European Specialists in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EurClinChem)

Procedure for Re-registration

Final version approved at the EC4 Meeting in Amsterdam, June 9th 2002

Introduction

The Register commenced in 1998. Since that time roughly 1500 EurClinChem registrations have been approved.

The Guide to the Register states that registration should be renewed every 5 years through the relevant National Clinical Chemistry Register Committee (NC-CRC). However, the Guide does not specify the details for re-registration. This document has been prepared to clarify the procedure for re-registration. It was developed by the EC4 Register Commission (EC4RC) and approved by the EC4 Executive Board. The procedure will commence in 2003.

Six Elements of Re-registration

It has been agreed that there are six elements of re-registration:

1. Continuing equivalence of standards

Re-registration of an individual will normally be via the National Clinical Chemistry Registration Committee (NCCRC). At five yearly intervals, or sooner if change occurs, each NCCRC shall seek formal approval from EC4RC that equivalence of standards for the national and European register has been maintained. EC4RC can only confirm re-registration by NCCRCs when it has evidence of continuing equivalence of standards.

2. Continuing registration in the NCCRC

It is a condition of re-registration that each applicant must remain a member of his/her own national register (if one exists). This question is asked on the re-registration application form and the signatures of the applicant and the representative of the NCCRC are taken as confirmatory evidence.

3. Continuing in active practice

It is a condition of re-registration that each applicant continues to be an active practitioner in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. This will be met if the practitioner is in appropriate full-time employment. There may be circumstances when an individual in part-time employment or between jobs may be considered to be an active practitioner but it is the responsi-bility of the applicant to produce evidence to this effect. This question is asked on the re-registration application form and the signatures of the applicant and the representative of the NCCRC are taken as confirmatory evidence.

4. Continuing professional development

It is a condition of re-registration that each applicant is actively engaged in continuing professional develop-ment (CPD). There are many different approaches to CPD and EC4 cannot be prescriptive in this area beyond the two principles outlined in Appendix 1. Each NCCRC shall obtain approval from EC4RC of a written statement of how it intends to assess that an applicant is en-gaged in a program of CPD that is in line with the guidance provided in Appendix 1. This question is asked on the re-registration application form and the signatures of the applicant and the representative of the NCCRC are taken as confirmatory evidence.

5. Continuing observance of the Code of Conduct

It is a condition of re-registration that the applicant continues to observe the EC4 Code of Conduct. This question is asked on the re-registration application form and the signature of the applicant is taken as evidence of acceptance of this condition.

6. Payment of fee

It is a condition of re-registration that the applicant pays the re-registration fee. This fee is fixed at 80% of the original registration fee and the current fee is specified on the re-registration application form. Collection of this fee (by credit card payment or other means) is evidence of compliance with this element of re-registration.

Re-registration Application Form and Process

The re-registration application form is to be found on the EC4 website. This is very similar in content and design to the application form for the initial registration the main difference being the need to produce evidence of CPD rather than of education, training and experience.

The EC4 Register Secretariat will send individual EurClinChems the re-registration application form 3months prior to the expiry of their 5-year registration period. The practitioner will complete the form, sign it and submit it together with payment to his/her NCCRC in a manner identical to the original application. A counter-signature from a representative of an NCCRC, who has approval for its assessment of CPD, will effectively confer re-registration on the applicant, although this will be formalized through EC4RC using the same mechanism as the initial registration. The handling of non-standard applications for re-registration (e.g., where there is no NCCRC) will follow the same route as for initial registration. Appeals against decisions on re-registration will also follow the same route as for initial re-registration.

Appendix 1:
Continuing Education (CE) or Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Two principles

It is suggested that there should be two principles underpinning programs of CE or CPD that are suitable for meeting the requirements of re-registration with the European Clinical Chemist Register.

1.The Clinical Chemist must undertake structured CE or CPD relevant to his/her professional role and be able to produce documentary evidence of ongoing participation.

2.The minimum time commitment to any programme of CE or CPD should be 50 hours per year (approximately 1 hour per week).

Content of CE or CPD programs

The content of CE or CPD programs will vary between countries. Therefore, the list of activities given below should be seen as purely illustrative:

• Oral presentation of research findings
• Poster presentation of research findings
• Attendance at approved scientific meetings
• Publication of research paper
• Research grants obtained
• Serving as a referee or editor for a scientific journal
• Postgraduate teaching including supervision of re-search students/fellows
• Participation in journal clubs (or similar)
• Evidence of regular reading of relevant scientific or management journals
• Attendance at approved CE or CPD training courses
• Attendance at relevant management courses
• Completion of approved distance learning exercises
• Completion of relevant computer-aided learning programs
• Completion of relevant clinical audit projects
• Completion of CE or CPD targets in personal devel-opment plans (appraisal)
• Being an office bearer in a relevant national or international professional body
• Serving as external examiner or inspector for a uni-versity or laboratory
• Being an appointed advisor for government or a sci-entific or regulatory body
• Participating in a successful laboratory accreditation (or similar)
• Etc.

Documentary evidence

At a national level there may be a formal CE or CPD scheme that complies with the two principles isted above. In such circumstances the only evidence re-quired for re-registration would be a certificate (or a similar document) confirming ongoing participation in the scheme. In the absence of a formal CE or CPD scheme the NCCRC should specify the level of evi-dence that it requires for re-registration and include this as part of the application for approval from EC4RC.