Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners · MD

40 hours. Every two years. Tied to your birth month.

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

Updated April 2026Sourced from TBME~6 min read
Licensed as a DO instead? Tennessee has a separate osteopathic board. See Tennessee DO CME requirements →

Reviewed by Doug Doehrman, MD · Last reviewed April 18, 2026

Mandatory topics

For 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 / controlled substances[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
Must be Tennessee-specific content — a generic prescribing course will not satisfy this requirement unless it explicitly states Tennessee content is included. Covers opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol per the Department's treatment guidelines. Authority: T.C.A. 63-1-402. Counts within the 40-hour total.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“Unless exempted by statute, two (2) of the forty (40) required hours must relate to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department's treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol...”
TN MD CME FAQSee 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
AMA PRA Category 1
min 40 hrs
All 40 hours must come from ACCME-accredited sponsors and be designated as meeting AMA Category 1 criteria. AAFP Prescribed and AOA prescribed credit also qualify.SourceTN MD CME FAQ[1]
AOA Category 1-A
DOs only
AOA prescribed credit is accepted for DOs on equal terms with AMA PRA Category 1.SourceTN MD CME FAQ[1]
AAFP Prescribed
AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted on equal terms with AMA PRA Category 1 and AOA prescribed credit.SourceTN MD CME FAQ[1]
Documentation & audit

All licensees must retain independent documentation of completion of all CME hours for a period of four (4) years from the end of the calendar year in which the CME was completed.[1]

All licensees are required to renew their license every two years. The renewal cycle is set up whereby everyone renews in their birth month. The year they renew depends on whether they were born in an even or odd year.[3]

Waivers & exemptions

Medical doctors and osteopathic physicians who are board certified by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS), American Osteopathic Association (AOA) or the American Board of Physician Specialties in one (1) or more of the following specialties or subspecialties do not have to complete the two (2) hour controlled substance prescribing course(s): pain management; anesthesiology; physical medicine and rehabilitation; neurology; or rheumatology.[1]

No, you do not have to complete CME if your license is retired (same for inactive licenses).[1] Retired and inactive-status licensees are not required to complete CME, though the Board may consider CME completion during reinstatement deliberations.

The Board may waive a physician's CME requirements for a two year licensure renewal timeframe in cases where illness, disability or other undue hardship beyond the control of the licensee prevents a licensee from complying.[1] Requests for waivers must be sent to the Board prior to the end of the renewal period during which the continuing medical education is due and prior to application for renewal.

Licensees enrolled in good standing in ACGME-approved residency or fellowship training program can receive up to twenty (20) hours of Tennessee continuing education credit for each year of enrollment.[1] Residents/fellows are still required to obtain the 2 hours of Tennessee-specific controlled substance prescribing education.

FAQ
How many CME hours do Tennessee physicians need?
Tennessee physicians licensed by the Board of Medical Examiners must complete 40 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 (or AOA/AAFP prescribed) credits in the 24 months preceding renewal.[1][2] Physicians may complete all 40 hours in a single year within the two-year cycle. The renewal cycle is biennial and tied to the licensee's birth month (even or odd years based on birth year).[3] DOs are licensed through the separate Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination, which requires the same 40 hours / 2 years load but tracks credits in AOA Categories I-A/II-A/I-B and allows up to 50% Category I-B preceptor credit.[4]
Are there mandatory CME topics in Tennessee?
Yes. 'Unless exempted by statute, two (2) of the forty (40) required hours must relate to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department's treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol.'[1][2] The 2 hours count within the 40-hour total. Physicians board-certified by ABMS, AOA, or ABPS in pain management, anesthesiology, PM&R, neurology, or rheumatology are exempt from the 2-hour CS requirement (not the 40-hour general requirement).
Where can I check my Tennessee medical license renewal date?
The Tennessee Department of Health operates a public licensure verification portal at apps.health.tn.gov/Licensure. 'The renewal cycle is set up whereby everyone renews in their birth month. The year they renew depends on whether they were born in an even or odd year.'[3]
Does Tennessee allow flexibility in when I complete my CME hours?
Yes. 'You may complete all or none of your required hours in a single year within your two year CME cycle, so long as forty total hours are completed within the appropriate two year timeframe.'[1]
What are the consequences of a CME deficiency in Tennessee?
A physician deficient in CME hours must (i) pay a civil penalty of $100 for each deficient Category I hour, (ii) make up the deficient hours, and (iii) complete 10 penalty hours.[1] These penalties are imposed through an Agreed Citation and posted to the Board's monthly disciplinary action report.
Do Tennessee MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
The core numbers are identical, but the boards and credit structures differ. Tennessee licenses DOs through the Tennessee Board of Osteopathic Examination under TCA Title 63 Ch. 9, separately from the Board of Medical Examiners that regulates MDs. Both require 40 hours of CME every two years, with the same 2-hour Tennessee-specific controlled substance prescribing mandate (and the same specialty exemptions).[4] DOs track credits in AOA Categories I-A, II-A, and I-B, and preceptor work in AOA-approved osteopathic education programs counts as Category I-B credit up to 50% of the biennial requirement (20 hours); the MD rule accepts AMA PRA Category 1 without a separate AOA minimum. Deficiency penalties also differ: $40/hour for DOs versus $100/hour for MDs. See [DO board requirements](/cme-requirements/tennessee/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. MD CME FAQs — Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “All medical doctors must complete forty (40) hours in the twenty-four (24) months preceding their licensure renewal. Unless exempted by statute, two (2) of the forty (40) required hours must relate to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department's treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol and may include instruction on topics such as medicine addiction, risk management tools and other topics approved by the Board.”TN MD CME FAQ
    “Unless exempted by statute, two (2) of the forty (40) required hours must relate to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department's treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates and carisoprodol...”TN MD CME FAQ
  2. T.C.A. 63-1-402 — Controlled Substance Continuing Education
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
  3. Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners — Tennessee Department of Health
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-17
    Show verbatim text
    “All licensees are required to renew their license every two years. The renewal cycle is set up whereby everyone renews in their birth month. The year they renew depends on whether they were born in an even or odd year.”TN BOME Homepage
  4. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1050-02-.12 — Osteopathic CME Rule (Cornell LII)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-19
    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. … Unless exempt under T.C.A. 63-1-402(c), all licensees holding a current Tennessee license shall complete a minimum of two (2) of the forty (40) required hours of continuing medical education related to controlled substance prescribing”Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1050-02-.12

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 Medical Examiners, 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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