CME Requirements

Prescribed, Elective, Category 1, Division 1, re-election, re-certification … what does it all mean? This is the place to look to help you understand and meet all of your CME requirements. If someone in your office does your CME reporting, please share this article with them, or put it in your CME Folder.

File it, don’t lose it

If you haven’t done so already, we suggest that you start and maintain a CME file to keep the certificates from all the CME activities you attend. The certificate usually contains all the information you need to report an activity: the date, location, title, sponsor and type of credit awarded.

CME requirements by organization

AAFP/TAFP Membership Re-election

For continued membership AAFP/TAFP members must participate in and report 150 credits of continuing medical education every three years. The credit must have been earned in the three-year period prior to re-election. AAFP does not allow any credits to be carried over. Here is the breakdown:

• At least 75 credits must be Prescribed Credit
• The remaining 75 may be either Prescribed or Elective Credit
• At least 25 of the 150 must be from Live Learning Activities
• No more than 25 can be earned from Enrichment Activities

American Board of Family Medicine

The CME requirements for re-certification are similar to AAFP requirements. You must attend and report 300 credits by the end of the six-year cycle. AAFP provides a credit transcript of members who have met the requirements to the Board. If you do not have enough credits reported when the transcript is sent, you will need to provide a list of all CME activities to the Board or get a Letter of Good Standing from TAFP.

> For questions about Board certification or re-certification, call (888) 995-5700 or visit the ABFM website at www.theabfm.org

> View TAFP’s Maintenance of Certification assistance and resources

Texas Medical Board

The CME requirement for renewing your license is 24 credits earned in the 12 months immediately preceding the expiration of your license. Of the 24 credits, 12 must be Formal Courses and 12 must be Informal Courses (Both Prescribed and AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ qualify for Formal Courses). A maximum of 48 excess credits may be carried over for up to two years.

Beginning with your 1999 license renewal, at least one formal credit must be obtained in the subject area of medical ethics and/or professional responsibility. Excess ethics credits may be carried over for up to two years.

> For questions about license renewal, call TMB at (512) 305-7010 or visit their website at www.tmb.state.tx.us

How to Report CME to AAFP

Be sure to keep the original reporting form in your CME files and make copies to report credits as you attend activities. Reporting your credits as you go will ensure that you don’t forget an activity when it comes time for re-election. There are three ways to report your CME directly to AAFP.

> Go to www.aafp.org/cme
> Call AAFP CME Reporting at (800) 274-2237
> Fax the CME Reporting Form to AAFP at (913) 906-6269

Earn CME through TAFP’s quality activities

TAFP offers four annual symposia and many other CME opportunities. View our upcoming events and other CME offerings.

> Upcoming events

Glossary of Terms

AAFP Prescribed Credit—Programs that have been planned with input from an AAFP member. The sponsoring organization must apply to AAFP for Prescribed Credit. If a course is approved for Prescribed Credit, the brochure or certificate of attendance will indicate that it is acceptable for up to a specific number of Prescribed Credits. Courses that are approved for AAFP Prescribed Credit are equivalent to AMA Category 1 Credit™. You can also earn Prescribed Credit by teaching medical students, residents, physicians, physician assistant students or nurse practitioner students (Limit 20 credits per year for teaching).

AAFP Elective Credit—Elective credit comes from programs that have been designated as AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for the AMA Physicians Recognition Award but have not been approved as AAFP Prescribed Credit.

Enrichment Credit—Activities without AAFP Prescribed or AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. You can use up to 25 credits per three-year re-election cycle for AAFP.

Group Learning Activities—Educational activities involving two or more physicians which take place in “real time.” AAFP/TAFP requires 25 Group Hours every re-election cycle.

Category 1/Category 2 Credit—These terms refer to CME required for the AMA Physician Recognition Award. AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ courses are formally organized and planned educational activities. AMA PRA Category 2 Credit™ includes less structured learning activities, e.g., consultations, discussions with colleagues, and teaching. Neither is equivalent to AAFP Prescribed Credit.

Division I/Division II Credit—These terms are used by the American Board of Family Medicine. Division I credit is for courses that are accredited. Division II includes teaching and unsupervised individual activities.