Tennessee Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners · DPM

15 hours. Every year. On the calendar year.

Below is exactly what Tennessee Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners requires: mandatory topics, exemptions, accepted credit types, and documentation rules.

Updated April 2026Sourced from TBPME~3 min read

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

Mandatory topics

For Podiatrists, 15 hours is the total CME requirement. Tennessee also requires a set of one-time topics that count toward the 15-hour total.

Opioid/Substance Use[1]
2 hrs
Biennial
All Tennessee licensed podiatrists shall complete a minimum of 2 hours of continuing education biennially related to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department's treatment guidelines.
View sourceVerbatim from source
“all podiatrists holding a current Tennessee license shall complete a minimum of two (2) hours of continuing education biennially related to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department’s treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol and may include topics such as medicine addiction, risk management tools, and other topics approved by the Board.”
Tenn. R. 1155-02-.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
Lecture/Classroom Format
10–15 hrs
10 of 15 annual hours must be completed in the traditional 'lecture/classroom' format.SourceTenn. R. 1155-02-.12[2]
Multi-Media Cap
0–5 hrs
5 hours may be completed in multimedia formats: Internet, closed-circuit TV, satellite broadcast, correspondence, videotape, CD-ROM, DVD, teleconferencing, videoconferencing.SourceTenn. R. 1155-02-.12[2]
Approved Providers (TPMA, ABC, BOC, BCP, PFA)
Acceptable providers include the Tennessee Podiatric Medical Association and any other entity whose programs have been approved by the Board. The list also names several orthotic/prosthetic/pedorthic certification bodies.SourceTenn. R. 1155-02-.12[2]
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

Residency/student exemption: full-time residents in a CPME-approved graduate training program, and individuals who were students of a Podiatry College during the year they obtain their Tennessee license, are exempt from the CME requirements during that calendar year.

Hardship waiver: the Board may grant a waiver of the required CE hours if it can be shown that the failure to comply was not attributable to, or was beyond the physical capabilities of, the person seeking the waiver. Considered case-by-case; effective only for the calendar year sought.

FAQ
How many CE hours do Tennessee podiatrists need?
15 clock hours per calendar year. 12 of those must be clinical/scientific/patient-care content. 10 must be in live lecture/classroom format. Up to 5 may be in approved multimedia formats.
Are APMA-approved credits accepted in Tennessee?
The Tennessee Podiatric Medical Association is named as an automatically approved provider, and APMA-approved CME flows through TPMA programming. Other approved providers include several orthotics/prosthetics/pedorthics certification bodies and any sponsor whose programs the Board has approved.
Are there mandatory CE topics for DPM renewal in Tennessee?
Yes. Every two years, all licensees must complete 2 hours in controlled substance prescribing, including the Department's treatment guidelines. Federal MATE Act training applies to DEA-registered podiatrists.
Where can I check my Tennessee podiatry license renewal date?
The Tennessee Department of Health's licensure verification at apps.health.tn.gov/Licensure/ handles license lookup and renewal information.

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Other roles in Tennessee

Podiatrists (DPM) 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/1155/1155-02.20190805.pdf
    Source
    Show verbatim text
    “all podiatrists holding a current Tennessee license shall complete a minimum of two (2) hours of continuing education biennially related to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department’s treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol and may include topics such as medicine addiction, risk management tools, and other topics approved by the Board.”Tenn. R. 1155-02-.12(1)(b)
  2. Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1155-02-.12 — Continuing Education (Tennessee Board of Podiatric Medical Examiners)
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-05-11

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 Podiatric Medical Examiners, or any other state board of podiatry, licensing authority, or professional organization. Podiatrists are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state board of podiatry before relying on any information presented here.

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