Connecticut Medical Examining Board (Department of Public Health) · MD

50 hours. Every two years. Tied to your license expiration.

A source-verified guide to Connecticut's CME requirements for physicians — hours, mandatory topics, audit rules, and exemptions.

Updated April 2026Sourced from CMEB(PH~5 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 17, 2026

Mandatory topics

For physicians, 50 hours is the total CME requirement. Connecticut also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 50-hour total.

Infectious disease[1]
1 hr
One-time
Required during the first renewal period and then at least once every six years thereafter. Not required at every biennial renewal.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Infectious diseases (including AIDS/HIV)”
CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME pageSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Pain management & end-of-life care[1]
1 hr
One-time
Universal — applies to all physicians regardless of DEA status. Required during the first renewal period and then once every six years thereafter.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Risk management (prescribing controlled substances, pain management)”
CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME pageSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Sexual Assault[1]
1 hr
One-time
Required during the first renewal period and then once every six years thereafter. Not required at every biennial renewal.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Sexual assault”
CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME pageSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Domestic violence[1]
1 hr
One-time
Required during the first renewal period and then once every six years thereafter. Not required at every biennial renewal.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Domestic violence”
CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME pageSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Cultural competency[1]
1 hr
One-time
Required during the first renewal period and then once every six years thereafter. Not required at every biennial renewal.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Cultural competency”
CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME pageSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Psychiatry[1]
2 hrs
One-time
Two hours, not one — the only mandatory topic with a higher hour count. Includes mental health conditions specific to veterans. Required during the first renewal period and then once every six years thereafter.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Behavioral health (including two hours on mental health conditions affecting veterans)”
CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME pageSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Connecticut cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Connecticut Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
AMA PRA Category 1
SourceCT DPH CME page[1]
AOA Category 1-A
DOs only
SourceCT DPH CME page[1]
Board-approved credit
Offerings from the Connecticut Hospital Association, Connecticut State Medical Society, and accredited academic institutions or health departments are qualifying. Includes county medical society programs, hospital or healthcare institution courses, regionally accredited academic institutions, and state or local health department programs.SourceCT DPH CME page[1]
Documentation & audit

Licensees must retain records for 6 years and submit them within 45 days if requested by the Department.[1]

Waivers & exemptions

First-time renewal applicants are exempt from the 50-hour CME requirement during their initial renewal period.[1]

Inactive practitioners or those with medical disabilities may request exemptions.[1] Requires notarized application before the registration period expires.

Up to ten hours may be waived for service on medical boards.[1]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Connecticut physicians need?
Connecticut physicians must complete 50 contact hours of qualifying continuing medical education every two years as a condition of license renewal through the Department of Public Health.[1] A contact hour is defined as at least 50 minutes of CME activity. At least 7 of the 50 hours must cover specific mandatory topic areas, though those 7 topic hours are only required during the first renewal and then once every six years thereafter.
What are Connecticut's mandatory CME topics?
Connecticut requires at least one contact hour in each of six topic areas: cultural competency, domestic violence, infectious disease (including HIV/AIDS), risk management covering controlled substance prescribing and pain management, sexual assault, and behavioral health (which includes the assessment of veterans for PTSD, suicide risk, depression, and grief).[1] These topics are required during the first renewal period and then once within every six-year period thereafter, not every two years.
How does Connecticut's six-year topic cycle work?
During a physician's first renewal period after initial licensure, they must complete 1 hour in each of the six mandatory topic areas.[1] After that, they only need to repeat those topic areas once within each rolling six-year window. A physician who completed all six topics in 2024, for example, does not need to repeat them until 2030, regardless of how many biennial renewals happen in between. This long cycle is easy to miss, which is why tracking each topic area against its own clock is important.
Who is exempt from Connecticut CME requirements?
Three categories of physicians may be exempt. First-time renewal applicants are automatically exempt for their first renewal period.[1] Physicians not engaged in active professional practice in any form may request an exemption through a notarized application. Physicians with a documented medical disability or illness may also request an exemption through a notarized application. All exemption applications must be submitted to the Department of Public Health before the registration period expires.
How long must Connecticut physicians keep CME records?
Connecticut requires licensees to retain records of attendance for at least six years following the year in which the CME activity was completed.[1] Records should include the date, title, provider, and number of contact hours. Because the mandatory topic window is also six years, six-year retention protects both audit compliance and the ability to prove a topic has been satisfied in the current window.
Do Connecticut MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
No. Connecticut does not maintain a separate osteopathic licensing board — DOs and MDs are both licensed by the Connecticut Medical Examining Board (Department of Public Health) and subject to the same CME requirements (50 hours per renewal cycle).

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Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. Continuing Medical Education — Connecticut DPH (Physician)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Physicians applying for license renewal must earn a minimum of fifty contact hours of qualifying continuing medical education within the preceding twenty-four month period. One contact hour equals at least fifty minutes of educational activity. During the first renewal period and at least once every six years thereafter, physicians must complete at least one contact hour in each category: Infectious diseases (including AIDS/HIV); Risk management (prescribing controlled substances, pain management); Sexual assault; Domestic violence; Cultural competency; Behavioral health (including two hours on mental health conditions affecting veterans).”CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME page
    “Infectious diseases (including AIDS/HIV)”CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME page
    “Risk management (prescribing controlled substances, pain management)”CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME page
    “Sexual assault”CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME page
    “Domestic violence”CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME page
    “Cultural competency”CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME page
    “Behavioral health (including two hours on mental health conditions affecting veterans)”CGS § 20-10b; CT DPH CME page

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CME requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the Connecticut Medical Examining Board (Department of Public Health), or any other state medical board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Physicians are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state's medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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