Many state medical boards require physicians to earn opioid CME credits to maintain their board license. With the misuse and abuse of prescribed opioid pain relievers on the rise, state medical boards want to ensure their licensed physicians are equipped to minimize the risk of opioid abuse. Opioid CME requirements can vary drastically by state so we have mapped out your state requirements below.
State Medical Board | State Opioid CME Requirements |
2 credits on controlled substances | |
2 credits every 2 years on pain management, opioid use, and addiction | |
3 hours on opioids | |
3 hours in prescribing education within the first 2 years of licensure | |
12 hours in pain management and the treatment of terminally ill and dying patients. This course must also include the subject of the risks of addiction associated with the use of Schedule II drugs. | |
No requirements | |
1 hour of prescribing controlled substances and pain management | |
2 hours in controlled substance prescribing practices, treatment of chronic pain, or other topics relating to controlled substances and 1 hour on Delaware Law pertaining to prescribing and distribution of controlled substances within the first year of registration | |
2 hours every renewal on the safe and effective prescribing of controlled substance medications | |
3 credits on controlled substances prescribing practices | |
No requirements | |
No requirements | |
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation | 3 hours on safe opioid prescribing practices |
2 hours of opioid prescribing and opioid abuse | |
No requirements | |
No requirements | |
4.5 hours of board-approved training related to KASPER, pain management, or addiction disorders -DEA-licensed prescribers of Buprenorphine-Mono-Product or Buprenorphine-Combined-with-Naloxone are required to complete 12 hours specific to addiction medicine every three-year licensing period. | |
3 hours drug diversion training, best practices regarding prescribing of controlled substances, appropriate treatment for addiction, and any other matters pertaining to the prescribing of CDS that are deemed appropriate by the licensing board. | |
3 hours on the prescribing of opioid medication every renewal | |
No requirements | |
3 hours in pain management | |
Minimum of 3 hours in pain & symptom management | |
No requirements | |
5 hours related to prescribing of medications - emphasis on controlled substances | |
No requirements | |
No requirements | |
No requirements | |
2 credits in ethics, pain management, and/or addiction care and 2 credits in misuse and abuse of controlled substances, the prescribing of opioids, or addiction | |
3 hours in opioid prescribing for the management or treatment of pain, or for the treatment of opioid use disorder | |
1 credit related to responsible opioid prescribing, alternatives to opioids for managing pain, risk, and signs of opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion | |
5 hours in management of the treatment of pain | |
3 hours in pain management, palliative care, and addiction | |
3 hours in controlled substances | |
No requirements | |
No requirements | |
No requirements | |
6 hours in pain management | |
2 hours of pain management, the identification of addiction or the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids | |
4 credits relating to topics in Opioid pain mgmt, chronic pain mgmt, end of life or palliative care | |
2 credits of prescribing and monitoring controlled substances. | |
No requirements | |
2 hours of prescribing controlled substances, which must include instruction in the TN Chronic Pain Guidelines | |
No requirements | |
Utah Department of Commerce and Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing | Controlled substance prescribers: 4 hrs controlled substance training - 0.5 hrs through an online tutorial/test provided by the board, the remaining 3.5 hours are AMA credits that meet board requirements |
1 credit in hospice, palliative care, or pain management | |
2 hours in topics related to pain management, responsible prescribing of covered/controlled substances, and diagnosis and management of addiction | |
1 hour in opioid prescribing | |
3 credits in a board-approved course on drug diversion and best practice prescribing of controlled substances | |
2 hours on a board-approved course in responsible opioid prescription | |
No requirements |
