Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision · MD

60 hours. Every three years. Tied to your license expiration.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from OBMLS~5 min read
Licensed as a DO instead? Oklahoma has a separate osteopathic board. See Oklahoma DO CME requirements →

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 21, 2026

Mandatory topics

Oklahoma has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 60-hour total.

Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Oklahoma cycle automatically. Start tracking free →
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 / controlled substances[1]
3 hrs
Triennial

Allopathic MDs who hold a valid DEA registration

View sourceVerbatim from source
“1 hour per year (3 hours total over the triennial window) devoted to pain management OR opioid use/addiction. Applies only to physicians who hold a valid DEA registration number; those without DEA authority are exempt from this sub-requirement.”
OBMLS CME Guidelines (Mar 2023)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Oklahoma 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 60 hrs
60 hours of Category I CME, accredited by the AMA, OSMA (Oklahoma State Medical Association), AAFP, or other certifying organization recognized by the Board. All 60 hours must be Category 1.SourceOBMLS CME Guidelines[1]
AAFP Prescribed
AAFP is listed among the recognized certifying organizations for Category 1 CME.SourceOBMLS CME Guidelines[1]
Board-approved credit
'or other certifying organization recognized by the Board.' OSMA (Oklahoma State Medical Association) is a named recognized provider.SourceOBMLS CME Guidelines[1]
Documentation & audit

Per OBMLS CME Guidelines: 60 hours of Category I CME required; cycle measured against the preceding 3 calendar years at each annual license renewal.[1] No other subject-matter breakdown is required beyond the opioid/pain hour for DEA holders.

Waivers & exemptions

For newly licensed Oklahoma MDs, the three-year CME reporting cycle begins on the date licensure was granted. The first cycle runs for three years from the initial licensure date rather than a shared calendar boundary.[1]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Oklahoma physicians need?
Oklahoma MDs licensed by the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision must complete 60 hours of Category 1 continuing medical education every three years.[1] Oklahoma DOs licensed by the separate Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners must complete 16 AOA Category 1 hours every year, with 1 of those hours on controlled dangerous substance prescribing for DOs with CDS authority.[2] The two pathways are regulated by different boards and have fundamentally different cycle lengths.
Does Oklahoma have mandatory CME topics for MDs?
Only conditionally. Oklahoma MDs regulated by the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision who hold a valid DEA registration must complete 1 hour per year devoted to pain management or opioid use/addiction, totaling 3 hours over the triennial cycle per the OBMLS CME Guidelines (March 2023 revision, 59 O.S. § 495a.1).[1] MDs without a DEA registration are exempt from this sub-requirement. There is no cultural competency requirement and no infectious disease rule in the OBMLS CME Guidelines. DOs under the separate osteopathic board must additionally complete 1 hour per year on controlled dangerous substance prescribing as part of their 16-hour annual total if they hold CDS authority.[2]
Why do Oklahoma MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
Oklahoma is one of a small number of states that regulates MDs and DOs through entirely separate boards. The Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision (for MDs) and the Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners (for DOs) set independent CME rules, and the two boards have historically adopted different cycle lengths and mandatory topics. This is why Oklahoma MDs face a triennial 60-hour cycle while Oklahoma DOs face an annual 16-hour cycle with a conditional 1-hour CDS requirement.
When does the Oklahoma MD CME cycle begin?
For newly licensed Oklahoma MDs, the three-year CME reporting cycle begins on the date licensure was granted. The first compliance report is due three years from that date, not at a calendar year boundary. The OBMLS CME Guidelines measure the requirement against the preceding 3 calendar years at each annual license renewal.[1]
What credit types does Oklahoma accept?
Per the OBMLS CME Guidelines, the Board accepts Category I credit from providers accredited by the AMA, OSMA (Oklahoma State Medical Association), AAFP, or another certifying organization recognized by the Board.[1] DOs under the osteopathic board primarily use AOA Category 1 credit (16 hours annually); ABMS-certified DOs may substitute 16 AMA Category 1 credit hours per OAC 510:10-3-8(b)(1).[2]
Do Oklahoma MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
Yes, and the differences are fundamental. Oklahoma licenses DOs through the Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners (OSBOE, OAC 510:10-3-8), a board entirely separate from the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision that regulates MDs.[2] MDs must complete 60 hours of Category 1 CME per triennial cycle; DOs must complete 16 AOA Category 1 hours every single year (annual renewal before July 1). For DOs with CDS authority, 1 of those 16 hours must cover controlled dangerous substance prescribing (pain management, opioid use, or addiction). ABMS-certified DOs may substitute AMA Category 1 credit for AOA hours. All CME data for DOs is submitted through CE Broker. See [DO board requirements](/cme-requirements/oklahoma/osteopathic) for the complete osteopathic requirements.

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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. Oklahoma Medical Board CME Requirements FAQ
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “1 hour per year (3 hours total over the triennial window) devoted to pain management OR opioid use/addiction. Applies only to physicians who hold a valid DEA registration number; those without DEA authority are exempt from this sub-requirement.”OBMLS CME Guidelines (Mar 2023)
  2. Oklahoma State Board of Osteopathic Examiners — Title 510 Chapter 10
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Annual license renewal requires proof of having attended and received credit for sixteen (16) American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Category One hours of Continuing Medical Education (CME). … One (1) hour every year of the required sixteen (16) hours shall be devoted to the subject of prescribing Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) as defined in Title 21, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 1308 or Title 63 of the Oklahoma Statutes. … Those osteopathic physicians who are licensed in Oklahoma who do not possess the State Bureau of Narcotics and Drug Enforcement Administration authority to handle CDS are exempt from this requirement.”OAC 510:10-3-8

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 Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, 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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