State CME Licensure Requirements

Below is a list of state medical/osteopathic board regulations on continuing medical education (CME) for licensure re-registration. States that contain no information do not have regulations concerning CME.

CECentral members should verify this information with their state board of medical licensure. See Notes

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Abbreviations

ABMS—certification or recertification by a member board of the American Board of Medical Specialties
AMA PRA—American Medical Association Physician’s Recognition Award
AOA—American Osteopathic Association
AAFP—American Academy of Family Practice
ACOG—American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
APA—American Pediatric Association
CMA—California Medical Association
CAFP—California Academy of Family Physicians
CME—Continuing Medical Education
FLEX—Federation Licensing Examination
GME—graduate medical education
MOCOMP—Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
OSMA—Ohio State Medical Association
USMLE—United States Medical Licensing Association

State CME Licensure Notes

California MD and DO - All general internists and family physicians who have a patient population of which more than 25% are 65 years of age or older shall complete at least 20 hours of all mandatory continuing education in geriatric medicine or the care of older patients. All physicians and surgeons (except pathologists and radiologists) must complete mandatory continuing education in the subjects of pain management and the treatment of terminally ill and dying patients (one-time requirement of 12 credits). Physicians must complete this requirement by their second license renewal date or within 4 years, whichever comes first.

Florida MD - First time license renewal: One hour HIV/AIDS, 2 hours in prevention of medical errors. Second and subsequent renewals: Two hours in prevention of medical errors. Every third renewal: Forty hours, including 2 hours in prevention of medical errors and 2 hours in domestic violence CME. Note: End-of-life care and palliative care can no longer be completed in lieu of HIV/AIDS or domestic violence courses.

Florida DO - First time license renewal: One hour HIV/AIDS, risk management, Florida laws and rules, controlled substances; 2 hours domestic violence and prevention of medical errors. Of the remaining required hours, at least 20 must be AOA Category 1-A. Second and subsequent renewals: One hour each in risk management, Florida laws and rules, and controlled substances; 2 hours each in domestic violence and prevention of medical errors. Every third renewal: 2 hours of domestic violence. For each license renewal, of the remaining required hours at least 20 must be AOA Category 1-A; all other hours (including those in the required content categories) can be either AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ or AOA Category 1-A credit.

Continuing medical education with regard to risk management, Florida laws and rules, controlled substances, and the prevention of medical errors must be obtained by completing live, participatory attendance courses.

Iowa - Training for identifying and reporting abuse required every 5 years for EM, FM, IM, FP, OB/GYN, and Psych, and others who regularly provide primary care to children and adults.

Maryland - Partial CME credit is offered for ABMS certification, select peer review, serving as an intervenor or monitor on a physician rehabilitation committee or professional committee, and serving as a preceptor for resident physicians or medical students. For first license renewal, the CME requirement is waived, but the licensee must have completed an approved orientation program.

Mississippi - Initial certification only (not renewal); for DOs, all credit must be AOA 1-A.

Missouri - The CME license renewal requirement can be met by a) completing 50 hours AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, AOA Category 1-A or 2-A credits, or AAFP Prescribed credits; b) completing 40 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ or AOA Category 1-A credit if each course, seminar, or activity includes a post-test of the material covered in the 40 CME credits; c) specialty board certification or recertification; or d) participating in an ACGME- or AOA-approved internship or residency program during the reporting period if at least 60 days of the reporting period were spent in the internship or residency.

Nevada - Ethics (2 credits), 20 credits in specialty; other 18 credits can be any in Category 1; 4 credits in WMD/Bioterrorism (new applicants only)

New Jersey - The six credits for cultural competence are in addition to the 100-hour requirement for physicians licensed prior to 3/24/05; these credits may be included if licensed after this date.

For newly licensed physicians, the Board requires attendance at an orientation program; no CME is given for this.

Washington MD - The board classifies CME into five different categories. A candidate for relicensure may earn all 200 required hours every 4 years in Category 1; a maximum of 80 hours may be earned in any of the other four categories.

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