District of Columbia Board of Medicine · MD

50 hours. Every two years. Tied to your birth month.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from DCBM~7 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 20, 2026

Mandatory topics

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

Cultural competency[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Two hours of cultural competency or specialized clinical training focused on patients who identify as LGBTQ+. In effect since renewal periods ending February 28, 2019. A course completed for another DC license can generally satisfy this requirement as well.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Fifty (50) hours of CE every two (2) years, which includes two (2) hours in the subject of LGBTQ cultural competency, five (5) hours in a topic designated as a public health priority, and at least one (1) course in the subject of pharmacology.”
DC Board of Medicine CE frameworkSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Custom[2]
5 hrs
Biennial
Physicians must earn 5 hours in topics designated by the Director of DC Health as public health priorities — 10% of the 50-hour biennial total. The operative list is the October 1, 2025 DC Health Public Notice, which identifies ten broad topics. Any combination across the ten topics counts; you don't need hours in each one. This list supersedes the March 2025 five-domain framework.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Fifty (50) hours of CE every two (2) years, which includes two (2) hours in the subject of LGBTQ cultural competency, five (5) hours in a topic designated as a public health priority, and at least one (1) course in the subject of pharmacology.”
DC Board of Medicine CE framework; DC Health Public Notice (eff. 2025-10-01)See source [2] in Primary Sources
Pharmacology[1]
Hrs vary
Biennial
No hour count is specified — one accredited pharmacology course per biennium satisfies the requirement. Applies to all DC MD/DO licensees regardless of DEA registration status; it is not a controlled-substance-specific mandate. The DC Center for Rational Prescribing (DCRx) offers free CME programs that meet this requirement.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Fifty (50) hours of CE every two (2) years, which includes two (2) hours in the subject of LGBTQ cultural competency, five (5) hours in a topic designated as a public health priority, and at least one (1) course in the subject of pharmacology.”
DC Board of Medicine CE frameworkSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your District of Columbia cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, District of Columbia 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
continuing education must be 'approved by a recognized, accredited organization such as the ACCME.' AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from ACCME-accredited providers satisfies the 50-hour biennial requirement in full.SourceDC Board of Medicine CME FAQ[3]
AOA Category 1-A
DOs only
The DC Board of Medicine licenses MDs and DOs under the same regulatory framework. AOA Category 1-A is accepted as equivalent Category 1 credit under the Board's general accreditation language.SourceDC Board of Medicine CME FAQ[3]
AAFP Prescribed
AAFP Prescribed credit is typically accepted as Category 1 equivalent under the DC FAQ accreditation language. Not enumerated verbatim in Layer 1 — customary practice.SourceDC Board of Medicine CME FAQ[3]
Documentation & audit

Documentation is uploaded during online renewal. First-time renewals can skip the upload via the CE exemption; subsequent renewals must upload proof of CME. Physicians should retain certificates in case of audit.

DC transitioned its physician license renewal cycle in June 2024. Initial licenses issued on or after June 16, 2024 now expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month on a biennial cycle.[1] Physicians born in even-numbered years receive even-year expiration dates; those born in odd-numbered years receive odd-year expiration dates. Physicians licensed before June 16, 2024 remain on the legacy December 31 biennial cycle until that cycle ends, at which point they transition to the birth-month schedule.

Waivers & exemptions

First-time renewals may claim an exemption from the CE requirement. During the first biennial renewal after initial DC licensure, physicians can select the 'exempt from CE' option in the online renewal portal without uploading documentation.

Inactive status. Physicians who place their license on inactive status are not required to meet the CE obligation, though inactive status can currently only be requested at the time of renewal.

FAQ
How many CME hours do Washington DC physicians need?
Physicians licensed by the District of Columbia Board of Medicine must complete 50 hours of continuing medical education during each two-year renewal cycle.[1] Within those 50 hours, the Board of Medicine's published CE framework requires 2 hours in LGBTQ cultural competency, 5 hours in topics designated by the Director of DC Health as public health priorities, and at least one course in pharmacology.[1] MDs and DOs are held to the same standard under the DC Board of Medicine, which sits within the DC Department of Health.
What are the DC public health priority CME topics for 2026?
The current list is the DC Health Public Notice effective October 1, 2025, which identifies ten topics: (1) responsible opioid prescribing and effective pain management; (2) nutrition and obesity prevention; (3) identifying and reporting abuse, neglect, human trafficking, and domestic violence; (4) sexual health, including STDs (HIV/AIDS), HPV vaccines, latent tuberculosis, safe sex, and birth control; (5) ethics and appropriate patient interactions (boundaries, patient privacy, telehealth communications); (6) smoking, vaping, and tobacco; (7) emergency preparedness and handling vulnerable populations in an emergency; (8) identifying impairment in patients and providers (ADA and OSHA compliance); (9) vaccinations (legal requirements and appropriate exemptions); and (10) implicit bias, cultural competence, and CLAS.[2] DC physicians need 5 hours total across any of these topics. This list supersedes the March 2025 five-domain list.
Is the first DC license renewal exempt from CME?
Yes. During the first biennial renewal after initial DC licensure, physicians can select the "exempt from CE" option in the online renewal portal and will not be required to upload CME documentation for that cycle. This is a one-time grace; every subsequent renewal requires uploading proof of CME, including the mandatory LGBTQ, public health priority, and pharmacology components.
When does my DC physician license expire?
It depends on when you were initially licensed. Licenses issued on or after June 16, 2024 expire on the last day of the licensee's birth month, with physicians born in even-numbered years receiving even-year expirations and physicians born in odd-numbered years receiving odd-year expirations.[1] Physicians licensed before June 16, 2024 remain on the legacy December 31 biennial schedule for their current cycle and transition to the birth-month schedule at their next renewal. The DC Health online renewal portal is the authoritative source for your specific expiration date.
Does the DC LGBTQ cultural competency CME apply only to physicians?
No. The 2-hour LGBTQ cultural competency requirement applies to most health professions licensed under Title 17 of the DC Municipal Regulations, including physicians, nurses, and other health professionals.[3] Because the requirement language is consistent across boards, a single accredited LGBTQ course can typically be applied toward more than one DC professional license, a useful planning detail for physicians who also maintain a DC nursing, PA, or psychology license.
Do District of Columbia MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
No. District of Columbia does not maintain a separate osteopathic licensing board — DOs and MDs are both licensed by the District of Columbia Board of Medicine and subject to the same CME requirements (50 hours per renewal cycle).[1]

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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. Board of Medicine — DC Health
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-20
    Show verbatim text
    “Fifty (50) hours of CE every two (2) years, which includes two (2) hours in the subject of LGBTQ cultural competency, five (5) hours in a topic designated as a public health priority, and at least one (1) course in the subject of pharmacology.”DC Board of Medicine CE framework
  2. DC Health Public Notice — Identifying Public Health Issues for CE (eff. 2025-10-01)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-20
    Show verbatim text
    “1. Responsible opioid prescribing and effective pain management; 2. Nutrition and obesity prevention; 3. Identifying and reporting abuse (child and adult), neglect (child and adult), human trafficking, and domestic violence; 4. Sexual health (including taking sexual history, discussing sexual experiences with patients, sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV/AIDS), HPV vaccines, connections to cancer, latent tuberculosis, safe sex, and birth control); 5. Ethics and appropriate patient interactions (i.e. boundaries, patient privacy, and communications including telehealth); 6. Smoking, vaping, and tobacco (including dangers, smoking cessation, and non-smoke tobacco products); 7. Preparing your patients for an emergency and handling vulnerable populations in an emergency; 8. Identifying impairment (physical or mental) in patients and providers (including complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act); 9. Vaccinations (including legal requirements and appropriate exemptions); and, 10. Implicit bias, cultural competence and Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in health and health care.”DC Health Public Notice · Effective 2025-10-01
    “Fifty (50) hours of CE every two (2) years, which includes two (2) hours in the subject of LGBTQ cultural competency, five (5) hours in a topic designated as a public health priority, and at least one (1) course in the subject of pharmacology.”DC Board of Medicine CE framework; DC Health Public Notice (eff. 2025-10-01) · Effective 2025-10-01
  3. Continuing Education Requirements — DC Board of Medicine
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-13

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 District of Columbia Board of Medicine, 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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