Below is exactly what North Carolina Board of Podiatry Examiners requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.
Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed May 13, 2026
For Podiatrists, 25 hours is the total CME requirement. North Carolina also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 25-hour total.
“25 hours are required annually, including one hour of controlled substances prescribing practices and controlled substance prescribing for chronic pain management”
Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|
Category 1 (Live In-Person) 20–25 hrs | live, in-person seminars by the NC Foot & Ankle Society (NCF&AS); educational events from CPME-approved sponsors; lectures given by podiatrists. Limited to live in-person educational seminars.Sourcehttps://ncbpe.org/NCBPE/Content/CME_Approval_Process.aspx[1] |
Category 2 (Online / Journal / AMA / AOA) 0–5 hrs | courses approved by AMA or AOA; NC AHEC programs; online or medical journal courses approved by CPME.Sourcehttps://ncbpe.org/NCBPE/Content/CME_Approval_Process.aspx[1] |
Cycle framing divergence: N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-202.11 caps required study at 25 hours in any calendar year, while the Board's CME approval page describes the operational renewal period as July 1-June 30. Atlas tracks the statutory calendar-year basis for the CE period and notes the June 30 renewal deadline separately.
A licensed podiatrist participating in the second or third year of a medical residency or fellowship may submit a letter signed by the residency or fellowship director; this shall substitute for the 25-credit hour requirement and CME certificate.
Hardship waivers available for certified illness, medical conditions, natural disasters, or undue hardship. The Board may issue a conditional license with a maximum 24-month completion deadline.
Atlas CME tracks your hours, maps them to your state requirements, and reminds you before your the calendar year renewal.
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.
“25 hours are required annually, including one hour of controlled substances prescribing practices and controlled substance prescribing for chronic pain management”N.C. Gen. Stat. § 90-202.11