Utah CME Requirements for Osteopathic Physicians (DO)

Mandatory topics

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

Suicide prevention[1]

0.5 hrs

Biennial

At renewal, each licensee must view a suicide prevention video described in Section 58-1-601 and submit proof in the form required by the division. DOPL implements this via the same three Zero Suicide Initiative video courses used for MDs (Suicide Safety Planning with Patients, Talking to Patients About Suicide, Counseling on Access to Lethal Means), each worth 0.5 CE credit. Renewing DOs must complete at least one. Counts toward the 40-hour total.

View sourceVerbatim from source

“At the time of renewal, the licensee shall: (a) view a suicide prevention video described in Section 58-1-601 and submit proof in the form required by the division”

Utah Code § 58-68-303(2)(a)See source [1] in Primary Sources

Atlas CME tracks each of these mandatory topics against your Utah 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[2]

3.5 hrs

Biennial

DOs holding a Utah controlled substance license

View detailsEditorial summary

DOPL advertises 3.5 hours because the 0.5-hour CS database tutorial is waivable by attestation for most prescribers. Applies only to DOs holding a Utah controlled substance license. Separate from (not included in) the 40-hour total.

R156-37-402See source [2] in Primary Sources

Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Utah 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 system	Notes
AMA PRA Category 1 DOs only	A minimum of 34 of the 40 required hours must be in category 1 offerings as established by the AOA or ACCME. AMA PRA Category 1 Credit from ACCME-accredited providers satisfies the 34-hour Category 1 minimum — the DO rule expressly accepts ACCME Category 1 alongside AOA.Source`R156-68-304(1)(a)`[3]
AOA Category 1-A DOs only	AOA Category 1 offerings count toward the 34-hour Category 1 minimum on equal footing with ACCME. This is a structural difference from R156-67-304(1)(a), which accepts only ACCME Category 1.Source`R156-68-304(1)(a)`[3]
DOPL-offered CE DOs onlymax 6 hrs	A maximum of 6 hours of continuing education may come from the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing. DOPL-offered CE (including DOPL suicide prevention trainings) counts within this 6-hour cap.Source`R156-68-304(1)(b)`[3]
Charity care volunteer service DOs onlymax 6 hrs	Up to 15% of required hours (i.e., 6 of 40) may come from charity health care volunteer service at a qualified location under Utah Code § 58-13-3, at a rate of 1 CE hour per 4 documented hours of volunteer service.Source`R156-68-304(1)(c)`[3]

Documentation & audit

Licensees must be able to document completion of CE upon DOPL request and must retain such documentation until the next renewal cycle.[3]

Waivers & exemptions

No formal waivers or exemptions are published for Utah.

FAQ

How many CME hours do Utah DOs need?

Utah DOs must complete 40 hours of qualified continuing professional education per two-year licensure cycle.[3] A minimum of 34 of the required hours must be in Category 1 offerings as established by the AOA or ACCME.[3] DOPL-provided CE is capped at 6 hours; charity-care volunteer CE is capped at 15% of the requirement (6 hours) at a rate of 1 CE hour per 4 documented volunteer hours under Utah Code § 58-13-3. Participation in an AOA- or ACCME-approved residency satisfies the requirement on a pro-rata basis.

How is the Utah DO rule different from the MD rule?

The DO rule is self-contained and does not delegate to the MD rule at R156-67-304.[3] Three codified differences separate the two. First, DO licenses expire May 31 of even years, not January 31 like MD licenses.[4] Second, the DO rule expressly accepts Category 1 credit from the AOA or ACCME, while the MD rule accepts only ACCME.[3] Third, the DO renewal fee is $193.[4] The suicide-prevention video prerequisite, public-health CE recognition, charity-care credit, residency pro-rata, and documentation retention rules are substantively identical. DOs holding a Utah controlled substance license additionally complete 3.5 Controlled Substance CE credit hours per cycle under § 58-37-6.5 and R156-37-402.

What is the Utah DO renewal anchor?

Utah osteopathic licenses expire on May 31 of even-numbered years.[4] The CE window is the 24 months preceding that date. DOPL sends renewal notices by email at least 60 days in advance. All Utah DOs share the same May 31 anchor regardless of birthdate or initial license date — a four-month offset from the January 31 even-year anchor that governs Utah MDs.

40 hours every two years. 34-hour Category 1 floor (AOA or ACCME). May 31 even-year renewal.

Never miss a Utah CME deadline.

Sources & Citations