Rhode Island Medical Doctor CME

How many CE hours do Rhode Island physicians need?

Rhode Island physicians need 40 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ or AOA Category 1a continuing medical education every two years, from an ACCME-, AMA-, or AOA-accredited source ( 216-RICR-40-05-1 § 1.5.5(A) ; RI DOH — Physician Licensing and CME Requirements ). A physician who holds current American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) or AOA Board Maintenance of Certification satisfies the full 40-hour requirement through that program instead of tracking individual course hours ( RI DOH — Physician Licensing and CME Requirements ).

Renewal runs on a fixed biennial calendar: every physician's license renews the same date, June 30 of each even-numbered year, regardless of when the license was first issued, with CME itself due to be earned by June 1 of that year ( 216-RICR-40-05-1 §§ 1.5.5(A), 1.5.6(B) ).

Which CE topics are required for Rhode Island physicians?

Rhode Island does not designate any specific mandatory CME topic for physicians for the current renewal cycle; all 40 hours may be earned in any Category 1 subject matter of the physician's choosing ( RI DOH — Physician Licensing and CME Requirements ).

Physicians holding a DEA registration need a one-time 8-hour DEA MATE Training on Opioid or Substance Use Disorder, per the federal MATE Act — not a Rhode Island Board mandate; board certification in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry satisfies this training instead ( DEA Diversion Control Division — MATE Act Training FAQ ).

Do newly licensed Rhode Island physicians need CE for their first renewal?

Yes. The standard 40-hour requirement applies at a physician's first renewal the same as every renewal after it — the regulation sets the 40-hour, biennial requirement for every licensed physician without a first-renewal exception or proration ( 216-RICR-40-05-1 § 1.5.5(A) ).

Does the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline audit CE records?

Yes. The Board audits a random sample of at least 5% of the licensed population each renewal cycle, generally in August of the even year after the prior cycle concludes, and separately audits any licensee's CME upon opening a complaint investigation; physicians who provide evidence of ABMS Maintenance of Certification are excluded from the random audit ( RI DOH — Auditing of CME for Physicians ). Licensees must safeguard their supporting CME documentation for three years and submit a summary list of that documentation, not the underlying certificates, with their renewal application; renewal is denied to any applicant who fails to provide satisfactory evidence of the required CME ( 216-RICR-40-05-1 §§ 1.5.5(D), 1.5.5(E) ).

Sources

Last verified: September 23, 2026

• Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline — Physician Licensing and CME Requirements

• Rhode Island Code of Regulations, 216-RICR-40-05-1 — Licensure and Discipline of Physicians

• RI Department of Health — Auditing of CME for Physicians

• DEA Diversion Control Division — MATE Act Training FAQ