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Arkansas Physician & PA CME Requirements

Overview

The Arkansas State Medical Board requires physicians and PAs to complete 20 hours of CME annually. Arkansas uses a birth month cycle rather than a calendar year, and conducts monthly random audits. Notably, PAs have more flexibility — no Category 1 requirement and no mandatory topics.

Physician (MD/DO) Requirements

Arkansas physicians must complete 20 CME hours per annual renewal cycle.

CME Breakdown

Requirement Details
Total CME 20 hours per year
Category 1 50% (10 hours) must be Category 1 in primary practice area
Renewal cycle Annual (birth month to birth month)
Rollover No — hours must be completed within cycle
Audit Monthly random audits

Renewal Cycle Explained

Arkansas uses a birth month cycle:

  • Cycle runs from your birth month of the previous year through your birth month of the current year
  • Example: If born in June, cycle runs June 2025 → June 2026

Mandatory Training

Requirement Details
Opioid/Benzodiazepine 1 hour annually in prescribing opioids and/or benzodiazepines

This requirement is specified in Regulation 17 of the Arkansas Medical Practices Acts & Regulations.

Documentation

  • Certificates of CME completion required if audited
  • Keep records accessible for potential monthly audits

Physician Assistant Requirements

Arkansas PAs are regulated by the same board as physicians but have more flexible CME requirements.

CME Breakdown

Requirement Details
Total CME 20 hours per year
Category 1 Not required — any category accepted
Mandatory topics None (unlike physicians)
Renewal cycle Annual (birth month to birth month)
Board Arkansas State Medical Board

Key Differences from Physicians

Requirement Physicians PAs
Category 1 50% required Not required
Opioid/benzo training 1 hour mandatory Not mandatory
Total hours 20/year 20/year

Supervision Requirements

Arkansas PAs work as dependent medical practitioners:

Requirement Details
Supervision Must work under Arkansas-licensed physician
Protocol Board-approved delegation agreement required
Ratio One physician may supervise up to 3 PAs at one time

VA System Exemption

PAs working in the VA system are exempt from state licensure requirements unless working outside the VA system.

Governing Authority

  • Rule 24 — Arkansas Medical Practices Acts & Regulations

DO (Osteopathic) Physicians

Arkansas requirements for DO physicians are identical to MD requirements. Both must complete 20 hours annually with the same Category 1 and opioid training requirements.

Tips for Arkansas Licensees

  1. Annual cycle — Arkansas is one of few states with yearly (not biennial) requirements
  2. Birth month deadline — Track your personal renewal date carefully
  3. Monthly audits — Keep certificates readily accessible; audits happen frequently
  4. MDs: Don't skip opioid training — 1 hour required every year
  5. PAs have flexibility — No Category 1 or topic requirements
  6. Category 1 must match specialty — Physicians' Category 1 hours must be in primary practice area

Contact Information

Arkansas State Medical Board

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