California Medical Doctor CME

How many CME hours do California physicians need?

California physicians need 50 hours of Category 1 CME every two years ( Medical Board of California — Continuing Medical Education ). You may complete all 50 hours online with an on-demand Complete California CME Physician Package

California licenses run on an individualized biennial cycle: a license expires at 11:59 p.m. on the last day of the month in which it was originally issued, every two years from that point ( Medical Board of California — Renew Your License ). Approved CME means programs accredited by the California Medical Association, the American Medical Association, or the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education that qualify for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, or programs qualifying for prescribed credit from the American Academy of Family Physicians. Physicians must retain records of every CME activity attended — course title, dates, length, and sponsoring organization — for at least four years.

Which CME courses or topics are required for California physicians?

Every physician must complete a one-time, 12-hour course in pain management and the treatment of terminally ill and dying patients, by their second license renewal; pathologists and radiologists are exempt. A physician may instead complete the Board’s alternative 12-hour course on treating opioid-dependent patients, including eight hours on buprenorphine or similar medication treatment, by the next license renewal ( Medical Board of California — Continuing Medical Education ).

General internists and family physicians whose patient population is more than 25% age 65 or older must devote at least 20% of their CME — 10 of the 50 hours — to geriatric medicine, care of older patients, or dementia care ( Medical Board of California — Continuing Medical Education ).

State law also requires that every CME course relating to direct patient care — not a separate, standalone hour bucket, but a content mandate woven into the courses physicians already take — include curriculum on implicit bias and its effect on health outcomes for patients from historically underserved communities ( California Business and Professions Code § 2190.1 ). This requirement does not add hours to the 50-hour total.

Physicians who apply for or renew a DEA registration must make a one-time attestation of eight hours of qualifying substance use disorder training , unless another statutory qualification applies. Eligible prior coursework can satisfy the federal rule; the DEA does not require a newly purchased course or eight extra state CME hours. DEA MATE Act FAQ .

Do newly licensed California physicians need CME for their first renewal?

Generally, yes. California requires 50 hours in each biennial renewal cycle unless the Board grants a waiver. The one-time pain management and end-of-life care path is due by the second renewal, but the alternative 12-hour opioid-treatment path is due by the next renewal ( Medical Board of California — Continuing Medical Education ).

Does the Medical Board of California audit CME records?

Yes. The Board is required by law to conduct an annual audit of physicians who certify CME compliance, and requires physicians to produce documentation on request; misrepresenting compliance is unprofessional conduct and may result in enforcement action ( Medical Board of California — Continuing Medical Education ).

Sources

Last verified: September 23, 2026

• Medical Board of California — Continuing Medical Education

• Medical Board of California — Renew Your License

• California Business and Professions Code § 2190.1

• DEA Diversion Control Division — MATE Act Training FAQ