State Medical Board of Ohio · MD

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

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from SMBO~5 min read

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated April 21, 2026

Mandatory topics

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

Legal & Risk Management[1]
1 hr
Biennial
Required of all MDs, DOs, and DPMs. This 1 hour counts toward the 50-hour biennial total, not in addition to it. Effective May 31, 2021.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“A licensee must complete a minimum of one hour of CME, approved by the board, on the topic of a licensee's duty to report misconduct under section [4731.224](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4731.224) of the Revised Code.”
OAC 4731-10-02(A)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.

ConditionalPain Management[2]
20 hrs
Biennial

Physicians who own or operate a pain management clinic, and physicians who provide care at a pain management clinic

View sourceVerbatim from source
“Each physician owner of a pain management clinic shall complete at least twenty hours of category I continuing medical education in pain medicine every two years, to include one or more courses addressing the potential for addiction.”
OAC 4731-29-01(B)(1)See source [2] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Ohio 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
AMA Category 1 educational activities certified by the Ohio State Medical Association, an accredited institution or organization, or directly by the American Medical Association.SourceOAC 4731-10-02(A)(1)[1]
AOA Category 1-A
DOs only
AOA Category 1 educational activities certified by the Ohio Osteopathic Association, an accredited organization, or directly by the American Osteopathic Association.SourceOAC 4731-10-02(A)(2)[1]
Board-approved credit
Ohio Foot and Ankle Medical Association certified activities; Council on Podiatric Medical Education approved providers; ACGME/AOA/CPME accredited internships, residencies, or fellowships at one CME hour per week; volunteer health care services to indigent/uninsured per ORC 4745.04.SourceOAC 4731-10-02(A)(3)-(6)[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

Per ORC 4731.282(D): 'The board shall adopt rules... providing for pro rata reductions in the number of hours of continuing medical education to be completed by practitioners who have been disabled due to illness or accident or have been absent from the country.'[3]

Per OAC 4731-10-02(E): 'Volunteer certificate holders must complete 150 hours of CME per registration period, with at least 75 hours meeting paragraph (A)(1) criteria.' Volunteer-certificate pathway is an alternative, not an exemption from CME.[1]

Per OAC 4731-10-02(F): 'Certificate of conceded eminence holders must complete 50 hours of CME meeting paragraph (A)(1) criteria.' Standard 50-hour obligation applies, all from Category 1.[1]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Ohio physicians need?
Ohio physicians must complete 50 hours of Category 1 continuing medical education every two years to renew with the State Medical Board of Ohio.[3][1] One of those 50 hours must address the licensee's duty to report misconduct. Acceptable sources include AMA PRA Category 1, AOA Category 1, podiatric credits (OFAMA and CPME), ACGME/AOA/CPME accredited training at one CME hour per week, and volunteer health care services under ORC 4745.04.
Are there mandatory CME topics in Ohio?
Yes — one hour per biennial cycle must address the licensee's duty to report misconduct under ORC 4731.224.[1] This is the only topic mandate the Administrative Code applies universally. DEA-registered physicians are separately subject to the federal MATE Act one-time 8-hour substance use disorder training, but that is a federal requirement enforced through DEA registration, not a State Medical Board of Ohio mandate.
Where can I check my Ohio medical license renewal date?
Ohio's eLicense system at elicense.ohio.gov/oh_verifylicense provides license verification. Search by name or license number to see your registration status and expiration date. Ohio physician renewal is biennial and the renewal period is based on the individual license expiration date, so every Ohio physician has their own due date rather than a shared calendar deadline.
What is the Ohio duty to report misconduct CME?
A minimum of one hour of each biennial cycle's CME must address the licensee's duty to report misconduct as set forth in Ohio Revised Code §4731.224.[1] The rule took effect May 31, 2021 and applies to all MDs, DOs, and DPMs. The one hour counts toward the 50-hour total; it is not in addition.
Do pain management clinic owners have additional CME requirements in Ohio?
Yes. Each physician owner of a pain management clinic and each physician who provides care at a pain management clinic must complete at least 20 hours of Category I CME in pain medicine every two years, including one or more courses addressing the potential for addiction.[2] Those 20 hours count toward the Category I portion of the 50-hour biennial physician CME requirement — they are not in addition to the 50-hour total. The rule is promulgated under ORC 4731.054, and ORC 4729.552(B)(2) makes compliance a condition of a clinic's category III terminal distributor license with a pain management clinic classification.
Do Ohio MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
No. Ohio does not maintain a separate osteopathic licensing board — DOs and MDs are both licensed by the State Medical Board of Ohio and subject to the same CME requirements (50 hours per renewal cycle).[3]

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Other roles in Ohio

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. Ohio Admin. Code 4731-10-02 — Requisite hours of continuing medical education for license renewal
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “During a registration period, licensees must complete fifty hours of CME. A minimum of one hour must address "a licensee's duty to report misconduct" as set forth in Ohio Revised Code section 4731.224.”OAC 4731-10-02 · Effective 2021-05-31
    “A licensee must complete a minimum of one hour of CME, approved by the board, on the topic of a licensee's duty to report misconduct under section [4731.224](https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-4731.224) of the Revised Code.”OAC 4731-10-02(A)
  2. Ohio Admin. Code 4731-29-01 — Standards and procedures for the operation of a pain management clinic
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Each physician owner of a pain management clinic shall complete at least twenty hours of category I continuing medical education in pain medicine every two years, to include one or more courses addressing the potential for addiction. The courses completed in compliance with this rule shall be accepted toward meeting the category I requirement for certificate of registration renewal for the physician.”OAC 4731-29-01 · Effective 2026-01-31
    “Each physician owner of a pain management clinic shall complete at least twenty hours of category I continuing medical education in pain medicine every two years, to include one or more courses addressing the potential for addiction.”OAC 4731-29-01(B)(1)
  3. Ohio Revised Code 4731.282 — Continuing Education; Domestic Violence and Child Abuse
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Each person holding a license to practice medicine and surgery, osteopathic medicine and surgery, or podiatric medicine and surgery issued by the state medical board shall complete biennially not less than fifty hours of continuing medical education that has been approved by the board, subject to the exceptions provided in division (D) of this section.”ORC 4731.282 · Effective 2023-10-03

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 State Medical Board of Ohio, 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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