CLICK ON YOUR STATE TO FIND THE CME REQUIREMENT FOR PHYSICIANS/PA’s
(Alphabetical by State Name)

AL

AK

AZ

AR

CA

CO

CT

DE

FL

GA

hawaii

HI

ID

IL

IN

IA

KS

KY

LA

ME

MD
DC

MA

MI

MN

MS

MO

MT

NE

NV

NH

NJ

NM

NY

NY

NC

NC

OH

PA

RI

SC

SD

TN

TX

UT

VT

VA

WA

WV

WI

WY

State Credits Required Date/Deadline/Description
Alabama 25 Dec. 31

The Alabama Board of Medical Examiners & Medical Licensure Commission Requirements

CE: 25 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™

Licenses must be renewed annually.

Alaska 50 2-year period based on renewal date

The Alaska State Medical Board Requirements

CE: 50 Contact Hours must be completed over a two-year renewal period.

Licenses expire biennially on date set by the department.

Arizona 40 2-year period based on birth month

CE: 40 Contact Hours must be completed over a two-year renewal period.

Physician assistants are required to complete 20 credit hours of CME per calendar year.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Arkansas 20 Birth month (1 yr)

CE: 20 Contact Hours must be completed annually.

CME hours must be completed from birth month of previous year through birth month of current year.

CME hours do not have to be of a particular category.

Licenses must be renewed every year

California 50 2-year period based on renewal date

CE: 50 contact hours must be completed every two years.

For Doctors with practices in Family and or Internal Medicine, 20% of CME must be in geriatrics if 25% of patients in the practice older than 65 years old.

There is a onetime requirement of 12 hours in the subject of pain management and the appropriate care and treatment of the terminally ill.

The Medical Board will accept courses or programs that address one or both topics.

Colorado PA/25 CE: There are no Continuing Education requirements for Physicians.

However, Physician Assistants are required to have 100 hours of CME within the past two years, including 25 hours of Category 1 CME within the past twelve months.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Connecticut 50 2-year period based on renewal date

CE: 50 Continuing Education Hours must be completed every 2 years.

This includes at least one contact hour of training or education in each of the following topics: (A) Infectious diseases, including, but not limited to, acquired immune deficiency syndrome and human immunodeficiency virus, (B) risk management, (C) sexual assault, and (D) domestic violence for registration periods beginning on and after October 2010, cultural competency.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Delaware 40 2-year period based on renewal date (odd years)

CE: 40 Contact Hours are required per registration period of CME in Category I courses approved by the American Medical Association or the American Osteopathic Association.

A physician who is renewing his registration for the first time and who has been licensed to practice medicine in Delaware for more than one year

shall be prepared to supply the Board with proof that he has completed twenty hours of continuing medical education in Category I courses.

Licenses expire on March 31st of odd numbered years. (2013, 2015 etc.)

DC 50 Dec. 31 (even years only)

CE: 50 hours of CME is required for licensed physicians during the two-year period preceding the date the license expires;

3 hours of which must be in HIV/AIDS. CME must be AMA PRA category 1 CreditTM hours of Board of Medicine approved continuing education credit.

Licenses expire at 12:00 midnight of December 31 each even-numbered year.

Florida 40 Jan. 31 (2 years)

CE: 40 Hours of continuing medical education courses approved by the Board in the 24 months preceding each biennial renewal period as established by the Department.

(64B8-13 License Renewal and Reactivation; Continuing Education) Specific course requirements:

First renewal, one (1) hour of Category 1 AMA CME in HIV/AIDS

Every third biennial renewal, two (2) hours of Category 1 or II AMA CME in domestic violence

Initial application and every biennial renewal, two (2) hours of Category 1 or II AMA CME in medical errors.

Licenses must be renewed every two years

Georgia 40 2-year period based on birth month

CE: 40 Contact Hours must be completed biennially by Physicians and Physicians Assistants.

At least 10 hours completed by PAs shall be directly related to the specialty of the Board approved primary supervising physician.

Physician assistants who are authorized to issue prescription drug orders shall be required as a part of the number of hours of continuing education required herein,

to complete a minimum of 3 hours in practice specific pharmaceuticals in which the physician assistant has prescription order privileges.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Hawaii 40 Jan. 3 CE: 40 Contact Hours must be completed if licensee received their license in Hawaii prior to July 1st, 2008.

20 Contact Hours must be completed if licensee received their license in Hawaii between July 1st, 2008 and June 30th, 2009.

For initial renewal: 20 hours are required for renewal. Beginning with the 2012 renewal and thereafter, 40 hours will be required.

Medical (Physician, Podiatrist, Physician Assistant, EMT-B, EMT-P) licenses must be renewed biennially on January 31st every even numbered year. (2014, 2016 etc.)

Osteopathic licenses must be renewed on June 30th every even numbered year. (2014, 2016, etc.) 1 (even years)

Idaho 40 2-year period based on renewal date

CE: 40 Contact Hours are required by those practicing Medicine and Surgery, Osteopathic Medicine or Surgery to be completed every two years.

Physicians Assistants are required to complete 100 hours of CME every two years.

Licenses must be renewed every other year and prior to renewal of each license as set forth by the expiration date on the face of the certificate.

Illinois 150 July 31st (3 years)

CE: 150 hours every 3 years (Beginning in 1990.); 60 Hours of required CME shall be obtained in Formal Category I CME programs.

Licenses must be renewed every three years. (2014, 2017, 2020, etc.)

Indiana 0 CE: There are no continuing education requirements. Licenses must be renewed every two years.

The expiration date is October 31st of odd-numbered years. (2016, 2018, etc.)

Iowa 40 2-year period based on renewal date

CE: 40 hours of Category 1 credits are required for a two-year license renewal period. This may include up to 20 hours of Category 1 credit carried over from the previous license period.

The number of required Category 1 credits is pro-rated for anyone who holds a permanent license that was issued for less than two full years.

Every five years Iowa-licensed physicians who provide primary care to patients are required to complete:

Two hours of Category 1 credits for chronic pain management / Two hours of Category 1 credits for end-of-life care Licenses must be renewed every two years.

A physician born in an even year will find that the permanent license expires on the first day of the physician’s birth month in even years.

Similarly, a physician born in an odd year will renew in an odd year.

Kansas 50 June 30th

CE: 50 Contact Hours of Continuing Education must be completed every year; 20 of which must be Category 1 CME and 30 of Category 2.

Therefore, for every renewal one must complete 100 hours of CME credits including 40 Category 1 hours and 60 Category 2 hours. (Required by all: MDs. DOs, and PAs)

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Kentucky 60 Dec. 31st (3 years)

CE: 60 hours of CME every three years, with 30 hours being certified in AMA Category 1 by an organization accredited by the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education.

Of the remaining 30 hours, a minimum of two hours of the required CME must be acquired in HIV/AIDS courses approved by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Primary care physicians must also complete an approved three-hour training course in domestic violence.

Primary care physicians, who are granted licensure after July 1, 1996, are required to successfully complete the course within three years of the date of initial licensure.

It should be noted that the three-hour domestic violence requirement may be applied toward the total sixty hour CME required for the current cycle.

Licenses must be renewed every three years.

Louisiana 20 1-year period based on renewal date

CE: 20 Contact Hours of Category 1 CME must be obtained annually.

Regardless of birth month hours must be obtained from January- December in the year prior to renewal.

Licenses must be renewed annually.

Maine 60 2-year period based on birth month

CE: 100 Credit Hours of CME must be completed every two years by each Physician and Physician Assistant licensed by this Board who is actively practicing medicine and surgery.

The CME must include: at least 40 hours of Category I and no more than 60 hours of Category 2.

Licenses must be renewed biennially.

Maryland 50 Sept. 30th (2 years)

CE: 50 Contact Hours of Category I CME credits must be completed every two years.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Massachusetts 100 2-year period base

CE: 100 hours must be completed every 2 years; 40 must be Category 1; 10 must be in the area of risk management, of which 4 must be Category 1;

2 must be in the study of the Board’s regulations. 3 hours must be completed in the use of electronic health records.

At least two credits of either Category 1 or 2 continuing professional development studying end-of-life care issues.

End-of-life care studies may be used to satisfy the risk management requirement in 243 CMR 2.06(6) (a) 3.

Ten credits studying risk management, as defined in 243 CMR 2.01(4), at least four of which shall be in Category 1.

Risk Management Study or Risk Management CPD means instruction in medical malpractice prevention, such as risk identification, patient safety, and medical error prevention.

Risk management studies may include education in any of the following areas: medical ethics, quality assurance, medical-legal issues, patient relations, electronic health record education, end-of-life care, utilization review that directly relates to quality assurance, and aspects of practice management.

Renewing licensees who prescribe controlled substances shall complete three credits in pain management training.

Pain management training shall include, but not be limited to, training in how to identify patients at high risk for substance abuse

and training in how to counsel patients on the side effects, addictive nature and proper storage and disposal of prescription medicines.

Licenses must be renewed every two years. d on renewal date

Michigan 150 Jan. 31st (3 years)

CE: 150 Contact Hours must be completed every 3 years; 75 must be Category 1 and must include medical ethics.

Licenses must be renewed every three years.

Minnesota 75 3-year period based on renewal date

CE: 75 Hours of continuing medical education (CME) category 1 credits must be completed every three years as a condition of licensure renewal.

The Board accepts (re)certification or current Maintenance of Competency issued by ABMS, RCPSC or AOA in lieu of CME.

Newly licensed physicians commence their three-year cycle on their birth month following the initial date of licensure.

Each licensed physician assistant must obtain 50 contact hours of Category 1 continuing education every two years

or meet standards through current National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants certifications as a condition of licensure renewal.

Licenses must be renewed every three years for Physicians and renewed every two years for Physician Assistants

Mississippi 40 June 30th (even years only)

CE: 40 Contact Hours must be completed every 2 years; all must be Category 1 credits.

Licenses must be completed every two years.

Missouri 50 Dec. 31st (odd years only)

CE: 50 hours of CME must be completed every two years.

The board shall not issue a renewal of a licensee’s certificate of registration unless the licensee demonstrates completion of fifty hours of continuing medical education accredited by the AOA as Category 1-A or 2-a, by the AMA as Category I or by the American Academy of Family Practice Prescribed Credit, in the two immediately preceding reporting periods.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

The period for completion of the continuing medical education requirements shall be:

the 24-month period beginning January 1 of each even-numbered year and ending December 31 of each odd-numbered year.

Montana 0  

CE: There are no Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians in Montana

Nebraska 50 Oct. 1st (even years only)

CE: 50 hours must be completed every 2 years; all credits must be Category 1.

Licenses must be renewed every two years on October 1st of even-numbered years. (2012, 2014, etc.)

Nevada 40 June 30th (odd years only)

CE: 40 Contact Hours must be completed if licensed during the first six months of the biennial period of registration.

30 Hours if licensed during the second six months of the biennial period of registration.

20 Hours if licensed during the third six months of the biennial period of registration.

10 Hours if licensed during the fourth six months of the biennial period of registration.

 

2 hours of Medical Ethics, 4 hours of Bioterrorism/WMD. Courses required to be AMA PRA category 1.

CMEs must be AMA Category I, classified by the AAPA as Category I (for PAs) of NSBME Board approved.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

New Hampshire 100 June 30th (2 years)

CE: 100 Contact Hours of approved continuing medical education (CME) requirements every 2 years.

40 hours of which shall be in Category I, and no more than 60 credit hours of which shall be in Category II.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Each license shall automatically expire on July 1st of the year in which the licensee’s renewal is set to occur,

unless the licensee has applied to the Board for renewal of license by June 30th of the year in which the licensee’s renewal is set to occur.

New Jersey 100 June 30th (odd years only)

Physicians and podiatrists must complete 100 credits of continuing medical education at least 40 of which must be Category I and up to 60 of which can be Category II.

Commencing with this biennial renewal period which started on July 1, 2013, two of the 40 credits in Category I courses shall be in programs or topics related to end-of-life care.

There is a one-time requirement for cultural competency training.

There are 6 specific topics (AMA PRA Category 1TM courses acceptable) that must be covered in the accredited cultural competency CME in order to meet the Board requirements.

1. A context for the training, common definitions of cultural competence, race, ethnicity and culture and tools for self-assessment.

2. An appreciation for the traditions and beliefs of diverse patient populations, at multiple levels- as individuals, in families and as part of a larger community.

3. An understanding of the impact that stereotyping can have on medical decision making.

4. Strategies for recognizing patterns of health care disparities and eliminating factors influencing them.

5. Approaches to enhance cross-cultural skills, such as those relating to history-taking, problem solving and promoting patient compliance.

6. Techniques to deal with language barriers and other communication needs, including working with interpreters.

For Physicians licensed prior to March 24, 2005 the cultural competency training requirement cannot be included in the 100 hour CME requirement for licensure renewal.

The law specifically required that this group of physicians complete this training in addition to the usual CME required for re-licensure.

For Physicians licensed after March 24th, 2005 the cultural competency training requirement can be included in the 100 hour CME requirement for licensure renewal.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

New Mexico 75 June 30th (3 years)

CE: 75 hours of continuing medical education are required for all medical licenses during each triennial renewal cycle.

CME may be earned at any time during the licensing period, July 1 through June 30 immediately preceding the triennial renewal date.

Licenses must be renewed every three years.

New York 0 CE: Effective January 1, 1989, Education Law required certain individuals, when applying initially for licensure or a limited permit to provide documentation of having completed two hours of coursework or training regarding the identification and reporting of child abuse and maltreatment.

This requirement applies to: Chiropractors, Dental Hygienists, Dentists, Optometrists, Physicians, Podiatrists, Psychologists, and Registered Nurses.

Infection Control Training must be completed every four years after initial licensure.

New York SB 2043 requires physicians renewing a license to submit proof that, within the 3-year period immediately preceding such renewal period,

he or she has successfully completed a course or courses of CME in professional medical competency.

Further, the commissioner of health shall develop a course of instruction in medical risk management.

Licenses must be renewed every three years.

North Carolina 60 3-year period based on birth date

CE: 60 Contact Hours of Category 1 CME hours over a three-year period.

Licenses must be renewed every three years.

North Dakota 60 3-year period based on birth date

CE: 60 hours of board-approved continuing medical education (CME) every three years.

One hour of credit will be allowed for each clock-hour of participation in approved continuing medical education activities.

Licenses must be renewed every three years.

Ohio 100 2-year period based on last name

CE: 100 Contact Hours must be completed biennially.

At least 40 hours of CME MUST be earned in Category I, although the total 100 hours may be earned in Category I.

Additional hours accumulated beyond 60 hours in Category 2 cannot be substituted for Category 1.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Oklahoma 60 3-year period based on renewal date

CE: 60 hours of Category I credits must be completed during the preceding 3 years.

Applicants initially licensed as a Physician Assistant will be exempt from reporting Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits until one year after licensure,

thereafter each applicant for renewal must provide evidence that he or she has successfully earned at least twenty (20) hours of Category I CME hours during the preceding calendar year.

At least one hour of Category I CME shall be earned each calendar year concerning the topic of substance abuse.

Licenses must be renewed every three years. Physicians will be required to begin reporting three years from the date licensure was granted.

Oregon 60 Dec. 31st (odd years only)

CE: 60 hours of continuing medical education (CME) per two years relevant to the licensee’s current medical practice, or 30 hours of CME if licensed during the second year of the biennium.

Any six hours of CME AMA PRA Category I on pain management or end-of-life care are required as well.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Pennsylvania 100 Dec. 31st (even years only)

CE: 100 total credit hours of CME in the two-year license cycle (with license cycles ending on Dec. 31 of each even year) Twenty (20) of those credit hours must be completed in AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM activities.

At least 12 hours of the 100 must be completed in activities related to patient safety or risk management and may be completed in either Category 1 or 2.

The remaining credit hours shall be completed in either Category 1 or Category 2 approved activities.

Approved activities in the area of patient safety and risk management may include the following topics:

Improving medical records and recordkeeping Reducing medical errors Professional conduct and ethics, Improving communications, Preventative medicine, Healthcare quality improvement

All persons applying for issuance of an initial license are required to complete 3 hrs of DPW-approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements as a condition of licensure.

Additionally, EFFECTIVE WITH THE FIRST LICENSE RENEWAL AFTER JANUARY 1, 2015, all health-related licensees and funeral directors applying for the renewal of a license issued by the Board

shall be required to complete at least 2 hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements as a condition of renewal.

Rhode Island 40 June 1st (even years only)

CE: 40 Hours of CME courses must be completed every two years. This should include a minimum of two hours related to the following: universal precautions, infection control, modes of transmission, bioterrorism, OSHA, ethics, end-of-life education, palliative care, pain management, and other regulatory requirements.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Current law requires Physicians to renew their licenses on or before the first day of June in each even-numbered year. (2014, 2016, etc.)

South Carolina 40 Dec. 31st (even years only)

CE: 40 Hours of Category I CME sponsored by the AMA, AOA or another organization approved by the board as having acceptable standards for courses it sponsors,

at least thirty hours of which must be related directly to the licensee’s practice area.

Licenses must be renewed biennially, every two years.

South Dakota 0/30 CE: There are no Continuing Education requirements for Medicine/ Osteopathic Medicine.  However, 30 Hours of CE must be completed annually by licensed Physician Assistants.

Any physician assistant who maintains current certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA)

may document compliance with this requirement by providing proof of current certification by the NCCPA.

Licenses must be renewed annually.

Tennessee 40 Dec. 31st (2 years)

CE: 40 Hours of continuing medical education courses must be completed during the two calendar years (January 1 – December 31) that precede the licensure renewal year. At least one of the forty required hours shall be a course designed specifically to address prescribing practices (controlled substances). AMA PRA Category I course acceptable.

If a physician provides medical care for persons with intractable pain, with or without the use of opiate medications, to the extent that those patients become the focus of the physician’s practice the physician must be prepared to document specialized medical education in pain management sufficient to bring the physician within the current standard of care in that field which shall include education on the causes, different and recommended modalities for treatment, chemical dependency and the psycho/social aspects of severe, chronic intractable pain.

Note: more specific details regarding this training are NOT provided.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Texas 24 1-year period rolling (Feb 28th, May 31st, Aug. 31st, Nov. 30th)

CE: Physicians need to complete at least 48 credits of continuing medical education every 24 months (24-month timeline is in relation to the biennial registration period, not the calendar year). At least half of these hours must be in formal, category I or 1A courses. At least 2 of the formal hours must involve the study of medical ethics and/or professional responsibility.

Professional responsibility includes but is not limited to courses in: Risk management, Domestic Abuse; or Child Abuse.

In addition, formal courses must be approved for ethics or professional responsibility credit by the accrediting agency.

All personnel at a pain management clinic are trained annually including 10 hours of continuing medical education related to pain management (AMA PRA Category 1 CME acceptable).

Utah 40 Jan. 31st (even years only)

CE: 40 Contact Hours must be completed every two years with at least 20 of the Hours in Category I credits.

Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Vermont 30 Nov. 30th (even years only)

CE: 30 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ each two-year license period.

The period is the licensing cycle, which is always a two-year period beginning on December 1 of an even year and ending on November 30 two years later.

One hour of continuing medical education for all licensees shall be on the topic of hospice care, palliative care, or pain management services, or a combination of these.

One hour of continuing medical education for all licensees who prescribe controlled substances shall be on the topic of safe and effective prescribing of controlled substances.

Effective with the licensing period that begins Dec 1, 2016: One additional hour of continuing medical education on the appropriate use of opioids, including the use of complementary and alternative therapies instead of opioid controlled substances to treat chronic pain is required by licensees who prescribe opioid controlled substances, as determined by the Board.

Virginia 60 2-year period based on birth month

CE: 60 hours must be completed every 2 years; 30 must be Category 1; 30 may be Category 2 and shall address such areas as ethics, standards of care, patient safety, new medical technology, and patient communication. Licenses must be renewed every two years.

Washington 200 4-year period based on renewal date

CE: 200 Hours of CME must be completed every four years by licensed Physicians.

80 must be Category 1; 80 may be Category 2; 80 may be Category 3; 80 may be Category 4; 80 may be Category 5.

Physician Assistants must complete 100 hours of CME every two years.

Osteopathic Physicians must complete 150 hours of CME every three years and Osteopathic Physician Assistants are required to complete 50 hours of CME annually.

Licenses must be renewed every four years (for MDs); every two years (for PAs); Osteopathic Physicians and Osteopathic Physician Assistants must renew annually on or before their birthday.

West Virginia 50 2-year period based on renewal date

Updated CME Requirements for 2014 Successful completion of a minimum of 50 hours of continuing medical education satisfactory to the Board

during the preceding two-year period is required for the biennial renewal of a medical license.

At least thirty (30) hours of the hours must be related to the physician’s area or areas of specialty.

Continuing medical education satisfactory to the Board includes CME designated as Category I by the American Medical Association or the American Academy of Family Physicians.

**** Please Note   ****

A. End-of-life care including pain management continuing medical education is no longer required.

B. (3) hours of continuing medical education from a Board approved program in the area of Best Practice Prescribing of Controlled Substances and Drug Diversion Training

CME requirements may be fulfilled as designated below.

Complete 50 hours of Category I CME acquired during the biennial renewal period, with at least thirty (30) hours of the required fifty (50) hours of continuing medical education

being related to the physician’s area or areas of specialty and which may include the mandated

three (3) hours of CME from a Board approved program in the area of Best Practice Prescribing of Controlled Substances and Drug Diversion Training

OR sit for and pass a certification or recertification examination of one of the ABMS Boards

OR document successful involvement in the maintenance of certification from an ABMS member board

AND

Successfully completed three (3) hours of CME from a Board approved program in the area of Best Practice Prescribing of Controlled Substances and Drug Diversion Training.

Wisconsin 30 December 31st (odd years only)

CE: 30 Hours of Category I, AMA or AOA for Physicians.

There are no Continuing Education requirements for Physician Assistants. Licenses must be renewed every two years.

MD Physicians: renewal date remains 10/31/odd and your CE deadline date remains 12/31/odd.

DO Physicians: renewal and CE deadline dates will both be 2/29/even.

Wyoming 60 3-year period based on renewal date

CE: 60 hours every 3 years in any combination of Category I, AOA, Category II, PRA AMA,

or current certificate equivalent from any specialty board approved by the ABMS,

with exceptions as noted by the state board of medicine.

Licenses must be renewed every three years.