The Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) is a national organization representing the medical boards of the United States and its territories, including Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, plus the 14 state boards of osteopathic medicine.

The FSMB maintains information on state-specific requirements for initial medical licensure. For up-to-date, detalied information about requirements for applying for licensure in a particular state or territory, please click here. 

Continuing Medical Education for Licensure Reregistration

Sixty-two boards require continuing medical education (CME) for license reregistration (Table 16). Some states also mandate CME content, such as HIV/AIDS, risk management, or end of life palliative care. In addition, many states also require that a certain percentage of CME be AMA PRA Category 1 Credit or equivalent. Forty-three states accept the AMA PRA certificate or application as equivalent for purposes of licensure reregistration. Also accepted by some states are certificates/awards of the American Osteopathic Association (15), American Board of Medical Specialties (27), a state medical society (11), and a national specialty society (6) as well as completion of graduate medical education residency/fellowship programs (34).

Additional Notes for Specific Licensing Jurisdictions

California MD and DO — All general internists and family physicians who have a patient population of which more than 25% are 65 years of age or older shall complete at least 20 hours of all mandatory CME in geriatric medicine or the care of older patients.

All physicians and surgeons (except pathologists and radiologists) must complete mandatory CME in the subjects of pain management and the treatment of terminally ill and dying patients (one-time requirement of 12 credits). Physicians must complete this requirement by their second license renewal date or within 4 years, whichever comes first.

Florida MD — First time license renewal: One hour HIV/AIDS, 2 hours in prevention of medical errors. Second and subsequent renewals: Two hours in prevention of medical errors. Every third renewal: Forty hours, including 2 hours in prevention of medical errors and 2 hours in domestic violence CME. Note: End-of-life care and palliative care can no longer be completed in lieu of HIV/AIDS or domestic violence courses.

All CME must be AMA PRA Category 1 Credit, except for domestic violence and prevention of medical errors. Domestic violence and prevention of medical errors courses offered by any state or federal government agency or professional association, including any provider of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit, is acceptable.

Florida DO — First time license renewal: One hour HIV/AIDS, risk management, Florida laws and rules, controlled substances; 2 hours domestic violence and prevention of medical errors. Of the remaining required hours, at least 20 must be AOA Category 1-A. Second and subsequent renewals: One hour each in risk management, Florida laws and rules, and controlled substances; 2 hours each in domestic violence and prevention of medical errors. Every third renewal: 2 hours of domestic violence. For each license renewal, of the remaining required hours at least 20 must be AOA Category 1-A; all other hours (including those in the required content categories) can be either AMA PRA Category 1 Credit or AOA Cateogory 1-A credit.

CME with regard to risk management, Florida laws and rules, controlled substances, and prevention of medical errors must be obtained by completing live, participatory attendance courses.

Maryland — Partial CME credit is offered for ABMS certification, select peer review, serving as an intervenor or monitor on a physician rehabilitation committee or professional committee, and serving as a preceptor for resident physicians or medical students. For first license renewal, the CME requirement is waived, but the licensee must have completed an approved orientation program.

Missouri — The CME license renewal requirement can be met by a) completing 50 hours AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, AOA Category 1-A or 2-A credits, or American Academy of Family Physicians prescribed credits; b) completing 40 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit or AOA Category 1-A credit if each course, seminar, or activity includes a post-test of the material covered in the 40 CME credits; c) specialty board certification or recertification; or d) participating in an ACGME- or AOAapproved internship or residency program during the reporting period if at least 60 days of the reporting period were spent in the internship or residency.

New Jersey — The six credits for cultural competence are in addition to the 100-hour requirement for physicians licensed prior to 3/24/05; these credits may be included if licensed after this date. For more information, see www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/bme/press/cultural.htm.

For newly licensed physicians, the Board requires attendance at an orientation program; no CME is given for this.

Tennessee MD — Physicians who focus on providing care to persons with intractable pain should refer to item (6)(c) at www.painpolicy.wisc.edu/domestic/states/TN/mbreg.pdf.

Washington MD — The board classifies CME into five different categories. A candidate for relicensure may earn all 200 required hours every 4 years in Category 1; a maximum of 80 hours may be earned in any of the other four categories. See http://tinyurl.com/6gbd8w.