Avoiding professional obsolescence: the mandatory continuing education debate.

Mandatory continuing education is being widely debated or enacted by many certifying agencies and state licensing bodies as a key factor in recertification and relicensure. It is commonly believed that mandatory continuing education automatically means continued competency. Continuing education, along with some of the arguments that support its existence, is briefly described. A description of professional obsolescence and a discussion of the mandatory continuing education debate are also presented.