Recommendations for Physician CME

The Texas State Board of Medical Examiners has implemented changes which were enacted by the 73rd Legislature which included a requirement for physician continuing medical education. The following guidelines were published in the Texas State Board of Medical Examiners Newsletter.

Continuing Medical Education

Physicians are required to complete at least 24 hours of Continuing Medical Education per year in the following catagories.

At least one-half of the hours are to be from formal courses that are:
- designated for AMA/PRA Category 1 credit by a CME sponsor accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing medical Education or the Texas medical Association;
- approved for prescribed credit by the American Academy of Family Physicians;
- designated for AOA Category 1 credit required for osteopathic physicians by an accreditied CME sponsor approved by the American Osteopathic Association;
- approved by the Texas Medical Association based on standards established by the AMA for its Physician's Recognition Award; or
- approved by the Council on Medical Specialty Societies
The remaining hours may be composed of informal self-study, attendance at hospital lectures, grand rounds, or case conferences, teaching of health profesionals, publication of a medical article or an exhibit at a CME meeting. These shall be recorded in a manner that can be easily transmitted to the board upon request.
Physicians in residency/fellowship training will satisfy the requirements by their residency or fellowship program. The statutory changes provide for exemptions including military service of longer than one year duration outside the state, medical practice and residence of longer than one year duration outside the United States, and good cause shown in writing to the Board. Retired physicians who have been exempted from paying the annual registration fee will not be subject to the CME requirements.
Credit for reading journals, grand rounds, case conferences, and other forms of informal CME will be granted on an hour for hour basis.
The year is determined by the expiration date of the physician's permit (i.e., if the permit expires on 2-28-95, 24 hours should be obtained between 2-28-94 and 2-28-95)."

Texas State Board of medical Examiners Newsletter, Vol. 16 No.1, Spring/Summer 1994, pages 1-3.

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