Continuing Professional Education Questions
Do I have to complete the test prior to the program’s expiration date?
Yes. The Commission on Dietetic Registration only allows 3 years for a program to be approved. Once it expires, the credit hours are no longer available.
Do I have to submit the hours to the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) before the expiration date of the course, or do I just need to pass the test and get my certificate before the course’s expiration date – and submit the course to the CDR portfolio at a later date?
According to the CDR, you would not need to submit the hours to CDR before the expiration date but you would need to complete the course prior to the program’s expiration date.
Who can claim credit hours for your CPE programs?
Our programs are approved for CPE by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy). For details on which professionals can claim credit hours, please see Professional Approvals.
Why do I have to create an account to get my certificate?
Because we provide programs approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), CDR requires us to keep track of all continuing professional education (CPE) certificates for 7 years. The only way for us to easily track this information is for customers to create a BDA account. The benefit to you is that you can also go back into your account to access your certificates if you are ever audited by CDR. Learn more about registration as a member here.
How do I take the CPE test to earn my certificate?
Please refer to this page for in-depth instructions.
Is the information in these CPE courses evidence-based and credible?
Like many other companies that offer self-study CPE programs, Becky Dorner & Associates does use books that are required reading for some of our CPE courses. The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) currently allows use of such books for self-study programs, and they pre-approve all of our self-study courses before we can make them available to our customers.
We believe that it is important for participants to use their clinical judgement to evaluate the information in books and publications so they can confidently field questions from their clients, other health care professionals, and the media. Our vetting process, which is completed by an registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) who was trained as an evidence analyst for the Academy Evidence Analysis Library, is to evaluate the content of each book for accuracy, evidence-base, and the depth of the information provided. We consider whether a book can enhance or improve the current knowledge base and understanding of the subject matter of an RDN, and we reject many books that don’t meet our criteria. For clinically related courses, we use books that are recently published (usually within 1-2 years of when the course is developed). We may use an older book if there is no newer edition available, or if it is a topic that does not change drastically over time (i.e., business, management). Each book must provide accurate information, be well-referenced, and evidence-based. If appropriate, we state in the course introduction that the required reading for a course challenges conventional wisdom.
Do I need to have a CDR Critical Thinking Evaluation Tool (CTT) for this activity?
The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) no longer requires self-study courses to include a Critical Thinking Evaluation Tool (CTT). If you took a self-study course prior to June 1, 2024, the CTT was required and is still available in your account.
Does your company have a plan to meet the CDR IDEA requirements?
Becky Dorner & Associates is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse learning environment for all healthcare professionals. We stand firmly behind the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA)-inclusive guidelines implemented by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) for prior approval of continuing professional education (CPE).
This statement accompanies our CPE programs including webinars and course exams/case studies developed based on the accompanying text. While the text itself may or may not explicitly address IDEA principles, we have actively incorporated them into the case study design and implementation. Webinar presenters have also received this information so that they can incorporate IDEA principles as appropriate to their webinar topic.
Inclusion
We strive to choose presenters/authors/text that is inclusive. We work to ensure that the course/webinar/exam case study scenarios and characters reflect diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences relevant to the field of nutrition and dietetics.
Diversity
We strive to represent various demographics and cultures within the course/webinar/exam case studies to acknowledge the diverse patient populations healthcare professionals interact with in practice.
Equity
We strive to ensure that the course/webinar/exam case studies present an unbiased approach to patient care, ensuring all individuals receive fair and equitable treatment regardless of background or identity.
Access
We are working to ensure that the course/webinar/exam case studies are presented in a format accessible to learners with different learning styles and abilities, including offering clear and concise language, multiple learning formats (e.g., webinars, text-based learning, images, diagrams), and accessible technology when possible.
We understand that ongoing education plays a crucial role in developing culturally competent and inclusive healthcare professionals. We are committed to providing learning materials that align with these values and encourage you to consider these principles as you apply the presented case study to your practice.
Should you have any questions or feedback regarding our efforts to promote IDEA principles in our CPE materials, please do not hesitate to contact us.
