Iowa Board of Medicine · MD

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

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from IBM~5 min read

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 21, 2026

Mandatory topics

Iowa has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 40-hour total.

Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Iowa cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
Conditional requirements

These rules apply only when the trigger described under each card is met (for example, holding a state-issued controlled substance registration or treating a specific patient population). Each cites the underlying statute or rule directly.

ConditionalAbuse Reporting[1]
2 hrs
Triennial

Physicians who examine, attend, counsel, or treat children in Iowa

View sourceVerbatim from source
“Effective July 1, 2019, the Iowa Department of Human Services assumed responsibility for mandatory reporting training. The requirement changed from every five years to every three years.”
IAAFP State-Mandated TrainingSee source [1] in Primary Sources
ConditionalAbuse Reporting[1]
2 hrs
Triennial

Physicians who examine, attend, counsel, or treat dependent adults in Iowa

View sourceVerbatim from source
“Effective July 1, 2019, the Iowa Department of Human Services assumed responsibility for mandatory reporting training. The requirement changed from every five years to every three years.”
IAAFP State-Mandated TrainingSee source [1] in Primary Sources
ConditionalPalliative care[1]
2 hrs
Quinquennial

Physicians who provide end-of-life care (primary care providers including family medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine)

View sourceVerbatim from source
“For end-of-life care, physicians must complete 2 hours of Category 1 credits for end-of-life care every five years. This requirement applies to primary care providers including family physicians, emergency physicians, and internists.”
IAAFP Chronic Pain and End-of-Life TrainingSee source [1] in Primary Sources
ConditionalOpioid / controlled substances[1]
2 hrs
Quinquennial

Physicians who prescribe controlled substances for chronic pain

View sourceVerbatim from source
“The Iowa legislature enacted new CME requirements for chronic pain management. The new law eliminated the Board's current rules and requires physicians to complete CME that focuses on the CDC guideline for proper opioid prescribing.”
IAAFP Chronic Pain and End-of-Life TrainingSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Iowa 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
The entire 40-hour biennial requirement must be Category 1 credit. AMA PRA Category 1 from ACCME-accredited providers is the primary currency. Up to 20 hours may carry over from the previous renewal period.SourceIowa DIAL CME Page[1]
AOA Category 1-A
AOA Category 1-A credit is accepted equivalently. Iowa jointly licenses MDs and DOs under the Iowa Board of Medicine with a single unified CME framework.SourceIowa DIAL CME Page[1]
AAFP Prescribed
AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted as equivalent to Category 1 credit.SourceIowa DIAL CME Page[1]
Board-approved credit
ACOG formal cognates are accepted as Category 1. Board certification or recertification with ABMS or AOA during the renewal period may be claimed as 50 Category 1 credits.SourceIowa DIAL CME Page[1]
ABMS Maintenance of Certification
ABMS board certification or recertification earned during the renewal period substitutes for up to 50 Category 1 credits.SourceIowa DIAL CME Page[1]
AOA Maintenance of Certification
DOs only
AOA board certification or recertification earned during the renewal period substitutes for up to 50 Category 1 credits.SourceIowa DIAL CME Page[1]
Documentation & audit

Physicians are responsible for retaining CME documentation and producing it on request. Requirements include course title, dates, hours, sponsoring organization, and accrediting body.

Waivers & exemptions

Physicians on active military duty during the renewal period are exempt.[1]

Physicians holding current licensure in another state and meeting that state's CME requirements are considered to have met Iowa's requirement.[1]

Physicians employed by a government agency working outside the United States are exempt.[1]

Board-approved hardship exemptions due to documented illness or disability are available.[1]

Physicians in approved residency or fellowship programs, or those obtaining specialty board certification during the renewal period, may claim 50 Category 1 credits in place of the standard requirement.[1]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Iowa physicians need?
Iowa physicians must complete 40 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit every two years as a condition of license renewal.[1] The Iowa Board of Medicine allows up to 20 of those hours to be carried over from the previous renewal period, so physicians who over-earn in one cycle can bank a cushion for the next. Temporary or special licenses require 20 hours with no carryover.
What are Iowa's mandatory CME topics?
Iowa has four practice-based mandatory topics, each on a five-year cycle: child abuse identification and reporting (for physicians who treat children), dependent adult abuse identification and reporting (for physicians who treat dependent adults), end-of-life care (for physicians who provide such care), and chronic pain management and controlled substance prescribing (for physicians who prescribe controlled substances for pain).[2] Each is at least 2 hours. The child abuse and dependent adult abuse trainings must use the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services approved mandatory reporter curriculum.
Can Iowa physicians carry over CME hours?
Yes. Iowa allows up to 20 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit to be carried over from one biennial renewal period to the next.[1] This is one of the more generous carryover rules in the country and makes it feasible for physicians to over-earn during an active year and bank the surplus. Carryover is not available on temporary or special licenses.
Who is exempt from Iowa CME requirements?
Physicians on active military duty, federal employees working outside the United States, and physicians holding current licensure in another state and meeting that state's CME requirements are all exempt.[1] Residents, fellows, and physicians obtaining specialty board certification may claim 50 Category 1 credits in place of the standard requirement. Board-approved hardship exemptions are available for documented illness or disability.
Do Iowa's mandatory topics apply to every physician?
No. Iowa's four specialized mandatory topics are tied to specific practice settings.[2] A physician who does not treat children is not required to complete child abuse reporter training. A physician who does not provide end-of-life care is not required to complete palliative care CME. Physicians should document both the completion of any mandatory training they take and the rationale for whether each topic applies to their practice.
Do Iowa MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
No. Iowa does not maintain a separate osteopathic licensing board — DOs and MDs are both licensed by the Iowa Board of Medicine and subject to the same CME requirements (40 hours per renewal cycle).[1]

Never miss a Iowa CME deadline.

Atlas CME tracks your hours, maps them to your state requirements, and reminds you before your your license anniversary renewal.

Start tracking freeSee how it works

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 Education for Physicians — Iowa DIAL
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Forty 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 renewal period. … A physician who certifies or recertifies with an ABMS or AOA specialty board during the license renewal period may claim 50 Category 1 credits.”Iowa DIAL CME Page
    “Effective July 1, 2019, the Iowa Department of Human Services assumed responsibility for mandatory reporting training. The requirement changed from every five years to every three years.”IAAFP State-Mandated Training
    “For end-of-life care, physicians must complete 2 hours of Category 1 credits for end-of-life care every five years. This requirement applies to primary care providers including family physicians, emergency physicians, and internists.”IAAFP Chronic Pain and End-of-Life Training
    “The Iowa legislature enacted new CME requirements for chronic pain management. The new law eliminated the Board's current rules and requires physicians to complete CME that focuses on the CDC guideline for proper opioid prescribing.”IAAFP Chronic Pain and End-of-Life Training
  2. Iowa Board of Medicine Mandated CME — Iowa Academy of Family Physicians
    Secondary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “Effective July 1, 2019, the Iowa Department of Human Services assumed responsibility for mandatory reporting training. The requirement changed from every five years to every three years.”

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 Iowa 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.

Privacy policyTerms of serviceContact