Maryland Board of Physicians · MD

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

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from MBP~6 min read

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

Mandatory topics

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

Cultural competency[1]
Hrs vary
One-time
Maryland HB 783 / Chapter 478 (2025), effective for renewals on or after April 1, 2026. All health occupation licensees — including physicians — must complete both implicit bias training and structural racism training, once in a career, as a condition of license renewal. Hours are not specified in the statute; duration depends on the program approved by the Maryland Department of Health Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities. Implicit bias training is waived for physicians who previously completed it; structural racism training is the new requirement at first renewal on/after 4/1/2026.
View detailsEditorial summary
Md. HB 783 / Ch. 478 (2025); Md. Health Occ. § 1-225; Md. Health-Gen. § 20-1306See source [1] in Primary Sources
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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Maryland 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
min 25 hrs
At least 25 of the 50 biennial hours must be Category 1. AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from ACCME-accredited providers satisfies the Category 1 minimum.SourceCOMAR 10.32.01.10(C)(1)[2]
AOA Category 1-A
Maryland jointly licenses MDs and DOs; AOA Category 1-A credit is accepted toward the Category 1 minimum.SourceCOMAR 10.32.01.10(C)[2]
AAFP Prescribed
AAFP Prescribed credit is customarily accepted as Category 1 equivalent.SourceCOMAR 10.32.01.10(C)[2]
Category 2 continuing education
max 25 hrs
Up to 25 of the 50 hours may be Category II CME. COMAR 10.32.01.10(C)(2)(c) also awards 50 hours for a full year of full-time accredited training; COMAR 10.32.01.10(C)(2)(d) awards up to 10 hours for medical record review performed as a Board designee.SourceCOMAR 10.32.01.10(C)(2)(c)-(d)[2]
ABMS Maintenance of Certification
Active time-limited ABMS, AOA Certifying Board, or Canadian Royal College certification — with proof dated no more than 5 years before renewal — is accepted in lieu of the 50-hour CME requirement.SourceCOMAR 10.32.01.10(E)(2)[2]
AOA Maintenance of Certification
DOs only
An active time-limited AOA Certifying Board certification deems the CME requirement met.SourceCOMAR 10.32.01.10(E)(2)(a)[2]
Documentation & audit

Documentation must be retained for six years for possible inspection by the Board of Physicians. Documentation is not submitted at renewal unless the physician is randomly selected for audit.[2]

Waivers & exemptions

First-time license renewals are exempt from the CME requirement. Physicians renewing for the first time after initial Maryland licensure do not need to report CME for that cycle.

Physicians holding current time-limited board certification from ABMS member boards, AOA Certifying Boards, or Canadian Royal Colleges may satisfy the CME requirement through maintenance of a certification dated no longer than 5 years prior to the renewal date.

FAQ
How many CME hours do Maryland physicians need?
Maryland physicians licensed by the Maryland Board of Physicians must complete 50 credit hours of Category 1 or Category 2 continuing medical education during each two-year renewal cycle, with at least 25 of those hours earned as Category 1 credit.[2] Both MDs and DOs follow the same rule. First-time renewals are exempt from the requirement.[3]
Are there mandatory CME topics in Maryland?
No. The Maryland Board of Physicians does not currently impose recurring topic-specific CME mandates on general physician license renewal.[2] Physicians have broad latitude to design their CME around their own practice and specialty interests, as long as the activities maintain or develop knowledge, skills, and professional performance in basic medical sciences, clinical disciplines, or healthcare provision. This is different from states like Massachusetts and Texas, which require specific hours in topics like opioid prescribing, risk management, or implicit bias.
Is the first Maryland renewal CME-free?
Yes. Physicians completing their first biennial renewal after initial Maryland licensure are exempt from the CME requirement for that cycle.[3] This means new Maryland physicians have a full two-year runway before they need to demonstrate compliance, which gives physicians relocating from another state or transitioning out of residency time to settle in before the hour-tracking clock starts.
Does board certification substitute for CME in Maryland?
Yes, under specific conditions. Physicians holding current time-limited board certification from an ABMS member board, an AOA Certifying Board, or a Canadian Royal College may satisfy the CME requirement through maintenance of a certification dated no longer than five years prior to the renewal date.[2] Physicians actively participating in a recognized Maintenance of Certification program can typically rely on their MOC activity rather than tracking CME hours separately.
How long do I need to keep my Maryland CME records?
Six years. The Maryland Board of Physicians requires documentation to be retained for six years following the renewal cycle in which the CME was claimed.[2] Documentation is not submitted at renewal unless the physician is randomly selected for audit, but the six-year retention window means physicians should hold records across at least three renewal cycles. Failure to provide documentation during an audit can result in a $100 per credit penalty.[3]
Do Maryland MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
No. Maryland does not maintain a separate osteopathic licensing board — DOs and MDs are both licensed by the Maryland Board of Physicians and subject to the same CME requirements (50 hours per renewal cycle).[2]

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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. Md. HB 783 / Chapter 478 (2025) — Implicit Bias & Structural Racism Training
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
  2. COMAR 10.32.01.10 Continuing Medical Education (Physicians)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “In accordance with the requirements specified in §C(2) of this regulation, in a 2-year period, an applicant shall earn at least 50 credit hours of Category I or II CME, with at least 25 of those CME credit hours being Category 1. … The applicant has the affirmative obligation to obtain the requisite documentation of CME attendance and retain this documentation for the succeeding 6 years for possible inspection by the Board. … The applicant shall be considered to have met the requirements of §C(1) of this regulation if the applicant: Currently holds an active time-limited certification issued by: A member of the American Board of Medical Specialties; An American Osteopathic Association Certifying Board; The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada; or The College of Family Physicians of Canada; and Provides proof of maintenance of a time-limited Board certification that is dated no longer than 5 years prior to the renewal date.”COMAR 10.32.01.10
  3. Physician License Renewal (CME Tab) — Maryland Board of Physicians
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “Physicians applying for renewal of the license must earn at least 50 Category I or II CME credits in the two-year period preceding the license expiration date, with at least 25 of those CME credits being Category I. … The Board may impose a penalty of $100 per continuing medical education credit for failure to obtain the required continuing medical education credits. … Physicians are exempt from the continuing education requirement for the first license renewal.”MBP Physician Renewal page
  4. CME Resources — Maryland Board of Physicians
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21

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 Maryland Board of Physicians, 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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