Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners · MD

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

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from NSBME~8 min read
Licensed as a DO instead? Nevada has a separate osteopathic board. See Nevada DO CME requirements →

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated July 9, 2026

Mandatory topics

For physicians, 40 hours is the total CME requirement. Nevada also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 40-hour total.

Ethics, Pain Management, or Addiction Care[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Two hours in medical ethics, per the rule text (NAC 630.153(1): '...2 hours of which must be in medical ethics...'). Universal mandate. Counts within the 40-hour total. The Board's own CME Requirements Summary presents this as a pick-one menu — a minimum of 2 hours of Ethics, Pain Management, or Addiction Care CME each biennium — allowing pain management or addiction care training to substitute for ethics.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“each holder of a license to practice medicine shall, at the time of the biennial registration, submit to the Board by the final date set by the Board for submitting applications for biennial registration evidence, in such form as the Board requires, that he or she has completed 40 hours of continuing medical education during the preceding 2 years in one or more educational programs, 2 hours of which must be in medical ethics and 20 hours of which must be in the scope of practice or specialty of the holder of the license.”
NAC 630.153(1)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Suicide Prevention[2]
2 hrs
Quadrennial
Two hours on evidence-based suicide detection, intervention, and prevention every four years for all licensees. New licensees must complete within 2 years of initial licensure; the quadrennial cycle begins after that first completion. Counts within the 40-hour total in the biennium completed.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“The Board shall require each holder of a license to practice medicine to receive as a portion of his or her continuing education at least 2 hours of instruction every 4 years on evidence-based suicide prevention and awareness”
NRS 630.253See source [2] in Primary Sources
General[1]
20 hrs
Biennial
Half your hours must be in your own specialty or scope of practice. Counts within the 40-hour total — not an add-on.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“each holder of a license to practice medicine shall, at the time of the biennial registration, submit to the Board by the final date set by the Board for submitting applications for biennial registration evidence, in such form as the Board requires, that he or she has completed 40 hours of continuing medical education during the preceding 2 years in one or more educational programs, 2 hours of which must be in medical ethics and 20 hours of which must be in the scope of practice or specialty of the holder of the license.”
NAC 630.153(1)See source [1] in Primary Sources
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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.

ConditionalOpioid/Substance Use[2]
2 hrs
Biennial

Physicians registered to dispense controlled substances under NRS 453.231

View sourceVerbatim from source
“The Board shall, by regulation, require each physician or physician assistant who is registered to dispense controlled substances pursuant to [NRS 453.231](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-453.html#NRS453Sec231) to complete at least 2 hours of training relating specifically to persons with substance use and other addictive disorders and the prescribing of opioids during each period of licensure.”
NRS 630.2535(1)See source [2] in Primary Sources
ConditionalOpioid/Substance Use[2]
2 hrs
One-time

Physicians within their first 2 years of initial Nevada licensure

View sourceVerbatim from source
“Must provide for the completion of at least 2 hours of training in the screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment approach to substance use disorder within 2 years after initial licensure.”
NRS 630.253(2)(c) — a standalone, universal, one-time SBIRT training requirement, distinct from the CS-dispenser-gated opioid training above and from the suicide-prevention requirement below. Applies to every physician within their first 2 years of licensure, regardless of controlled-substance-dispenser status.See source [2] in Primary Sources
ConditionalCultural Competency & Health Equity[2]
2 hrs
Biennial

Psychiatrists and PAs supervised by psychiatrists

View sourceVerbatim from source
“biennial completion by each psychiatrist and each physician assistant practicing under the supervision of a psychiatrist of one or more courses of instruction that provide at least 2 hours of instruction relating to cultural competency and diversity, equity and inclusion.”
NRS 630.253(2)(d) — also referenced in the NSBME CME summary.See source [2] in Primary Sources
ConditionalHIV Stigma and Bias Training[2]
2 hrs
One-time

MDs providing or supervising emergency department care or primary care in hospital settings

View sourceVerbatim from source
“physician or physician assistant who provides or supervises the provision of emergency medical services in a hospital or primary care of at least 2 hours of training in the stigma, discrimination and unrecognized bias toward persons who have acquired or are at a high risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus within 2 years after beginning to provide or supervise the provision of such services or care.”
NRS 630.253(2)(f)See source [2] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Nevada 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
NSBME requires AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from ACCME-accredited providers or NSBME-approved programs. AOA Category 1 credits alone do NOT satisfy the NSBME requirement for MDs — AOA credit must carry dual AMA accreditation.SourceNAC 630.153(2)[1]
Board-approved credit
NSBME offers a double-credit incentive of up to 4 hours for coursework in geriatrics/gerontology, effective management of medications, and diagnosis of rare diseases including pediatric cancer.SourceNAC 630.155[1]
Documentation & audit

The NSBME biennial reporting period runs July 1 through June 30 two years later. It is a fixed statewide cycle, not anchored to individual birth date or license anniversary, though new-licensee hour totals are prorated based on which half-year of the biennium the license was issued.[1]

Waivers & exemptions

Inactive licensees. CMEs are not required for licensees on inactive status per the NSBME CME summary.

Prorated new-licensee requirement. New licensees receive prorated hours based on which half-year of the biennium their license was issued: 40 hours if licensed in the first six months, 30 if licensed in the second, 20 if licensed in the third, and 10 if licensed in the fourth.[1]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Nevada physicians need?
Nevada MDs licensed by the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners must complete 40 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit every two years, with the reporting cycle running July 1 through June 30 two years later.[1] Nevada DOs licensed by the separate Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine must complete 35 hours annually (scheduled to increase to 40 hours annually in 2027 under AB 56). The two boards are independent, and a physician must identify which one holds their license before planning coursework.
Does Nevada require opioid CME?
Yes, but only for prescribers of controlled substances. MDs registered to dispense controlled substances under NRS 453.231 must complete two hours of CME biennially on the misuse and abuse of controlled substances, opioid prescribing, or addiction.[2] The two hours count within the 40-hour total. Nevada DOs have a materially different rule under NSBOM: the 2-hour annual controlled substance CME requirement applies to ALL licensed DOs regardless of whether they hold a CS registration — not just CS registrants as the NSBME rule requires. The federal DEA MATE Act one-time eight-hour substance use disorder training operates in parallel and does not replace the state rule.
What is Nevada's suicide prevention CME requirement?
Two hours of CME on evidence-based suicide detection, intervention, and prevention are required every four years for all NSBME-licensed physicians.[2] Older secondary sources incorrectly limit this requirement to psychiatrists. The correct rule, per the NSBME CME summary effective July 1, 2023, is that the requirement applies to all licensees with a four-year cadence. Nevada DOs have a similar rule under NSBOM, with completion required within two years of licensure and every four years thereafter.
Does Nevada still require WMD/bioterrorism CME?
No. Nevada AB 56 (passed in 2025) repealed the prior four-hour new-licensee WMD/bioterrorism training requirement for MDs licensed by NSBME. Any source still citing this requirement is out of date. The SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment) requirement, by contrast, is still an active, ongoing rule — NRS 630.253(2)(c) requires every physician to complete 2 hours of SBIRT training within 2 years of initial licensure. Physicians licensed well before 2025 have generally already closed this out, but it remains a live requirement for every new NSBME licensee.
Do MDs and DOs follow different CME rules in Nevada?
Yes, and the differences are substantial. Nevada maintains two separate boards (the Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners for MDs and the Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine for DOs) with materially different CME structures. NSBME uses a biennial 40-hour framework; NSBOM uses an annual 35-hour framework that is scheduled to increase to 40 hours annually in 2027. A Nevada physician who is uncertain which board regulates their license should check the license verification tools at medboard.nv.gov (NSBME) or bom.nv.gov (NSBOM).
Do Nevada MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
Yes, substantially. Nevada licenses DOs through the Nevada State Board of Osteopathic Medicine (NSBOM, bom.nv.gov) under NRS Chapter 633, separately from the NSBME that regulates MDs. NSBOM requires 35 hours annually (scheduled to increase to 40 hours annually in 2027 under AB 56) versus NSBME's biennial 40-hour cycle. NSBOM additionally requires at least 10 hours annually of AOA Category 1-A or AMA Category 1 credit and a 2-hour annual opioid/addiction CME for all licensed DOs regardless of CS registration status — a broader obligation than the NSBME rule, which applies the opioid CE only to MDs registered to dispense controlled substances. The suicide prevention (2 hrs/4 yrs) and specialty-specific conditional requirements are structurally parallel. See [DO board requirements](/cme-requirements/nevada/osteopathic) for the complete osteopathic requirements.

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Other roles in Nevada

Physicians CME requirements in other states

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. NAC 630.153 — Continuing Medical Education (Nevada Administrative Code)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “Each physician who is registered pursuant to NRS 630.267 must complete 40 hours of continuing medical education during the preceding 2 years, 2 hours of which must be in medical ethics and 20 hours of which must be in the scope of practice or specialty.”NAC 630.153
    “each holder of a license to practice medicine shall, at the time of the biennial registration, submit to the Board by the final date set by the Board for submitting applications for biennial registration evidence, in such form as the Board requires, that he or she has completed 40 hours of continuing medical education during the preceding 2 years in one or more educational programs, 2 hours of which must be in medical ethics and 20 hours of which must be in the scope of practice or specialty of the holder of the license.”NAC 630.153(1)
  2. NRS 630.253 — Active Licensees: Continuing Education
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “The Board shall require each holder of a license to practice medicine to receive as a portion of his or her continuing education at least 2 hours of instruction every 4 years on evidence-based suicide prevention and awareness”NRS 630.253
    “The Board shall, by regulation, require each physician or physician assistant who is registered to dispense controlled substances pursuant to [NRS 453.231](https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-453.html#NRS453Sec231) to complete at least 2 hours of training relating specifically to persons with substance use and other addictive disorders and the prescribing of opioids during each period of licensure.”NRS 630.2535(1)
    “Must provide for the completion of at least 2 hours of training in the screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment approach to substance use disorder within 2 years after initial licensure.”NRS 630.253(2)(c) — a standalone, universal, one-time SBIRT training requirement, distinct from the CS-dispenser-gated opioid training above and from the suicide-prevention requirement below. Applies to every physician within their first 2 years of licensure, regardless of controlled-substance-dispenser status.
    “biennial completion by each psychiatrist and each physician assistant practicing under the supervision of a psychiatrist of one or more courses of instruction that provide at least 2 hours of instruction relating to cultural competency and diversity, equity and inclusion.”NRS 630.253(2)(d) — also referenced in the NSBME CME summary.
    “physician or physician assistant who provides or supervises the provision of emergency medical services in a hospital or primary care of at least 2 hours of training in the stigma, discrimination and unrecognized bias toward persons who have acquired or are at a high risk of acquiring human immunodeficiency virus within 2 years after beginning to provide or supervise the provision of such services or care.”NRS 630.253(2)(f)
    “The Board shall, by regulation, require each physician or physician assistant who is registered to dispense controlled substances pursuant to NRS 453.231 to complete at least 2 hours of training relating specifically to persons with substance use and other addictive disorders and the prescribing of opioids during each period of licensure.”NRS 630.2535(1)

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 Nevada State Board of Medical Examiners, 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 medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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