Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine · MD

100 hours. Every two years. Tied to your calendar year.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from PSBM~7 min read
Licensed as a DO instead? Pennsylvania has a separate osteopathic board. See Pennsylvania DO CME requirements →

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 20, 2026

Mandatory topics

For physicians, 100 hours is the total CME requirement. Pennsylvania also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 100-hour total.

Legal / risk[1]
12 hrs
Biennial
Approved topics include improving medical records, reducing medical errors, professional conduct and ethics, improving communications, preventative medicine, and healthcare quality improvements. Child abuse (Act 31) and ABC-MAP opioid hours cannot be counted toward this mandate. Counts within the 100-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“At least 12 of the 100 hours must be completed in activities related to patient safety or risk management and may be completed in either Category 1 or 2.”
PA Board of Medicine MD CME Fact SheetSee source [1] in Primary Sources
Abuse Reporting[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Must come from a Board-approved provider. Verification must be submitted electronically and directly from the course provider — this can take up to 7 days. Applies regardless of any other CME exemption, including family-only-care status. Cannot count toward the 12-hour patient safety mandate.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Two (2) hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements must be completed for renewal or reactivation of a license. ...Verification of completion must be sent electronically and directly from the course provider. It may take up to 7 days for the provider to submit the records to office.”
PA Board of Medicine MD CME Fact Sheet (Act 31)See source [1] in Primary Sources
Opioid / controlled substances[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Applies to all licensed MDs — the state treats physicians as prescribers/dispensers by default, and even the family-only-care exemption explicitly retains this requirement. Content must cover pain management, identification of addiction, or practices of prescribing or dispensing opioids. Must be from a Board-approved provider. Cannot count toward the 12-hour patient safety mandate.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Section 9.1(a)(2) of ABC-MAP requires that all prescribers or dispensers, as defined in Section 3 of ABC-MAP, complete at least two hours of continuing education in pain management, the identification of addiction or in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids…”
ABC-MAP § 9.1(a)(2) (Act 191 of 2014)See source [1] in Primary Sources
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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Pennsylvania 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 20 hrs
20 of the 100 credit hours must be AMA PRA Category 1 activities from an accredited provider.SourcePA Board of Medicine MD CME Fact Sheet[1]
Category 2 continuing education
max 80 hrs
Category 2 credit is self-designated per AMA definition and covers teaching, reading authoritative medical literature, consultation, self-assessment, medical writing, preceptorship, research, and peer review. Calculated at 60 minutes = 1 credit in 0.25-hour increments. Courses in office management or practice building do not qualify.SourcePA Board of Medicine MD CME Fact Sheet[1]
Board-approved credit
Act 31 child abuse and ABC-MAP opioid mandates must come from Board-approved providers. PRA / Board Certification certificates 'are NOT proof of CME compliance by themselves' — the physician must supply the underlying certificates/documents.SourcePA Board of Medicine MD CME Fact Sheet[1]
Documentation & audit

Licensees must retain records of CME compliance for a period of five years following the biennial registration for which the CME was required.[1] Five-year retention is longer than most states.

The biennial period runs January 1 of the odd year through December 31 of the next even year — e.g., January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2026.[1] All Pennsylvania physicians share the same calendar-year renewal deadline (December 31 of even years).

Waivers & exemptions

A licensee who holds an active/retired license and who provides care only to immediate family members shall be exempt from continuing medical education, except for: 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting requirements and 2 hours of continuing education in pain management, the identification of addiction or in the practice of prescribing or dispensing of opioids.[1]

A physician applying for licensure in this Commonwealth for the first time shall be exempt from the continuing medical education requirement for the biennial renewal period in which initial licensure is acquired.[1]

A physician holding a temporary training license within the renewal cycle shall be exempt from the continuing medical education requirement.[1]

A physician who is on inactive status shall be exempt from the continuing medical education requirement.[1] Reactivation from Expired/Inactive/Active-Retired requires proof of compliance for the preceding renewal period.

The board may grant a hardship waiver of all or a part of the continuing medical education requirement in cases of serious illness, military service, or other good cause.[1] Waiver must be requested in writing with documentation at least 90 days before the end of the biennial renewal period. Applies only to physicians in Active status seeking to renew to Active.

FAQ
How many CME hours do Pennsylvania physicians need?
Pennsylvania physicians licensed by the State Board of Medicine must complete 100 hours of continuing medical education every two years.[1][2] Of those 100 hours, 20 must be AMA PRA Category 1 activities; the remaining 80 may be Category 1 or Category 2. Within the 100, 12 hours must be patient safety / risk management, 2 hours must be child abuse recognition and reporting (Act 31), and 2 hours must be pain management / opioid prescribing (ABC-MAP). The biennial period runs January 1 of an odd year through December 31 of the following even year.
Are there mandatory CME topics in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Three topic mandates apply: 12 hours of patient safety / risk management (Cat 1 or 2); 2 hours of child abuse recognition and reporting from a Board-approved provider (Act 31 of 2014); and 2 hours of pain management, identification of addiction, or opioid prescribing/dispensing from a Board-approved provider (ABC-MAP).[1][3][4] The child abuse and opioid hours cannot count toward the 12-hour patient safety mandate.
Where can I check my Pennsylvania medical license renewal date?
Pennsylvania's PALS (Pennsylvania Licensing System) at pals.pa.gov provides license verification and renewal status. Search by name or license number to confirm your registration status and expiration date. The biennial cycle runs January 1 of an odd year through December 31 of the following even year, and all Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine physicians share the same deadline.[1]
When does the Pennsylvania CME cycle end?
The Pennsylvania medical license renewal cycle for MDs ends December 31 of every even-numbered year.[1] All Pennsylvania MDs have the same hard deadline, regardless of when they were originally licensed. DOs are regulated by the separate State Board of Osteopathic Medicine, which uses a different biennial cycle: November 1 of an even year through October 31 of the next even year. DO requirements are otherwise substantively parallel to MD rules.
Does Pennsylvania accept Category 2 CME?
Yes. Only 20 of the 100 required hours must be AMA PRA Category 1; the remaining 80 may be Category 2 (self-designated activities that meet the AMA definition of CME, such as teaching, reading authoritative medical literature, consultation, self-assessment, medical writing, preceptorship, research, and peer review).[1] Calculation is 60 minutes = 1 Category 2 credit in 0.25-credit increments.
Do Pennsylvania MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
The requirements are substantively parallel but administratively distinct. Pennsylvania licenses DOs through the State Board of Osteopathic Medicine under 49 Pa. Code Ch. 25, separately from the State Board of Medicine that regulates MDs. Both require 100 hours per biennial cycle with the same mandatory topics (12 hours patient safety/risk management, 2 hours Act 31 child abuse, 2 hours ABC-MAP opioid). The material differences are: (a) the DO biennial period runs November 1 of an even year through October 31 of the next even year, versus MDs' January 1 (odd year) through December 31 (even year); and (b) the 20-hour Category 1-type minimum must be AOA Category 1-A for DOs (not AMA PRA Category 1). See [DO board requirements](/cme-requirements/pennsylvania/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. State Board of Medicine CME Requirements for MD Physician and Surgeon License — PA Department of State
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “In order to renew a license, completion of 100 credit hours of continuing medical education in the preceding biennial period, which runs from January 1 of the odd year through December 31 of the next even year, will be required for medical doctors. … Twenty (20) of the 100 credit hours must be completed in AMA PRA Category 1 activities. At least 12 of the 100 hours must be completed in activities related to patient safety or risk management and may be completed in either Category 1 or 2.”PA Board of Medicine MD CME Fact Sheet
    “At least 12 of the 100 hours must be completed in activities related to patient safety or risk management and may be completed in either Category 1 or 2.”PA Board of Medicine MD CME Fact Sheet
    “Two (2) hours of Board-approved continuing education in child abuse recognition and reporting requirements must be completed for renewal or reactivation of a license. ...Verification of completion must be sent electronically and directly from the course provider. It may take up to 7 days for the provider to submit the records to office.”PA Board of Medicine MD CME Fact Sheet (Act 31)
    “Section 9.1(a)(2) of ABC-MAP requires that all prescribers or dispensers, as defined in Section 3 of ABC-MAP, complete at least two hours of continuing education in pain management, the identification of addiction or in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids…”ABC-MAP § 9.1(a)(2) (Act 191 of 2014)
  2. 49 Pa. Code § 16.19 — State Board of Medicine Continuing Medical Education
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-20
    Show verbatim text
    “Renewal requires proof of completion of 100 credit hours of continuing medical education in the preceding biennial period, including at least 2 hours of approved training in child abuse recognition and reporting. Of the 100 credit hours: at least 20 must be in AMA PRA Category 1; at least 12 must be in Category 1 or 2 covering patient safety and risk management; remaining hours may be Category 1 or 2.”49 Pa. Code § 16.19
  3. Act 31 of 2014 — Child Abuse CE
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
  4. Act 191 of 2014 (ABC-MAP) — Opioid Prescribing CE
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17

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 Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine, 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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