What Are CME Credit Requirements by State?

April 24, 2026
what CME credit requirements are by state

Continuing medical education (CME) requirements for nurse practitioners (NPs), physician assistants (PAs), registered nurses (RNs), and physicians vary significantly by state, usually ranging from 20 to 150 hours every 1–3 years. Almost all states also now mandate specific topics, such as controlled substances/pharmacology, domestic violence, and medical error prevention. If you’ve ever wondered what CME credit requirements are by state and why they differ, the answer lies in how licensing is regulated.

To help you easily understand the CME needed for your state, Skin, Bones, Hearts & Private Parts has launched a new chart detailing CME requirements by state for NPs and PAs.

Quick Answer: CME Credit Requirements by State

  • CME requirements vary by state, typically ranging from 20 to 150 hours every 1–3 years
  • Most states require topic-specific credits, such as pharmacology or medical error prevention
  • Each state medical board sets its own CME requirements
  • Clinicians with multiple licenses must meet each state’s CME rules separately
  • CME conferences can help fulfill a large portion of the required credits quickly

Why do state requirements for CME differ?

CME requirements vary by state because states—not the federal government—hold the authority to regulate medical licensure and practice. As a result, each state’s medical board independently defines its own licensing standards and requiring medical professionals in those states to familiarize themselves with their state’s required hours. And, as the American Medical Association points out, “Earning CME credit can be particularly challenging for physicians who practice in multiple states. The one in five physicians who hold medical licenses in more than one state are often dealing with a system in which state medical licensing boards have differing CME requirements and without a common standard.”

How Can You Track CME Credit Requirements by State?

By creating a comprehensive, state-by-state guide, Skin, Bones, Hearts & Private Parts hopes to take the stress out of trying to figure out each state’s requirements and make it easier for physicians, NPs, PAs and RNs to figure out what and how much CME they need! (While we’ve made every effort to ensure the information is accurate, it’s important to verify your own state’s requirements.) If you’re trying to keep up with CME credit requirements by state, having a clear, centralized resource can save time and reduce confusion.

How Can CME Conferences Help Meet State Requirements?

At Skin Bones Hearts and Private Parts, we also provide In-person CME Conferences in a wide range of destination locations, ensuring that you can find a CME Conference that meets your needs. And, with every conference providing up to 26 CME credit hours, our conferences can satisfy some states’ entire annual CME requirement, or up to half of that required by others, at the following locations:

Does it sound like a huge relief that someone else has figured out the state requirements, scheduled the CME Conferences, and planned them in fun locations? We thought so! And best of all, this month is a good time to take advantage of Skin, Bones, Hearts & Private Parts’ resources: It’s Stress Awareness Month!

How Can I Reduce Stress in the Workplace?

According to surveys shared by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 40 percent of workers report their job is “very or extremely stressful”; 26 percent report they are “often or very often burned out or stressed by their work”; and 29 percent report they feel “quite a bit or extremely stressed at work.” Further, one-fourth of employees view their jobs as the number-one stressor in their lives; three-fourths believe the worker has more on-the-job stress than a generation ago; and problems at work are more strongly associated with health complaints than are any other life stressor – more so than even financial or family problems.

Recognizing it is the first step to management, and Mental Health America’s (MHA) online Stress Screener, in fact, can help you identify and learn tips for quelling stress. Please screen yourself!

The American Psychological Association also recommends the following steps:

  • Track Your Stressors: Keep a journal for a week or two to identify specific situations that trigger stress and how you typically react.
  • Prioritize Tasks: Use time management tools to rank tasks by urgency and importance. Break large projects into smaller, manageable “bite-sized” steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
  • Avoid Multitasking: Focus on one task at a time (single-tasking) to increase concentration and reduce the mental strain of shifting focus.
  • Establish Boundaries: Create clear lines between your work and personal life. This might include not checking emails at home or avoiding work-related calls during weekends.
  • Practice Self-Care: Prioritize a healthy diet, regular exercise, and at least 8 hours of sleep per night to build resilience against stress.

Flexible CME Options to Fit Your Schedule

Whether you take in an in-person CME Conference at a destination location, or via our online courses, like our Best of the Best of 2025; or virtual CME conferences, such as our Encore Virtual CME event series, you’ll learn from the best of the medical community as you earn CME credits, network, and gain knowledge on cardiology and emergency medicine, obesity, dermatology, diabetes, orthopedics, and men’s and women’s health. We also offer the best value per CME credit in the CME training industry!

Share this post