Guidelines for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Approval for RD and DTR
Michigan Dietetic Association (MDA)

Revised 2011
Each request must include the following, sent via email or regular mail to the MDA CPE Coordinator:
  1. The official CDR form RC-3 for Registered Dietitians and Dietetic Technicians, Registered.
  2. The MDA Continuing Professional Education Application.
  3. Speaker Curriculum Vitae or resume or the MDA Speaker Information Form. Include 2 copies of the CV/resume or Speaker Form for EACH speaker if mailing the packet. If submitting via email, one copy for each speaker is sufficient.
  4. Application fee (check made payable to Michigan Dietetic Association) in the amount of $10.00 per CPE hour requested. If a program is an additional 1/2 hour, the additional 1/2 hour is considered 0.5 hours of CPE. Example: If a program is 5.5 CPE hours, the fee due is $55.
  5. A copy of the program brochure (if applicable)
  6. A self-addressed envelope if mailing the forms.
Failure to submit any of the above documents or the application fee may result in a delay or failure to receive prior approval for continuing education activities.
Late requests or requests for CPE credit after the activity will need to be submitted on subsequent CPE approval forms. These forms are available directly from the MDA CPE Coordinator or online at www.cdrnet.org. All subsequent approval is done by CDR, not by the state CPE Coordinator. CPE activities sponsored by national organizations (e.g. American Dietetic Association) or given in multiple states are also approved by CDR NOT the MDA CPE Coordinator.
  1. CRITERIA FOR CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS


    1. Program content must apply to the field of nutrition and dietetics. It must improve professional expertise in areas such as management, education, basic and applied nutrition research, and clinical and community nutrition practice.
    2. The focus of continuing education is postgraduate level programs for the RD and DTR. It may teach a new technique or skill in the field or provide new knowledge in the field.
    3. The CDR Professional Development Portfolio Guide provides additional details on criteria. Also see the CDR website www.cdrnet.org for more information on criteria.
    4. Do not send program evaluation material to the CDR or the MDA CPE Coordinator.
    5. Program content for Board Certified Specialists must improve professional expertise in the specialty practice area of Metabolic Nutrition, Pediatric Nutrition, Renal Nutrition, Gerontological Nutrition, Sports Dietetics, or Oncology Nutrition.


  2. REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM REQUESTS


    1. Objectives for each session/speaker are REQUIRED for CPE credit.


      1. Objectives must be behavioral rather than knowledge level. Objectives must be aimed toward the participant rather than the speaker, describing anticipated outcomes. EXAMPLE: “The dietitian will be able to write a plan for the nutrition management of HIV+ patients.”
      2. 2 -3 educational objectives are required for each session.


    2. Qualifications of the speaker must include an abridged Curriculum Vitae or information on training and skills pertinent to the topic (MDA CPE Form 2 may be used).
    3. Programs are recognized by 1/2 hour or 1 hour increments only. 1 hour = 1 CPE unit. A program that is 1 and 1/2 hours = 1.5 CPE units and should not be rounded up to 2 hours.
    4. List the contact on the approval form as an individual who can answer calls regarding the CPE activity. Attach a listing of the locations (city/state) if the program will be running in multiple locations. The CDR will provide the contact number to interested professionals through their online Continuing Professional Education Data Base. MDA’s website will also carry this information for professionals, if requested by the provider when submitting the CPE materials..
    5. It is highly recommended that the complete program packet be received by the CPE Coordinator six (6) weeks prior to the program date. It is the applicant’s responsibility to insure that the program packets are complete.


  3. SPECIAL PROGRAMS ELIGIBLE FOR APPROVAL


    1. Panel/Workshop/Poster Sessions:


      1. If a panel discussion of workshop is highly organized with specific behavioral objectives, CPE is warranted. Separate the presentation time from the time designated for questions and answers and practice sessions.
      2. One hour of CPE credit can be granted for viewing a minimum of 6 posters in a refereed poster session. Submit poster abstracts and CV’s (or MDA CPE Form 2) for referee panel.


    2. Legislative Programs: Legislative programs that address the following issues will be considered for CPE approval:


      1. The application of the legislative process to nutrition issues.
      2. The identification of appropriate steps for the dietitian to affect the legislative process on issues affecting nutrition or MDA.


    3. Exhibits: Three hours per year may be approved for viewing professional, trade, and educational exhibits. A listing of the exhibitors must accompany approval requests.
    4. Journal Clubs: Specialized study group activities may be approved provided they are preplanned, prior approved, provide for group participation, and include in-depth study of specific topic(s) form preassigned papers from professional, refereed journals.
    5. Videotaped Program: Professionally-produced videotapes of prior approved activities may be approved provided they include the reactive discussion which occurred at the activity. All handout materials distributed at the activity must be made available to the viewer.


  4. PROGRAMS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR APPROVAL


    1. Planning and organizing CPE programs.
    2. Presenting to employees, nonprofessional health workers and the lay public.
    3. Cooking demonstration; taste panels; supplement, food and equipment demonstrations that promote a specific topic.
    4. Tours unless accompanied with an organized presentation with specific behavioral objectives.
    5. Professional organization activities, including business meetings and holding office.
    6. Unstructured extemporaneous panel presentations.
    7. Nonspecific legislative issues and general civic activities.
    8. Question/answer sessions greater than 10 minutes per hour.
    9. Personal enrichment and career planning. However, programs developing new skills of techniques may be considered of approval.
    10. Basic diet counseling skills, and other entry-level practice skills.
    11. Programs not directly related to the Specialty Certification area requested.


  5. APPEALS PROCESS


    1. Any CPE decision may be appealed by filing to the CPE Coordinator or the CDR within 30 calendar days after notification of the decision.
    2. The state CPE Coordinator will re-evaluate the program and provide a final decision within 6 weeks.
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