Pennsylvania Physicians CE Requirements, Accreditations & Approvals

Pennsylvania Physicians

In support of improving patient care, NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine accepts courses from any provider who is ACCME-accredited and awards AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

The Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine accepts courses that are AOA Category 2-B. NetCE courses are considered Category 2-B.

Continuing Education Requirement

MDs are required 100 hours every two years, 20 of which must be AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, and 12 of which must be in activities related to patient safety and risk management.

Beginning with DEA initial registrations or renewals starting June 27, 2023, all DEA-registered practitioners (with the exception of DVM-only license holders) are required 8 hours on treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, including the appropriate clinical use of all FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of a substance use disorder, one-time only.

In accordance with Act 31 of 2014, MDs must complete 2 hours of approved child abuse recognition and reporting training every renewal.* Licensees with prescriptive authority, as a condition of license renewal, are required 2 hours in pain management, the identification of addiction, or the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids.

As a one-time requirement for initial licensure, and in accordance with Act 31 of 2014, all MDs and DOs must complete 3 hours of approved child abuse recognition and reporting training.*

Within one year of issuance of prescriptive authority all MDs and DOs have a one-time requirement of 4 hours: 2 of which must be in pain management or addiction, and 2 in the practices of prescribing or dispensing opioids.

DOs are required 100 hours every two years, 20 of which must be AOA Category 1-A, and the remaining 80 hours may be AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.** A minimum of 12 hours must be in activities related to patient safety and risk management, which may be completed in Category 1 or 2.

Beginning with DEA initial registrations or renewals starting June 27, 2023, all DEA-registered practitioners (with the exception of DVM-only license holders) are required 8 hours on treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, including the appropriate clinical use of all FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of a substance use disorder, one-time only.

In accordance with Act 31 of 2014, DOs must complete 2 hours of approved child abuse recognition and reporting training every renewal.* Licensees with prescriptive authority, as a condition of license renewal, are required 2 hours in pain management, the identification of addiction, or the practices of prescribing or dispensing of opioids.

As a one-time requirement for initial licensure, and in accordance with Act 31 of 2014, all MDs and DOs must complete 3 hours of approved child abuse recognition and reporting training.*

Within one year of issuance of prescriptive authority all MDs and DOs have a one-time requirement of 4 hours: 2 of which must be in pain management or addiction, and 2 in the practices of prescribing or dispensing opioids.

* NetCE's course on child abuse recognition and reporting training is approved for both initial licensure and renewal of license.

** NetCE courses are considered AOA Category 2-B.

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All Accreditations and Approvals
MD License Renewal Information
DO License Renewal Information

For More Information

Please contact the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine at (717) 783-1400 or the Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine at (717) 783-4858, or refer to:
https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/medicine.html - MDs; or
https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dos/department-and-offices/bpoa/boards-commissions/osteopathic-medicine.html - DOs for additional information regarding your continuing education.

Please visit https://www.pa.gov/en/agencies/dos/resources/professional-licensing-resources/act-31.html for additional information regarding child abuse recognition and reporting training.