Texas Medical Doctor CME

How many CE hours do Texas physicians need?

Texas physicians need 48 hours of continuing medical education every two years, and at least 24 of those hours must be formal AMA PRA Category 1 or AOA Category 1-A credit; the remaining hours can come from informal self-study, hospital lectures, grand rounds, or other non-formal activity ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ).

Renewal falls every two years on one of four fixed dates assigned by the Board at initial licensure — February 28, May 31, August 31, or November 30 ( Texas Medical Board — Physician Renewal ). Which calendar year that renewal falls in follows a separate rule tied to the physician's own TMB license number: license numbers that are even renew in even-numbered years, and license numbers that are odd renew in odd-numbered years ( Texas Medical Board — Physician Renewal ). A newly licensed physician's first registration period runs 12 or 24 months, assigned by the Board and with the fee prorated accordingly, before the standard two-year cycle begins.

Physicians who become board-certified or recertified by an ABMS or AOA member board within the 36 months before renewal, or who meet their board's Maintenance of Certification standards, are presumed to have satisfied the CME requirement for that registration period. Physicians in an approved residency or fellowship program, or completing one within six months of renewal, satisfy the requirement through their training program instead ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ).

Which CE topics are required for Texas physicians?

Every physician must complete 2 hours of medical ethics and professional responsibility CME each renewal, within the 24 required formal hours ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ).

Every physician in direct patient care must also complete pain management and opioid prescribing CME: 2 formal hours within one year of initial licensure, 2 more formal hours by the second renewal, and then 2 formal hours every 8 years (every fourth renewal) after that, rather than every renewal cycle ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ). These hours can be credited toward the ethics requirement above, or toward the pain management clinic medical director requirement below.

Every physician in direct patient care must also complete 1 hour of human trafficking prevention training, in the first renewal period after licensure and again every third renewal period after that — every 6 years, also not every renewal cycle ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ). These hours, too, can be credited toward the ethics requirement.

Every physician must also complete nutrition and metabolic health CME each renewal, under a rule the Board adopted at its August 2026 meeting implementing Senate Bill 25 and House Bill 47; the Board has not yet published a specific hour count for this requirement ( Texas Medical Board — August 2026 Meeting, Rule Changes ).

A physician who provides obstetric care must also complete a one-time Life of the Mother Act training course, delivered through the physician's MyTMB account; this training credits toward the ethics requirement (Senate Bill 31; Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ).

A physician who treats patients in an emergency department must also complete 2 hours of forensic examination training for sexual assault patients, using a course approved by the Governor's Sexual Assault Survivors' Task Force. This requirement takes effect for licenses expiring on or after February 28, 2027 (House Bill 47; Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ).

A physician serving as the medical director of a certified pain management clinic must also complete 10 hours of pain-management-specific CME each renewal, in addition to the standard 48 hours ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ).

A physician serving as an off-line EMS medical director must also complete 12 hours of formal CME in EMS medical direction within the first two years in that role — or hold board certification or complete a DSHS-approved course instead — then 1 hour of formal CME in EMS medical direction in each subsequent renewal ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ).

Physicians holding a DEA registration must also complete a one-time 8-hour DEA MATE Act training on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders — a federal requirement, not a Texas Board mandate ( DEA Diversion Control Division — MATE Act Training FAQ ). Texas does not require a separate state controlled-substance registration on top of that: a DEA registration alone is sufficient to prescribe, dispense, or administer controlled substances in the state ( Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.061 ).

Do newly licensed Texas physicians need CE for their first renewal?

Newly licensed physicians are exempt from the general 48-hour CME requirement at their first renewal ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ). Two mandates apply regardless of that exemption: 2 hours of pain management and opioid prescribing CME are due within one year of initial licensure, and 1 hour of human trafficking prevention training is due in the first renewal period after licensure ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ). A physician providing obstetric care must also complete the one-time Life of the Mother Act training, and a physician holding a DEA registration must complete the one-time 8-hour DEA MATE Act training, independent of the general first-renewal exemption.

Does the Texas Medical Board audit CE records?

Yes. Every TMB licensee, including physicians, reports CME completion through CE Broker, mandatory as of September 1, 2026, and the Board audits licensees selected for verification ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ). Up to 48 excess hours can carry forward to the next renewal period, for up to two years — except medical ethics/professional responsibility and pain management formal hours, which do not carry forward ( Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians ).

Sources

Last verified: September 23, 2026

• Texas Medical Board

• Texas Medical Board — Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians

• Texas Medical Board — Physician Renewal

• Texas Medical Board — Physician CME Hours Requirement Chart

• Texas Medical Board — August 2026 Meeting, Rule Changes

• Texas Health and Safety Code § 481.061

• Texas Occupations Code Chapter 116 — Human Trafficking Prevention Training

• DEA Diversion Control Division — MATE Act Training FAQ