To meet the specific continuing medical education (CME) requirements in California, healthcare professionals, especially MD/DO physicians, have a set of criteria to fulfill for biennial (every 2 years) license renewal. The state mandates a substantial amount of CME credits, alongside specific directives on subject areas, which can seem daunting.

CME Requirements for MD Physicians in California

• CME Credits Required: 50 hours every two years
• If Initial License is Issued for Less Than 13 Months: Only 25 hours required
• All CME Must Be: AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™
• For All Physicians (except pathologists and radiologists):
  • One-time requirement of 12 credits in pain management and care of the terminally ill
• For Physicians Treating Opiate-Dependent Patients:
  • One-time alternative option of 12 credit hours including 8 hours in buprenorphine treatment or similar for opioid use disorders
• For General Internists and Family Physicians with Patients Aged 65+:
  • At least 20% (10 credits) of CME in geriatric medicine, if more than 25% of their patients are over 65 years old

California Medical Board - MD CME Requirements

For DO Physicians in California:

1. CME Credits Required: 50 hours every two years
2. AOA Category 1: At least 20 hours must AOA Category 1A or AB.
3. Remaining CME:
   • Up to 30 hours in Category 2A or 2B from ACCME-accredited or AAFP-approved programs or AOA-accredited Category 1 CME sponsors that do not meet 1A guidelines. Category 2A includes qualifying formal education from ACCME-accredited and AAFP approved programs.

Osteopathic Medical Board of California - DO CME Requirements

CME Trail offers a tailored collection of CME opportunities that adhere to California's guidelines. We provide a variety of educational resources, from an AI Question Bank, AI Medical GPT, AI Podcasts designed to fulfill the state-mandated topics while also fitting into busy schedules. Earn up to 120 AMA PRA Category 1 credits. For further details regarding these requirements, please visit the official The Federation of State Medical Boards.

Free Controlled Substance Prescribing CME Resources

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Offers CME/CE activities on topics related to opioid and substance use disorders and addiction. NIDA CME/CE Activities
2. Pri-Med: Provides timely opioid CME courses to help primary care clinicians learn appropriate risk mitigation strategies and prevent substance use disorder. Pri-Med Opioid CME/CE
3. Wake AHEC: Offers a webinar and panel discussion series on controlled substances prescribing, with an emphasis on treating pain. Wake AHEC CME
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Provides training modules on treating substance use disorders, effective communication in treating SUDs, and care coordination in the treatment of SUDs, eligible for free continuing education credits. Access CDC Training Modules

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Free Pain Management and End of Life CME Resources

1. Medscape - Frequently provides free courses in pain management, opioid prescribing and end of life, along with other relevant topics for healthcare providers. Medscape education
2. AMA Ed Hub - As an ACCME-accredited CME provider, ACP offers a wide variety of recommended activities as it relates to pain management and end of life care. AMA Ed Hub
3. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Offers CME/CE activities on topics related to opioid prescribing. NIDA CME/CE Activities
4. Pri-Med: Provides timely opioid CME courses to help primary care clinicians learn appropriate risk mitigation strategies. Pri-Med Opioid CME/CE
5. Wake AHEC: Offers a webinar and panel discussion series on controlled substances prescribing, with an emphasis on treating pain. Wake AHEC CME

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Free Geriatric CME Resources:

1. Pri-Med: Provides free geriatrics CME/CE courses covering topics such as osteoporosis, dementia, polypharmacy, and end-of-life care. Pri-Med Geriatrics CME/CE
2. FreeCME: Offers a selection of free geriatric CME courses designed to provide insights and best practices for optimizing care for the elderly. FreeCME Geriatric Courses
3. myCME: Features a variety of free online CME courses in geriatric medicine. myCME Geriatric Medicine Courses
4. Medscape Education: Offering free courses, Medscape provides in-depth geriatric medicine training. Medscape Geriatric Medicine

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DISCLAIMER: CME requirements listed above are based on information from the California Medical Board and the California Osteopathic Medical Board may be subject to change. State guidelines may vary, and it is the responsibility of each physician to verify the necessary state-specific CME criteria.