Pennsylvania CME Requirements for Psychiatrists

Pennsylvania requirements for all physicians

Renewal cycle: Biennially; MD licenses expire December 31 of every even-numbered year (next deadline December 31, 2026), and the 100 hours must be earned within that two-year period.

• 100 credit hours of CME per biennial renewal period (January 1 of the odd year through December 31 of the even year); MD licenses expire December 31 of even-numbered years (49 Pa. Code § 16.19(b))
• At least 20 of the 100 hours must be AMA PRA Category 1; the rest may be Category 1 or Category 2 (Category 2 is self-reported on the Board's reporting form)
• At least 12 hours (Category 1 or 2) must be in patient safety and risk management — e.g., improving medical records, reducing medical errors, professional conduct and ethics, communication, preventive medicine, health-care quality improvement (49 Pa. Code § 16.19(b)(1))
• 2 hours of Board-approved child abuse recognition and reporting training every renewal (Act 31 / 23 Pa.C.S. § 6383(b)(2)); 3 hours are required for initial licensure. Counts within the 100 hours
• Physicians who hold a DEA registration (or prescribe under another entity's DEA number) must complete at least 2 hours in pain management, identification of addiction, or prescribing/dispensing of opioids each renewal (Act 124 of 2016); counts within the 100 hours. The PA-SUPPORT curriculum satisfies this but is not required (49 Pa. Code § 16.19(b)(1))
• Effective May 1, 2026: a one-time 2-credit Board-approved course on the organ and tissue donation and recovery process (49 Pa. Code § 16.19(c), implementing 20 Pa.C.S. § 8628). Physicians licensed before May 1, 2026 must complete it within 5 years of a license renewal; those licensed or reactivated on or after that date, within 5 years of initial licensure or reactivation. Counts toward the 100 hours
• No credit for office-management or practice-building courses
• Exempt: first biennial renewal after initial licensure, temporary training licensees, and retired physicians providing only gratuitous care to immediate family; the Board may also grant a hardship waiver (serious illness, military service, other good cause) on written request

Mandated topics

All mandated topic hours count toward the total above.

What this means if you are a board-certified psychiatrist in Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania sets the pace, not ABPN. 100 hours every 2 years (50/yr) is more than ABPN's 30 CME per year average, so a psychiatrist who stays compliant in PA automatically covers the ABPN CME requirement. Note only 20 of the 100 must be Category 1 — but ABPN counts Category 1 only, so aim for at least 90 Category 1 hours per 3-year ABPN block regardless.
• The 12-hour patient safety / risk management block is a natural fit for ABPN's Patient Safety activity and for quality-improvement work that can double as an ABPN Improvement in Medical Practice (PIP) project. Choose activities with AMA PRA Category 1 credit so they count for both.
• The Act 124 opioid / addiction 2-hour requirement applies to nearly every practicing psychiatrist (any DEA holder who prescribes stimulants, benzodiazepines, or buprenorphine). It counts toward PA's 100 hours and as ordinary CME for ABPN, and it overlaps with the federal DEA MATE Act 8-hour one-time training — pick courses that carry both designations.
• Pennsylvania does not accept ABPN board certification or Continuing Certification participation in lieu of CME: 49 Pa. Code § 16.19 lists no substitution, and the Act 31 and Act 124 topics must be completed regardless. SA-CME (self-assessment) activities do count toward the 100 hours as ordinary Category 1 credit.
• Pennsylvania is an IMLC member state; compact licensees renewing in PA must meet the same CME rules (the Board publishes a separate IMLC renewal guide). Telepsychiatry into PA requires a PA license, and initial IMLC applicants must show 3 hours of child abuse training and opioid education before the license issues.
• Your Pennsylvania license and your ABPN certificate run on separate clocks: the state rules above are checked at license renewal; ABPN checks 90 CME and 16 SA-CME at the end of each 3-year block. One activity can count for both.
• Any AMA PRA Category 1 activity satisfies both. Only activities on the ABPN Approved CC Activities List earn Self-Assessment credit; topic-specific state hours (ethics, opioids, etc.) satisfy the state but are ordinary CME for ABPN.
• A state-mandated patient-safety or risk-management course can also satisfy the ABPN patient safety requirement; a hospital QI project may satisfy your PIP.

Last reviewed August 23, 2026. State figures come from Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine; ABPN figures from the CC Booklet (June 2025) and CC FAQ (April 2026). See the full ABPN CME requirements guide.

Common questions

How many CME hours do I need in Pennsylvania?

100 credit hours every two-year renewal period, of which at least 20 must be AMA PRA Category 1 and at least 12 must be in patient safety and risk management (49 Pa. Code § 16.19). The period runs January 1 of the odd year through December 31 of the even year.

When is the Pennsylvania medical license renewal deadline?

MD licenses expire December 31 of every even-numbered year; the next deadline is December 31, 2026. Renewal is completed online through PALS (pals.pa.gov), and the Board sends notices two to three months in advance.

Does ABPN board certification count toward Pennsylvania CME?

No. Pennsylvania has no provision for substituting board certification or Continuing Certification participation for the 100-hour requirement. However, CME you earn for ABPN Continuing Certification counts toward the Pennsylvania total as long as it is Category 1 or Category 2 credit.

Is opioid CME required in Pennsylvania?

Yes, if you hold a DEA registration (or prescribe under another entity's number): at least 2 hours in pain management, identification of addiction, or opioid prescribing each renewal under Act 124 of 2016. It counts within the 100 hours; the PA-SUPPORT course satisfies it but is not mandatory.

Is child abuse training required for Pennsylvania physician renewal?

Yes. Act 31 requires 2 hours of Department of Human Services-approved child abuse recognition and reporting training every renewal (3 hours for initial licensure). It counts toward the 100 CME hours.

Do I need CME for my first Pennsylvania license renewal?

Mostly no. Physicians are exempt from the 100-hour CME requirement for the first biennial renewal after initial licensure (49 Pa. Code § 16.19(b)(3)(i)). The Act 31 child abuse training is a separate condition of every biennial renewal under 49 Pa. Code § 16.108(b), so plan to complete the 2-hour course before your first renewal unless the Board grants a written exemption.