trade journal = 3 CE hours

Participating as registered mentor

 

To eligible for CE clock hours, one must register as a mentor through NCRA’s Mentoring Program. They must meet the requirements of a registered mentor as set by the NCRA Mentoring Committee and submit all required documentation to claim CE credit.

 

5 hours = 1 CE credit

Limited to 5 CE hours per 2-year cycle

Independent Clinical Advisors (ICA)

Participation in NCRA's ICA Program providing virtual supervision/non-virtual supervision to students and exam candidates.

Award one (1) CE hour for each five (5) hours of virtual supervision/non-virtual supervision and advising to students and ODS exam candidates who have been assigned to them through NCRA ICA Program.

Limited to a maximum of five (5) hours per CE Cycle

The list is NOT intended to be all inclusive. Questions regarding program eligibility should be directed, in writing, to the NCRA Executive Office, attention to NCRA's Continuing Education Committee; 1330 Braddock Place Suite 520, Alexandria, VA 22314; Telephone 703-299-6640, ext. 315 - Fax 703-299-6620 or by email.
 

CE Hour Allocation

In calculating CEs, credit will be awarded to the completed quarter-hour. After the first 30 minutes, ODSs may claim quarter-hour (15 minutes) increments for CEs.
EXAMPLE: 45 minutes = 0.75 CEs; 1 hour: 15 minutes = 1.25 CEs.
You are responsible to properly credit attended sessions per the actual amount of time elapse, so a 2 hours:25 minute session accounts as a 2:15 session = 2.25 CE credits, *NOT* 2.5 CEs.
 

Ineligible Activities

Some examples of programs which are ineligible for CE clock hours include the following. 

1. Related educational activities which do not exceed the level tested for certification of the registrar. These may include introductory programs in registry organization, ICD-O coding, abstracting, collaborative staging or medical terminology. Use of the wording BASIC, INTRODUCTORY, or FUNDAMENTAL should alert the participant that the program may be ineligible for CE credit.
2. College, university, and correspondence credit courses for topics/subjects which are not relevant to the registry profession. Examples of these would be literature, history, physical education, arts, and crafts.
3. Preparation of papers, articles, or texts which are not published.
4. Administrative, departmental, medical staff, or related meetings which occur as part of one's employment.
5. Preparation of procedures, policies, and administrative manuals related to work or professional responsibilities.
6. Conducting, viewing, or participating in tours or exhibits.
7. Individual self-study activities including professional articles, cassette/tape lectures, and media presentations without documentation of completion.
8. Archived educational programs published over 2 years from a ODS’s CE cycle recertification deadline are not eligible for CE credit. With constant updates available each year, educational programs 2+ years old would be considered outdated.