Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist

The Multiple Sclerosis Certified Specialist (MSCS) certification is recognized for five years. The expiration date of the MSCS certificate is the fifth year after certification of the month in which you wrote the examination (i.e., if the certification date was February 2005 then certification expires on June 30th and those who certified in August, the expiration date will be December 31st. Therefore, recertification will always expire on June 30th or December 31st of the 5th year after you took the exam and each 5 years after. Application for recertification must be submitted online at least 3 months prior to the expiration date. To renew certification, the applicant must be licensed as a health care professional and complete the online application and pay the fees and choose one of the three options listed below. Eligible learning activities and practice hours must be obtained during the five-year certification period.

Prior to certification expiration, you will need to complete the online MSCS Recertification Application. It is the responsibility of the MSCS to initiate the recertification process and to notify PTC or the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers of any name or address changes. The deadline for recertification submissions for each certified group will be identified in the MSCS Recertification Guidelines and website. Online applications received after the application deadline are subject to a $75.00 late administration fee. Online applications received after the certification expiration date will be denied. At this point, candidates will need to rewrite and pass the certification examination to maintain their MSCS.

Renewal reminder notifications will be emailed to you two times prior to expiration.

• One year prior to expiration
• Three months prior to expiration

If you do not recertify when the five-year term has ended, your MSCS certification is considered lapsed. To regain certification, you must meet the eligibility criteria. Submit application for initial certification and write and pass the certification examination.

Current licensure as a health care professional or the equivalent country regulatory requirement.

• Completion and filing of the MSCS Recertification Application form with required payment.
• There are three options available to fulfill recertification requirements:
  • Option 1: Retaking and passing the certification exam or
  • Option 2: Obtaining 75 MS learning activity hours over the previous 5 years or
  • Option 3: Having 1000 MS practice hours and 50 MS learning activity hours over the previous 5 years

Multiple Sclerosis professional learning activities include MS-related courses, presentations, conferences; publications, independent study, and professional development (see guidelines for learning activities).

Multiple Sclerosis practice hours include clinical practice, consultation, research, administration, or education related to the field of multiple sclerosis.

• Candidates for recertification who fail the examination cannot then recertify with learning activities or practice hours and learning activities.
• One learning activity hour equals one clock hour.

All learning activities must be obtained during the 5-year certification period.

• Academic Courses
  • The course must be applicable to MS professional care or research.
  • Courses taken toward degree completion can be counted if they apply to MS care.
    For example, a MSCS taking a family studies course towards a degree has focused
    one’s assignment on family issues in MS care.
  • Allow one LA hour for every hour you spend attending the course (i.e., 2 hours/week
    x 10 weeks = 20 LA hours).
  • Academic courses shall not exceed 20 LA hours over the 5-year certification period.
  • Ph.D. degree/dissertation equals 40 LA hours. Must be completed within the 5-
    year certification period.
  • Master’s degree/thesis equals 20 LA hours. Must be completed within the 5-year
    certification period.
• Conferences, Teleconferences, Videoconferences, Seminars, Workshops and Internet Offerings
  • Must be related to MS care. One LA for 1 hour in attendance.
  • Maximum 50 LA hours.
• In-Service for Staff
  • Attendance at a staff MS-related education session (i.e., medical grand rounds or physiotherapy in-service on the benefits of stretching exercises for spasticity). One LA for 1 hour in attendance.
  • Maximum 10 LA hours.
• Participating in Certification Examination Development
  • Examples include translating exam, participating in item review, and item writing for the exam.
  • Exam content must be MS-related.
  • Five exam items are worth 3 LA hours.
  • Item writing and item review are worth 10 LA hour
  • Maximum 10 LA hours.
• MS Practice
  • Involved in the development, implementation, or publication of MS practice guidelines, pathways, or protocols.
  • One LA for 1 hour of participation.
  • Maximum 15 LA hours.
• Independent Study
  • Completing the requirements for continuing education credits related to MS articles in professional journals, on-line journals, on-line MS education monographs. Follow the continuing education credit submission guidelines as outlined by the journal.
  • Learning activities will equal credits allotted by the journal.
  • Maximum 50 LA hours.
• Research
  • Research activities must relate to MS professional care.
  • Research activities are defined as conducting a study, participation in collaborative study, or utilizing of research in practice (critique of research article; implement evidence-based care).
  • Participation in clinical drug trials does not fulfill the LA criteria.
  • Each hour of research activity counts as one LA for maximum of 15 hours.
• Publication
  • Publication of material relevant to MS care.
  • LA hours allotted:
    • For authorship or co-authorship of a book, 20 LA hours.
    • For contribution to a book chapter, journal article, monograph, or patient education pamphlet, 10 LA hours.
    • Maximum 40 LA hours.
• Poster Presentation
  • One poster equals 3 LA hours.
  • Maximum 15 LA hours.
• Presenter/Lecturer
  • Presentation or lectures to other health professionals or community groups on topics related to MS.
  • Each presentation hour is worth one LA (e.g., 1 hour presentation + 2 hours preparation = 3 LA hours).
  • Duplication of presentation cannot be counted toward LA unless the presentation was revised.
  • Maximum 15 LA hours.
• Professional Committee Membership
  • Duplication of presentation cannot be counted toward LA unless the presentation was revised.
  • Maximum 15 LA hours.

Professionally and ethically you are the best judge of which learning activities apply toward recertification.

• Keep a list of all learning activities identifying activity, sponsor or provider, date of activity and hours of activity. For example: attended CMSC 2003 annual conference, sponsored by the Consortium of MS Centers, May 28 to June 1, 5 hrs./day for 25 hours or 25 LA hours.
• Record your learning activity hours in the online recertification portal (secure.ptcny.com/recert/clients/mscs)
• Maintain a file of all LA documentation (e.g., educational certificates, course outlines etc.).

The MS Specialist Certification Project Committee will randomly audit 10% of the candidates applying for recertification by learning activities. If you are audited, you will be required to provide documented proof of learning activities so keep your file up to date. All learning activities must be obtained during the 5-year certification period. Professionally and ethically you are the best judge of which learning activities apply toward certification.

Application fee for Recertification of Multiple Sclerosis Specialist through Learning Activities: $250.00

Late administration fee for applications submitted after application deadline:  $75.00

Note: There will be no refunds of recertification application fees.

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION AND FEE BY THE FOLLOWING DATE:

April 1st for June 30th certification expiration

September 30th for December 31st certification expiration

Recertification application sent after application deadlines must include late administration fee in addition to the application fee.

Recertification applications received after expiration dates will be denied.