West Virginia Medical Doctor CME

How many CE hours do West Virginia physicians need?

West Virginia physicians need 50 hours of Category I CME every two years, recognized by the AMA or the American Academy of Family Physicians, with at least 30 of those hours related to the physician's area of medical specialty ( West Virginia Board of Medicine — Continuing Medical Education ; W. Va. Code R. § 11-6-4.1.1 ).

Renewal falls every two years, by July 1 — physicians with last names A through L renew in even-numbered years, and physicians with last names M through Z (along with podiatric physicians) renew in odd-numbered years ( W. Va. Code R. § 11-1A-10.2 ).

Which CE topics are required for West Virginia physicians?

Every physician must complete 2 hours of nutrition CME each renewal, within the standard 50-hour total ( W. Va. Code R. § 11-6-4.1.1.b ; W. Va. Code § 30-3-12(d) ).

A physician who prescribed, administered, or dispensed a controlled substance during the two-year reporting period must also complete 3 hours of risk assessment and responsible prescribing of controlled substances CME, from the Board's published list of approved courses; this is not a one-time requirement — it recurs each reporting period. A new licensee has one year from initial licensure to complete it, and a physician who attests they did not prescribe, administer, or dispense a controlled substance during the period is exempt ( West Virginia Board of Medicine — Continuing Medical Education ; W. Va. Code § 30-1-7a(b) ).

Physicians holding a DEA registration must also complete a one-time 8-hour DEA MATE Training on Opioid or Substance Use Disorder, per the federal MATE Act — not a West Virginia Board mandate ( DEA Diversion Control Division — MATE Act Training FAQ ).

West Virginia physicians who dispense controlled substances from an office-based setting must hold a separate state dispensing registration through the Board, but that registration carries no independent CE requirement of its own — the CE obligation runs entirely through the Board's CME rule above ( W. Va. Code R. § 11-5-3 ).

Do newly licensed West Virginia physicians need CE for their first renewal?

Yes. The standard 50-hour requirement applies at a physician's first renewal, though a new licensee gets one year from initial licensure to complete the controlled-substances course specifically, and that first course can be credited toward the first renewal cycle ( West Virginia Board of Medicine — Continuing Medical Education ; W. Va. Code R. § 11-6-3.1 ).

Does the West Virginia Board of Medicine audit CE records?

Yes. Physicians certify completion at renewal, must produce documentation within 30 days of a Board request, and must retain records for 6 years; failure to comply is grounds for professional discipline ( W. Va. Code R. § 11-6-5, § 11-6-6 ).

Sources

Last verified: September 23, 2026

• West Virginia Board of Medicine

• West Virginia Board of Medicine — Continuing Medical Education

• W. Va. Code R. Title 11, Series 6 — Continuing Medical Education

• W. Va. Code R. Title 11, Series 1A — Licensure and Renewal

• W. Va. Code § 30-3-12 — License Renewal

• W. Va. Code § 30-1-7a — Controlled Substance Training

• DEA Diversion Control Division — MATE Act Training FAQ