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Faculty Planning Guide for APA CE Approval

The information in this section is provided as a guide to assist the faculty planner with planning and implementing a CE activity approved for American Psychological Association (APA) credit. Faculty planners will be required to attest that they have read the information and affirm their commitment to the values and requirements therein. Failure to do so will result in CE credit not being awarded to participants.

General Requirements

Please contact OCME&LL with specific questions about your activity before submitting the APA Request for CE worksheet.

  • At least one psychologist with a University of Michigan Medical School appointment must be actively involved in the planning process.
  • An APA Request for CE must be submitted via MiCME for each session(s) (i.e., date of the presentation) for which CE’s are requested, along with:
    • A draft of the promotional materials
    • Learning objectives and expected results for each presentation
    • CV for each instructor
    • At least three recent (within the last 10 years) APA-formatted references related to the content and stated objectives
  • Requests are reviewed by the Psychology CE Planning Committee.
  • Participants must complete an evaluation before receiving a CE certificate.

Educational Planning

Continuing education in psychology builds on a completed doctoral program in psychology. It is an ongoing process consisting of formal learning activities that:

  • Are relevant to psychological practice, education, and/or science
  • Enable psychologists to keep pace with the most scientific evidence regarding assessment, prevention, intervention, and/or education, as well as important relevant legal, statutory, leadership, or regulatory issues
  • Allow psychologists to maintain, develop, and increase competencies in order to improve services to the public and enhance contributions to the profession

Instructor Selection and Expectations

When developing an activity offered to psychologists for CE credit, the faculty planner must:

  • Select instructors and develop program content that respects cultural, individual, and role differences including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, and socioeconomic status
  • Select instructors who promote participant mastery of specific strategies and behaviors that enhance inclusion of diverse populations, including those from underserved and minority populations
  • Select instructors with demonstrated expertise in the program content and who are competent to teach at a level that builds upon a completed doctoral program in psychology
  • Instruct speakers, during each CE presentation, to include statements that describe the:
    • Accuracy and utility of the content presented
    • The empirical basis of such statements
    • Limitations of the content
    • Severe and common risks associated with the material presented
  • Ensure that individual presenters disclose to participants the presence or absence of relevant financial relationships at the time the CE activity begins

Activity Content

The content of continuing education is intended to maintain, develop, and increase conceptual and applied competencies relevant to psychological practice, education, and science. All CE programs offered for CE credit for psychologists must be grounded in an evidence-based approach and comply with at least one of the criteria listed below.

  • Program content focuses on the application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that have overall consistent and credible empirical support in the contemporary peer-reviewed scientific literature beyond those publications and other types of communications devoted primarily to the promotion of the approach.
  • Program content focuses on ethical, legal, statutory or regulatory policies, guidelines, and standards that impact psychological practice, education, or research.
  • Program content focuses on topics related to psychological practice, education, or research other than the application of psychological assessment and/or intervention methods that are supported by contemporary scholarship grounded in established research procedures.

Promotional Materials

Promotional materials for all CE activities must contain accurate and complete information so that potential participants have the following information before registration:

  • Target audience
  • Educational objectives and expected results
  • Instructional level (e.g., introductory, intermediate, advanced)
  • Full timed agenda, with a clear indication of any sessions within an activity that are not offered for CE credit, if applicable
  • Planner and presenter credentials, including relevant professional degree and discipline; current professional position; and expertise in program content
  • Appropriate approval statements:
    • APA Approval/Statement:
      The University of Michigan Medical School is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The University of Michigan Medical School maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This activity has been approved for xx CE credits.
    • CME Accreditation and Credit Designation statements, if applicable:
      For directly provided activities: The University of Michigan Medical School is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The University of Michigan Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of xx AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
    • For jointly provided activities: This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the University of Michigan Medical School and [insert name of non-accredited provider]. The University of Michigan Medical School is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The University of Michigan Medical School designates this live activity for a maximum of xx AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
  • Statement of information regarding commercial relationships to learners:
    • Any known commercial support for the activity
    • All relevant financial relationships of the planner and presenters
    • If there is no support or no relevant relationships, then that should be stated as well
  • Cost, including all fees and refund/cancellation policy
  • Important aspects and benefits of the activity of interest to the target audience

Note: The optional APA Approved CE Sponsor icon can accompany the APA approval statement if desired.

Program Evaluation

Activities offered to psychologists for CE credit must assess the participants’ satisfaction, which the planners should use to improve and plan future programs. The program evaluation will:

  • Obtain the CE participants’ evaluation as to how well each educational objective was achieved. Ensure that there is a method in place to assess participant learning
  • Ensure that there is a method in place to assess participant perception of the utility of program-based learning to psychological practice or other professional development

Attendance and Awarding of Credit

The Faculty Planner is responsible for monitoring attendance at CE activities. Participants will sign in using a unique QR code, complete an evaluation, and attest to being present for the entire activity. Faculty Planners should notify our office of any abuses of this system.

Required Documentation for the Activity File

At the conclusion of the activity, the faculty planner will need to provide to OCME&LL:

  • Final promotional materials for the activity, including acknowledgement to the participant of any relevant financial relationships and/or commercial support received for the activity.
  • Verified list of attendees and the number of CE credits equivalent to the time spent in the activity
  • The final budget, if jointly provided with a non-medical School organization