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Certification

Recertification

Overview

Maintaining certification is just as important as earning it. Medical technologies and industry advancements occur rapidly, so ophthalmic personnel must keep up with these changing trends. Recertification verifies you have met current standards of knowledge and skills required to maintain your certification.

IJCAHPO certifications are valid for 36 months. To maintain a credential, the IJCAHPO Certification Committee and the Board of Directors established the recertification process: a process that requires you to keep current with new developments in the field of ophthalmology through continuing education (CE) credits or re-examination, in lieu of CE credits.

Requirements

When recertifying with continuing education credits, an applicant needs to submit the following online or postmarked by their recertification date:

  • Recertification Application (signed by your sponsoring ophthalmologist)
  • Recertification Fee
  • Required total of continuing education credits as indicated in the following tables

Please note: When applying for recertification, courses for CE credits may only be counted once during a 36-month certification cycle. Duplicate courses will not be accepted.

Continuing Education Credits

CredentialTotal IJCAHPO Credits Required
COA & CCOA18
COT27
COMT36
OSCNA – retest only
CredentialTotal Credits RequiredMinimum Number of Credits Related to Exam Content Outline
CDOS*2515
ROUB*2510
CredentialIJCAHPO CreditsSurgical Case Log
OSA – Option 1NA30 surgical cases 
OSA – Option 210 surgical CE credits20 surgical cases

Earn CE Credits

In need of CE credits for recertification? IJCAHPO has CE opportunities for every learner, including live and virtual CE programs, over 75 publications, weekly on-demand webinars, over 300 online courses, and more. 

  • Attending lectures, workshops, or distance learning courses, such as online courses, that have been awarded IJCAHPO CE credit.
  • Teaching courses awarded IJCAHPO CE credit (1:1 basis). Only one credit per course topic will be awarded per recertification cycle.
  • CPR certification and authorship of papers and posters approved by IJCAHPO’s Education Department.
  • IJCAHPO will accept CE credits from the Ophthalmic Photographer’s Society (OPS) and the American Orthoptic Council (AOC) for those IJCAHPO certificants who are dual-certified by those organizations. Dually certified individuals will be eligible to submit 1/3 of their recertification credits that come from these two organizations. The CE course content must meet IJCAHPO’s examination content areas or CE credit content categories. (IJCAHPO certificants may not submit credits from these organizations if they do not hold the organization’s certification. Verification of OPS and/or AOC certification will be required.)
  • IJCAHPO no longer accepts AMA or CMA Category 1 CME towards the recertification credit requirement for COAs or COTs. Effective 8/1/2024, COMTs may submit up to 12 AMA or CMA Category 1 CME towards their recertification. Verification of AMA or CMA Category 1 CME must be submitted with the recertification application.
  • All credits need to be earned within the 36-month cycle, and duplicate courses are not allowed. All credits should be recorded on the application and all first-time applicants and late applicants need to submit copies of verification of CEs earned.

For a nominal fee, IJCAHPO will track all of your CE credits for you. Click the CE Tracking Form below for more details.

*CDOS and ROUB Continuing Education Credits

CDOS and ROUB certificants may submit continuing education credits from the following organizations:

  • IJCAHPO
  • Accreditation Council for CME (ACCME)
  • American College of Cardiology (ACC)
  • American College of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ACOG)
  • American College of Radiology (ACR)
  • American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM)
  • American Medical Association (AMA) Category 1
  • American Optometric Association (AOA) Category 1
  • American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)
  • Canadian Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (CSDMS)
  • Canadian Society of Vascular Surgery (CSVS)
  • Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (SDMS)
  • Society of Vascular Technology (SVT)

OSC Recertification

Certification is valid for 36 months and recertification is accomplished by passing an online examination.

Alternative to CE Credits

Individuals may retest at their most recent level of certification in lieu of earning continuing education credits. The certification must not be in revoked status. COT and COMT certificants are only required to complete the multiple-choice examination to retest for recertification. Applicants that choose to retest for recertification should submit the examination application and the appropriate examination fee. 

Reinstatement of Revoked Certification

Your certification will be placed in a revoked status if it has been more than six months since your recertification date. Candidates that are currently in a revoked status due to lack of recertification are eligible for a one-time option of reinstatement. Please contact the IJCAHPO Certification Department for more information about reinstatement. 

Retirement Credential

Certified individuals retiring from the eye care profession, upon approval, may receive the retirement credential at their most recent level of certification, e.g., COA(Ret). Learn more about the requirements to obtain this credential and submit your application. 

Application

Recertify today in one easy online application process. Once your application is submitted and payment is accepted, you will receive a confirmation and receipt of your transaction. You will still be required to submit the appropriate number of credits and required signatures. If you prefer the paper application, you may also print and submit your application by mail.