Featured | Jan 1, 2024

2019 State CME Requirements for Physicians, PAs, and DOs

Explore state-specific continuing medical education (CME) requirements for 2019. Access essential information for physicians, PAs, and DOs to stay up-to-date and compliant with respective state regulations.

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Continuing education is an important part of the medical field, and state boards have almost universally implemented some sort of continuing education requirements for physicians in their states. This is to keep physicians up to date on the continuously developing field medical technology and to make sure that no one actively practicing in their states are getting rusty. Click on your state to see the requirements!

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ALABAMA

MD / DO

Number of Credits Required 25

CME Type(s) Required 25 AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 1 Calendar Year

Board Offical Websit

 

ALASKA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Type(s) Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 Calendar years

Exemption Conditions: Extenuating circumstances including the licensee’s debilitating or long-term personal illness or injury and the debilitating or long-term illness or injury of a member of the licensee’s immediate family.

Board Official Website

 

ARIZONA

MD

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 Calendar years

Board Offical Website

DO

Number of Credits Required: Not more than 8 hours of annual credits be obtained by completing CME requirements in AMA PRA Category 1 approved by an ACCME-accredited CME provider.

  • DO AOA 1-A requirements is 24 CME credits
  • DO CME requirement is 40 hours
  • Both should be completed during the two-year licensure term.

Board Offical Website

 

ARKANSAS

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 20

CME Units Required  50% AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 1 calendar year

Topics Required  50% of credits in primary area of practice

Board Official Website

 

CALIFORNIA

MD

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Topics Required

  • One-time 12 Credit Hours in Pain management and care of the terminally ill (except for Pathologists and Radiologists)
  • 20% of mandatory CME in Geriatric medicine if over 25 percent of patient population are 65 years of age or older (General Internists and Family Physicians)

DO

Number of Credits Required 150

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

  • 60 credits must be AOA1-A or AOA1-B

Term 3 calendar years

Topics Required

  • 12 Credit Hours in Pain management and care of the terminally ill (except for Pathologists and Radiologists)
  • 20% of mandatory CME in Geriatric medicine if over 25 percent of patient population are 65 years of age or older (General Internists and Family Physicians)

Exemption Conditions  CME waiver can be requested due to health, military service, or undue hardship.

Board Official Website

 

COLORADO

MD / DO

Number of Credits Required  None

PA

Number of Credits Required  100

CME Units Required  25 AMA PRA Category 1™CME within the past 12 months

Term  2 calendar years  [January 31st (Even-numbered year)]

Board Official Website

 

CONNECTICUT

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required  Contact Hours / CME credits

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

1 hr in each topic below required every 6 years:

  • Infectious diseases
  • Risk management
  • Sexual assault
  • Domestic violence
  • Cultural competency
  • Behavioral health

Exemption Conditions  No more than 10 Contact Hours can be waived.

Board Official Website

 

DELAWARE

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required 40 AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 years [March 31st, odd-numbered year]

Board Official Website

 

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 3 Credit Hours in HIV/AIDS

Board Official Website

 

FLORIDA

MD / PA

Number of Credits Required  40

CME Units Required  AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 1 Credit Hour in HIV/AIDS
  • 2 Domestic violence
  • 2 Medical errors
  • Board Official Website

Board Official Website

DO

Number of Credits Required  40

CME Units Required

  • 20 AOA Category 1-A
  • 15 AOA or AMA

Term 2 years  [March 31st, even-numbered year]

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 2 credits in Medical Errors
  • 1 Professional & Medical Ethics
  • 1 Florida Laws and Rules
  • 1 Federal & State Laws Related to the Prescribing of Controlled Substances

Board Official Website

 

GEORGIA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 40 every 2 years

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Board Official Website

 

HAWAII

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 100

CME Units Required 20 AMA PRA Category 1™, 30 Category 2 CME or 50 AMA PRA Category 1™ in the first year.

Term 2 years [Jan 31st, even-numbered year]

Additional Requirements

Licensees initially licensed in the second year of the biennium shall not be required to complete any CME hours;

All other licensees, except licensees who were issued limited and temporary licenses, shall have completed 40 category 1 CME hours, and 60 category 2 CME hours, or 100 category 1 CME hours.

Board Official Website

 

IDAHO

MD / DO

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required 40 AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Board Offical Website

PA

Number of Credits Required 100

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Board Offical Website

 

ILLINOIS

Number of Credits Required 60

CME Units Required  AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Term 3 calendar years  [July 31st]

Board Official Website

 

INDIANA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required None

Board Official Website

 

IOWA

MD / DO

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required 40 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Term  2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 2 CME hours each in chronic pain management and end-of-life care

PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required 50 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Term  2 calendar years

Board Website for Physician Assistants

 

KANSAS

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required Minimum of 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™; maximum of 30 AMA PRA Category 2 Credits™

Term  1 calendar years

Board Official Website

 

KENTUCKY

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 60

CME Units Required Minimum of 30 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Term 3 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • Minimum of 4.5 hours of HB1 approved CME for physicians authorized to  prescribe or dispense controlled substances
  • 1 hour of HB 157 (Approved Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma CME) for pediatricians, radiologists, family practitioners, and emergency medicine and urgent care physicians
  • 3 hours of domestic violence training course for PCPs in the initiative 3 years period

Board Official Website

 

LOUISIANA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 20

CME Units Required 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ or equivalent

Term 1 calendar year

Board Official Website

 

MAINE

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 100 every 2 years

CME Units Required 40 AMA PRA Category 1™ or AOA

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 3 hours of opioid prescribing required every two years

Board Official Website

 

MARYLAND

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required 50 AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Board Official Website

 

MASSACHUSETTS

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 100

CME Units Required Minimum of 40 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ or AOA Category 1-A; maximum of 60 AMA PRA Category 2 Credits™.

Term 2 years  [Birthdate]

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 10 Credits of Risk Management (Minimum of 4 Category 1 Credits)
  • 2 Credits of End-of-life care
  • 2 Credits of study of Board requirements;
  • 3 credits opioid education and pain management for renewals;
  • 3 credits in Electronic Health Records for renewals after 1/1/15.

Board Official Website

 

MICHIGAN

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 150

CME Units Required Minimum of 75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ or Category 6 Credits™ (residency); or AOA Category 1-A

Term 3 calendar years [January 31]

Board Official Website

 

MINNESOTA

MD/ DO

Number of Credits Required 75

CME Units Required 75 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

Term 3 calendar years

PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required contact hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™

Term 2 calendar years

Board Official Website

 

MISSISSIPPI

MD/DO

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required 40 AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years [July 1st, even-numbered year]

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 5 hours of CME related to prescribing medications, with emphasis on controlled substances required for Licensees with active DEA certificates
  • for initial certification only, DO credits must be AOA 1-A

PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required Minimum of 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Term 1 calendar year

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 10 hours of CME related to prescribing medications, with emphasis on controlled substances required for PA authorized to prescribe controlled substances.

Board Official Website

 

MISSOURI

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required 50 AMA PRA Category 1™ or AOA Category 1-A or AAFP

Term 2 calendar years [Even Numbered]

Board Official Website

 

MONTANA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required None

Board Official Website

 

NEBRASKA

MD/DO/PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™ or AOA

Term 2 calendar years

Board Official Website

 

NEVADA

MD

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required 40 AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements (MD)

  • 2 Credit Hours in Medical Ethics / pain management / addiction care
  • 20 Credit Hours in licensee’s specialty
  • 18 Credit Hours in any AMA PRA Category 1™

Board Official Website

DO

Number of Credits Required 35

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™or Equivalent AOA Category 1-A. Minimum of 10 AOA Category 1-A credits.

Term 1 calendar year

Board Official Website

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 100

CME Units Required Minimum of 40 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™; maximum of 60 AMA PRA Category 2 Credits™

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements (MD)

  • 3 hours of opioid CME for physicians with a DEA license every 2 years

Board Official Website

 

NEW JERSEY

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 100

CME Units Required Minimum of 40 AMA PRA Category 1™; maximum of 60 AMA PRA Category 2™

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 6 hours of cultural competence training in addition to the 100 credits requirement
  • 2 Credit Hours in End-of-life care

Board Official Website

 

NEW MEXICO

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 75

CME Units Required 75 AMA PRA Category 1™ / NM Category 1

Term 3 calendar years [July 1st]

Additional Requirements

  • Maximum of 40 hours of Postgraduate Education / Advanced Degrees / Teaching
  • maximum of 30 hours of Physician Preceptors, maximum of 10 hours of Paper and Publications

Specialty Credit Recommendation

  • 5 credits in pain management

Board Official Website

 

NEW YORK

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required None

Infection control credits are recommended

Term 2 calendar years

Requirement

  • Dental hygienists, dentists, licensed practical nurses, optometrists, physicians, physician assistants, podiatrists, registered professional nurses and specialist assistants: Required to complete course work or training in Infection Control at initial licensure and every four years thereafter. In addition, licensee must complete a one-time requirement of 2 hours in Child Abuse Identification and Reporting. Those authorized to prescribe controlled substances are required to complete at least 3 hours of training in pain management, palliative care, and addiction by July 1, 2017, and every 3 years thereafter.

Board Official Website

 

NORTH CAROLINA

MD/DO

Number of Credits Required 150

CME Units Required 60 AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 3 calendar years [Birthdate]

Additional Requirements

CME credits earned should be specialty relevant

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 3 hours of CME designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices for physicians who prescribe controlled substances

Board Official Website

PA

Number of Credits Required 50

CME Units Required NCCPA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years [Birthdate]

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 2 hours of CME designed specifically to address controlled substance prescribing practices for physician assistants who prescribe controlled substances

Exemption Condition

Board Official Website

 

NORTH DAKOTA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 60

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 3 calendar years [Birthdate]

Board Official Website

 

OHIO

MD/DO

Number of Credits Required 100

CME Units Required Minimum of 40 AMA PRA Category 1™ or AOA Category 1-A; maximum of 60 AMA PRA Category 2™

Term 2 calendar years  [See chart]

PA

Number of Credits Required 12

CME Units Required N/A

Term 2 calendar ,years [Jan 31st, even-numbered year]

Additional Requirements

  • CE needs to be in pharmacology for Certificate to Prescribe

Board Official Website

 

OKLAHOMA

MD

Number of Credits Required 60

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™, AOA Category 1-A, AAFP, or ACOG Credits

Term 3 calendar years

Board Official Website

DO

Number of Credits Required 16

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™/ AOA Category 1-A / 1-B / AAFP / ACOG Credits

Term 1 calendar year

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 1 credit on prescribing controlled substances (every 2 yrs)

Board Official Website

 

OREGON

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 60

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

Board Official Website

 

PENNSYLVANIA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 100

CME Units Required

  • Minimum of 20 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
  • 20 AOA Category 1 credits
  • 2 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting

Term 2 calendar years [Jan 1st, odd-numbered year]

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 12 hours of risk management and 12 of patient safety
  • Mandatory topics include
    • Improving medical records and record keeping
    • Reducing medical errors
    • Professional conduct and ethics
    • Improving communication among physicians and with other health care personnel
    • Preventive medicine education
    • Health care quality improvement

Exemption Condition

Board Official Website

 

RHODE ISLAND

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

At least 4 hours of continuing medical education shall be earned on topics of current concern as determined by the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. Current topics include

  • Ethics,
  • Risk Management,
  • Opioid pain management / chronic pain management,
  • End of life/palliative care,
  • Antimicrobial Stewardship.

Board Official Website

 

SOUTH CAROLINA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 75% specialty directly related education (30 credits every 2 yrs)
    • 2 hrs related to prescribing and monitoring schedules II, III, and IV controlled substances.

Board Official Website

 

SOUTH DAKOTA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required None

Board Official Website

 

TENNESSEE

MD / PA

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™ / AOA Category 1-A / AAFP

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 2 hours of CME in controlled substances prescribing

DO

Number of DO CME Credits Required 40

  • 1 hour of DO Controlled Substances every two years.
  • Twenty-four hours of AOA 1-A or AOA 2-A credit is also required.

Board Official Website

 

TEXAS

Number of Credits Required 48

CME Units Required at least 24 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 2 hours of formal hours involving the study of medical ethics and/or professional responsibility.
  • 10 hours of pain management for those who practice in a pain clinic; (For DOs  AOA 1-A).

Board Official Website

 

UTAH

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 40

CME Units Required at least 34 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Term 2 calendar years

Additional Requirements

  • 6 hrs may be from Division of Occupational and Professional Lic.

Board Official Website

 

VERMONT

MD/ PA

Number of Credits Required 30

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years [Dec 1st]

Specialty Credit Requirements

  • 1 hour addressing palliative care, hospice care / pain management
  • 1 hour addressing prescribing controlled substances (for DEA licencee)

DO

Number of Credits Required 12

CME Units Required Osteopathic Medical Education

Terms 2 calendar years

Board Official Website

 

VIRGINIA

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 60

CME Units Required 30 AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Board Official Website

 

WASHINGTON

MD

Term 4 calendar years

Number of Credits Required 200

CME Units Required 120 Category 1 credits (AMA PRA Category 1™ accepted)

  • Board is classified into five CME categories

Board Offical Website

DO

Term 3 calendar years

Number of Credits Required 150

CME Units Required 60 Category 1 credits (AMA PRA Category 1™ accepted)

Board Offical Website

 

WEST VIRGINIA

Number of Credits Required 50 Credit Hours, 30 of which must be related to your area or areas of specialty.

CME Units Required Category 1 credits (AMA PRA Category 1™ accepted)

Term 2 calendar years

Specialty Credit Requirements:

MD

  • 30 hrs related to specialty
  • 3 hrs drug diversion training and best practice prescribing controlled substances.

DO

  • 3 hours of drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances

Board Official Website

 

WISCONSIN

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 30

CME Units Required AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 2 calendar years

Board Official Website

 

WYOMING

MD / DO / PA

Number of Credits Required 60 AND

CME Units Required 60 AMA PRA Category 1™

Term 3 calendar years

Board Official Website

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