What information items must a training/CME/CEU certificate contain before it is considered acceptable documentation toward meeting an initial or continuing requirement?

Regardless of the variety of formats used by training providers, each certificate must, at a minimum, contain the following 5 items of information in order to comply with the regulations. Some or all of the items listed below can be filled-in by the recipient of the training/CME/CEU, if done on a certificate provided by the training/CME/CEU provider.

1. Identification of the training/CME/CEU provider

   • This usually will be the name of a teaching institution, educational or professional society, private training organization, or medical facility. 

   • While identification of an individual representative of the training/CME/CEU provider is not required, if such identification is not present AND a clearly defined space for such identification is provided and is not filled in by hand or other means, the certificate will be considered incomplete and unacceptable. 

2. Name of the person receiving the training/CME/CEU 

3. Date(s) the training/CME/CEU was provided 

   • If the training provided occurred over a long period, e.g., the dates indicated on the certificate extend over months or years, the number of credits within the 36 month counting period applicable to the current inspection must be identified on the certificate or in accompanying documents. 

4. Training/CME/CEU subjects(s) 

   • Initial training must be in the subjects required by the regulations for the applicable personnel group (interpreting physician, radiologic technologist or medical physicist). 

   • Continuing education must be in initial training subjects or other subjects related to the diagnosis or treatment of breast disease, or other areas that will aid facility personnel in improving the quality of mammography.

   • If the certificate is not specific as to subject matter, facility personnel may be able to attest to meeting this portion of the requirement. See “Attestation - Acceptable Uses for Personnel Requirements”. 

5. Number of training/CME/CEU credits awarded 

   • Interpreting physician credits must be identified as Category I (unless being used for initial new mammographic modality training). 

   • If the certificate indicates the person may “claim up to “X” credits” in acceptable training/CME/CEU subjects, the inspector should assume “X” credits were awarded, unless the certificate indicates that fewer credits were actually earned.