Education News in Brief

MDI helps agents monitor education credits

Insurance agents can check their personal continuing education credits on the Missouri Department Web site at www.insurance.mo.gov/industry/pro ducer/. About 50,000 Missouri-licensed agents and brokers who are called producers under a new Missouri law can review courses taken and the hours they need for their next license renewal by entering their names and license numbers on the site. Up to four years of education history is available on the site.

Missouri requires producers to complete up to 16 hours of continuing education over two years to qualify for license renewal. The continuing education requirement only applies to Missouri-resident licensees, so nonresidents have no records available on the site.

"We encourage producers and companies to begin using this feature, because it is quicker and highly accurate," said MDI Director Scott Lakin in a news release. "The service is more convenient for insurance professionals, who almost all should have Internet access, and it will reduce the workload for MDI staff."

The licensing section handles more than 20,000 calls annually from insurance producers on continuing education information.

OTC's surgical tech program receives award

The Liaison Council on Certification for Surgical Technologists awarded a National Merit Award to Ozarks Technical Community College because it achieved a pass rate in the top 10 percent of the country for surgical technology programs. Merit awards are presented to schools at which more than 90 percent of their program graduates successfully passed the national certification exam to become certified surgical technologists. OTC graduates had a 100 percent success rate on the exam in 2003.

"Certification is a symbol of credibility and recognition of competence for both knowledge and skills in the principles of surgical technology," said Dawn E. Vinson, executive director of the council, in a news release. Certified individuals must demonstrate a broad range of knowledge about surgical procedures, aseptic technique and patient care to pass the certification exam. Arleen Chriswell is the instructor for the OTC surgical technology program.