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In order to renew a medical license, completion of 100 credit hours of continuing medical education in the preceding biennial period, which runs from January 1 of the odd year through December 31 of the next even year, will be required for medical doctors. Twenty (20) of those credit hours must be completed in AMA PRA Category 1 activities. At least 12 hours of the 100 must be completed in activities related to patient safety or risk management and may be completed in either Category 1 or 2. The remaining credit hours shall be completed in either Category 1 or Category 2 approved activities. 

Patient safety/risk management CME 12 credit hours in the areas of patient safety or risk management (either Category 1 or Category 2) are required to renew licensure. The following list of topics will satisfy the patient safety/risk management requirement:

• Improving medical records and record-keeping
• Reducing medical errors
• Professional conduct and ethics
• Improving communication among physicians and with other health care personnel
• Communication between physicians and patients
• Preventive medicine education
• Health care quality improvement

As long as the CME activity falls within these topics, you can count it toward the patient safety/risk management requirement. The course does not have to state (and very likely may not) that it is a patient safety or risk management course.

PAFP members must comply with various CME requirements for state licensure, AAFP/PAFP membership and board certification. 

Note: You cannot use the Act 31 or Act 124 courses toward your patient safety requirement of 12 per licensure cycle.  Those are counted separately.

Check PAFP’s online CME library for webcasts that meet this mandate.

Initial Licensure

Section 9.1(a) of ABC-MAP* requires that all prescribers or dispensers, as defined in Section 3 of ABC-MAP, applying for licensure/approval complete at least 4 hours of Board-approved education consisting of 2 hours in pain management or the identification of addiction and 2 hours in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids. Applicants seeking licensure/approval on or after July 1, 2017, must document within one year from issuance of the licensure/approval that they completed this education either as part of an initial education program, a stand-alone course from a Board-approved course provider, or a continuing education course from an approved continuing education provider. The 4 hours of Board-approved education needs to be completed only once. See the Board’s website for the Opioid Education forms and additional information.

Read the Achieving Better Care by Monitoring All Prescriptions Program Act (ABC-MAP) (Act 124 of 2016, as amended). 

License Renewal

Section 9.1(a)(2) of ABC-MAP* requires that all prescribers or dispensers, as defined in Section 3 of ABC-MAP, complete at least two hours of continuing education in pain management, the identification of addiction or in the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids as a portion of the total continuing education required.   The required continuing education is part of the total required and must be taken from a Board-approved continuing education provider.

Note: You cannot use the Act 31 or Act 124 courses toward your patient safety requirement of 12 per licensure cycle.  Those are counted separately.

PAFP continually offers Act 31 Training at our CME events. This education will meet the state mandate.  

All health-related licensees/certificate holders are considered “mandatory reporters” under section 6311 of the Child Protective Services Law (23 P.S. § 6311).  Therefore, all persons applying for issuance of an initial license or certificate from any of the health-related boards are required to complete, as a condition of licensure, 3 hours of training approved by the Department of Human Services (DHS) on the topic of child abuse recognition and reporting. As a condition of biennial renewal, you are required to complete 2 hours of approved training on the topic of child abuse recognition and reporting from an approved provider. 

Search for other ACT 31 Training programs available in Pennsylvania.

Note: You cannot use the Act 31 or Act 124 courses toward your patient safety requirement of 12 per licensure cycle.  Those are counted separately.

The AAFP offers a free eight-hour training online. Click here to learn more about the requirements, who has to do them and the training available.

A physician who provides care only to immediate family members.  Physicians with an active retired license are excused from maintaining malpractice insurance and meeting CME requirements except Act 124 and Act 31. There are fees to maintain an active retired license.