Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination · OSTEOPATHIC

40 hours biennially. Tennessee-specific controlled-substance CME. Preceptor credit up to 20 hours.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from TBOE~1 min read
Licensed as an MD instead? Tennessee regulates MDs through a separate board. See Tennessee MD CME requirements →

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated July 4, 2026

Mandatory topics

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

Opioid/Substance Use[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Universal mandate applying to ALL licensees regardless of DEA registration status. Statutory exemption under T.C.A. 63-1-402(c) applies to board-certified specialists in qualifying fields (pain management, anesthesiology, PM&R, neurology, rheumatology). Counts within the 40-hour total. Primary source verified 2026-04-19.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“continuing medical education related to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department”
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1050-02-.12(1)(b)See source [1] in Primary Sources
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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Tennessee 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
AOA Category 1-A
DOs only
DO CME is tracked in AOA Categories I-A, II-A, and I-B. Courses must be approved in content, structure, and/or format by the AOA, ACCME, ACCME-recognized state medical associations, or the AAFP as prescribed credit.Source1050-02-.12(1)(a)/(2)(a)[2]
AMA PRA Category 1
DOs only
ACCME-accredited (AMA PRA Category 1-equivalent) CME explicitly accepted alongside AOA-category CME. No separate minimum for AMA vs. AOA credit.Source1050-02-.12(2)(a)[2]
AAFP Prescribed
DOs only
AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted on equal terms with AOA and ACCME credit.Source1050-02-.12(2)(b)[2]
AOA_CATEGORY_1B
DOs onlymax 20 hrs
No more than 20 hours of the 40-hour biennial requirement may be obtained in AOA Category I-B. Preceptor work in an AOA-approved osteopathic medical education program earns one Category I-B credit per hour of preceptor work actually performed, up to 50% of the biennial requirement.Source1050-02-.12(1)(c)[2]
Documentation & audit

Documentation must be retained for 4 years from the end of the calendar year in which the CME was acquired.[2] Acceptable documentation: original/photocopy provider certificates or letters, AAFP CME documentation, or official transcripts.[3]

Waivers & exemptions

Board-certified DOs (ABMS, AOA, or ABPS) in pain management, anesthesiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, or rheumatology, and providers practicing at a registered pain management clinic, are exempt from the 2-hour controlled substance prescribing requirement (but still owe 40 hours total CME).

Board may waive CME requirements for illness, disability, or other undue hardship beyond the control of the licensee. Written request must be sent to the Board's Administrative Office prior to the expiration of the renewal period in which the CME is due, and prior to the application for renewal.[2]

Retired-status licensees are exempt from all CME requirements. Exemption applies to those whose license is in retired status pursuant to rule 1050-02-.08.[2]

DOs who obtain licensure in the same calendar year as successful completion of the NBOME, COMLEX, or USMLE Step 3 are exempt from CME requirements for that calendar year only.[2]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Tennessee DOs need?
Tennessee DOs must complete 40 hours of CME during the 24-month period ending on the licensee's license expiration date, in AOA Category I-A, II-A, and/or I-B.[2] The Board's published CME FAQ confirms DOs may concentrate all 40 hours in a single year within the two-year window.[3] AMA PRA Category 1 (ACCME-accredited) and AAFP Prescribed credit are accepted on equal terms with AOA credit.[2] Preceptor credit is available at up to 50% of the requirement (20 hours).
How is the Tennessee DO rule different from the MD rule?
Tennessee DOs are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination; MDs are licensed by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners. Core numerical and content requirements — 40 hours per two-year renewal cycle and the 2-hour Tennessee-specific controlled-substance prescribing CME — are substantively identical, with the same specialty-based exemptions for pain management, anesthesiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, and rheumatology.[2] The Board's published CME FAQ documents a lower civil-penalty rate for DOs ($40 per deficient Category I-A/II-A hour versus $100 per hour for MDs), plus a requirement that deficient licensees complete 10 additional penalty hours.[3]
What qualifies a Tennessee DO for preceptor credit?
Osteopathic physicians serving as preceptors in an AOA-approved osteopathic medical education program may earn one AOA Category I-B credit for each hour of preceptor work actually performed.[3] The Category I-B cap is 20 hours — 50% of the 40-hour biennial requirement.[2] Documentation must be retained for 4 years following the close of the calendar year in which the CME was completed.

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Other roles in Tennessee

Osteopathic Physicians (DO) 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. https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/1050/1050-02.20220721.pdf
    Source
    Show verbatim text
    “continuing medical education related to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department”Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1050-02-.12(1)(b)
  2. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1050-02-.12 — Continuing Education Requirements (Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “During the twenty-four (24) month period ending on the licensee's expiration date, all licensees must complete forty (40) hours of courses approved by the Board in Category I-A, II-A and/or I-B continuing medical education as defined by the American Osteopathic Association ("A.O.A").”1050-02-.12(1)(a) · Effective 2022-07-21
  3. Continuing Medical Education FAQs — Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-18
    Show verbatim text
    “All osteopathic physicians must complete forty (40) hours in the two calendar years preceding the year of license renewal.”

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 Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination, 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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