Did you receive a CME allowance that expires at the beginning of the year? Are you unsure how to take full advantage of your CME money? According to the 2018 MMS Annual Physician Survey, 49% of physicians had an annual CME budget of over $1000, and 16% of physicians received a CME stipend of over $4000. In addition, the survey shows that 81% of physicians prefer earning their CME credits through online/digital courses or live CME events in their region or a vacation destination. If you fall within these categories, check out some of the options below on how you can take full advantage of your CME money.
CME Subscriptions with Gift Card
Many online CME providers provide bundles that come with a complimentary gift card from Amazon, American Express, or other businesses. These CME with gift card bundles allow medical professionals to get something back when they use their CME stipend, essentially getting a free gift for purchasing particular CME activities. Most of these CME activities are available online, such as online board reviews, journal reviews, and recorded video lectures, which allow you to fulfill most, if not all, of your yearly CME requirements. Check out some of the most popular CME gift card bundles below.
MDCalc CME Bundle with $3500 Amazon or Visa Gift Card
MDCalc's CME Bundle helps you maximize your CME allowance while getting up to a $3500 bonus gift card. Earn AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM for clinical content on 150+ calculators across multiple clinical specialties. Easily earn and redeem CME at the point-of-care, online on their website, or mobile app. Over 1 million medical clinicians use MDCalc’s 550+ tools daily to support clinical decision making and improve patient care.
Medality/MRI Online Radiology CME Annual Premium Membership with $1500 Amazon Gift Card
Medality's CME online Radiology program gives you unlimited access to their online library of thousands of expert case reviews, didactic lectures, case stacks, and quizzes designed for flexibility. Earn virtually unlimited radiology CME credits to meet your requirements. Plus, get a $1,500 Amazon Gift Card with purchase. (2-year access)
CME Conferences 2026
Not interested in earning a gift card with your CME stipend? If not, a getaway vacation may be better suited for you. Many CME conferences are held in beautiful and luxurious vacation destinations in order to attract medical professionals from around the world. As a disclaimer, it should be noted that not all employers allow you to use your CME stipend to cover travel fees and the conferences may count against your yearly vacation hours, so check with your employer for specifics. Some of the top organizations that host live CME conferences include CME Vacations, PRESENT Podiatry, Soul Salve, and Hospital Procedures Consultants.
Book your travel now for the 2026 continuing medical education conference season to take advantage of your flexible CME budget.
Live CME Courses
Similar to CME conferences, live CME courses are often held in popular destinations such as Chicago or St. Louis and can be attended to earn CME credits.
The Osler Institute is one of the leading organizations that offer live CME courses. Currently, the organization offers live CME courses in over 20 specialties, including Family Medicine, Radiology, Pediatrics, Neurology, and more. The Osler Institute currently offers over 50 live courses a year in cities such as Chicago, Dallas, and St. Louis. If you are not able to attend a live course, Osler has recently introduced online versions of their live CME events that can be reviewed for CME credits as well. Click here for more information regarding the Osler Institute.
Hospital Procedure Consultants offers comprehensive live CME courses that help emergency and hospitalist healthcare providers broaden their knowledge and earn CME credits. These procedural education courses are delivered by knowledgeable and highly skilled instructors who have received rigorous training and constant evaluations to ensure course participants are receiving helpful and valuable teaching. Hospital Procedure Consultants Live CME Courses occur in popular destinations including Chicago, Seattle, Long Beach, and Washington, D.C.
Electronic Devices
There are many ways you can look to take advantage of your CME budget, with gift cards and vacation destinations being the most popular choices. If you did receive a CME stipend this year, make sure to take advantage of this and check out the different CME special offers.
