Kansas CME Requirements for Physician Assistants

Mandatory topics

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

Pain management & end-of-life care[1]

1 hr

Annual

One Category III hour required per annual 50-hour cycle (2 per biennial cycle). Category III is a tagged subset of Category I or II content covering pain management, appropriate opioid prescribing, or K-TRACS PDMP use. Must be an internet or live activity. Universal mandate for all Kansas PAs. Counts within the annual total.

View sourceVerbatim from source

“At least 20 continuing education credit hours shall be acquired from category I and at least one continuing education credit hour shall be acquired from category III, if 50 continuing education credit hours are submitted with the renewal application”

K.A.R. 100-28a-5(a)(1)See source [1] in Primary Sources

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

Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Kansas 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 system	Notes
AAPA Category 1 PAs only	AAPA Category 1 credit qualifies as Kansas Category I (formal educational presentations under K.A.R. 100-15-4(b)).Source`K.A.R. 100-15-4(b)`[2]
AMA PRA Category 1 min 20 hrs	Minimum 20 Category I hours per year (40 per biennial cycle). AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from ACCME-accredited providers satisfies the Category I standard.Source`K.A.R. 100-28a-5(a)(1)`[1]
AOA Category 1-A	AOA Category 1-A credit qualifies as Kansas Category I.Source`K.A.R. 100-15-4(b)`[2]
AAFP Prescribed	AAFP Prescribed credit qualifies as Kansas Category I.Source`K.A.R. 100-15-4(b)`[2]
Category 2 self-directed activities max 30 hrs	Category II includes clinical consultations, QI participation, teaching, journal clubs, database use, and self-study. Up to 30 hours per year (60 per biennial cycle).Source`K.A.R. 100-15-4(c)`[2]
Board-approved credit PAs only	KSBHA accepts CE from any national, state, or local organization with standards at least as stringent as the board's. NCCPA certification maintenance is widely interpreted to qualify under this provision, though the regulation does not name NCCPA explicitly.Source`K.A.R. 100-28a-5(a)(3)`[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

PAs initially licensed within one year of a renewal date are exempt from CE requirements for their first renewal period.[1]

Licenses issued October 1 through December 31 expire December 31 of the following year, effectively extending the first renewal cycle.[3]

Extension of up to six months for PAs who cannot meet CE requirements due to documented hardship.[1]

FAQ

How many CE hours do Kansas PAs need?

Kansas PAs must complete 50 hours of continuing education per year, with at least 20 hours in Category I (formal educational presentations) and at least 1 hour in Category III (pain management, opioid prescribing, or PDMP use).[1] PAs may alternatively elect a biennial reporting cycle of 100 hours over two years, with 40 Category I hours and 2 Category III hours. The license itself always renews annually on December 31 regardless of which CE reporting cycle is chosen.[3]

Are there mandatory CE topics for PAs in Kansas?

Yes. Kansas requires at least 1 hour per year (or 2 hours per biennial cycle) of Category III credit covering pain management, appropriate opioid prescribing, or use of the K-TRACS prescription drug monitoring program.[1][2] The activity must be a live or internet-based program that also meets Category I or II content standards. These hours count within the overall 50-hour annual total rather than being required in addition to it.

Where can I check my Kansas PA license renewal date?

All Kansas PA licenses expire on December 31 of each year, so every PA in the state shares the same annual renewal deadline.[3] Renewal opens November 15. You can verify your license status through the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts website at ksbha.ks.gov. Late renewals are accepted through January 31 with a late fee, but after February 1 the license is cancelled.

Does NCCPA certification satisfy Kansas CE requirements?

Yes, with a caveat. The 2021 Kansas Register amendment to K.A.R. 100-28a-5(a)(3) explicitly lists 'evidence of current certification by the national commission on certification of physician assistants' as one of three acceptable renewal options.[1] Because the statute uses 'one of the following,' NCCPA certification appears to fully substitute for the 50- or 100-hour categorical CE requirement, including the Category III opioid/pain/PDMP hour. However, the primary source does not explicitly address whether Category III must be documented separately when renewing via NCCPA. PAs relying on this pathway should confirm the board's current interpretation directly with KSBHA.

50 hours. Every year. All licenses expire December 31.

Never miss a Kansas CME deadline.

Sources & Citations