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Tennessee Physician & PA CME Requirements

Overview

Tennessee requires physicians to complete 40 hours of CME every 2 years while PAs follow NCCPA requirements (100 hours). Both professions must complete mandatory controlled substance prescribing education. Tennessee uses CE Broker as its official free tracking system.

Physician (MD/DO) Requirements

Tennessee physicians must complete 40 CME hours per biennial renewal cycle.

CME Breakdown

Requirement Details
Total CME 40 hours per 2-year cycle
Renewal cycle Biennial (birth month)
Submission Attestation only — no documentation unless audited
Tracking CE Broker (free basic account)

Renewal Timing

Physicians renew in their birth month, with odd/even year cycles based on birth year:

  • Odd birth year → Renew in odd years (2025, 2027, etc.)
  • Even birth year → Renew in even years (2024, 2026, etc.)

Controlled Substance Prescribing (Mandatory)

All physicians with DEA registration must complete 2 hours on controlled substance prescribing:

Topic Area Required
Opioids ✓
Benzodiazepines ✓
Barbiturates ✓
Carisoprodol ✓
Addiction medicine ✓
Risk management ✓

Physician Assistant Requirements

Tennessee PAs follow NCCPA requirements with no additional state-specific hours.

CME Breakdown

Requirement Details
Total CME 100 hours per 2-year cycle (NCCPA)
Category split Per NCCPA/AAPA standards
Renewal cycle 2 years (biennial)
Record retention 4 years from end of renewal period
Submission Only if requested during Committee verification

Approved CME Sources

Tennessee accepts PA CME only from:

  • AMA-approved providers
  • AAPA-approved providers

Controlled Substance Prescribing (Mandatory)

Like physicians, PAs with prescriptive authority must complete 2 hours on controlled substances covering:

  • Opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, carisoprodol
  • Medicine addiction
  • Risk management tools

Important Notes

  • Education hours from disciplinary action do NOT count toward renewal
  • Waiver available for retirement, illness, disability, or undue hardship
  • Waiver requests must be submitted before January 1st of license expiration year

CE Broker

Tennessee uses CE Broker as its official CME tracking system.

Feature Details
Cost Free basic account
Function Track and verify CME compliance
Access Available to all licensees

Sign up at cebroker.com

Key Differences: MD vs PA

Aspect Physicians (MD/DO) Physician Assistants
Total hours 40 hours 100 hours (NCCPA)
State-specific Yes (40 hrs) No (follows NCCPA)
Controlled substances 2 hours 2 hours
Record retention Not specified 4 years
Submission Attestation only If audited

Waivers

Both physicians and PAs may request waivers for:

  • Retirement
  • Illness
  • Disability
  • Undue hardship

Important: Written waiver requests must be submitted before January 1st of the license expiration year.

DO (Osteopathic) Physicians

Tennessee requirements for DO physicians are identical to MD requirements. Both must complete 40 hours biennial with mandatory controlled substance education.

Tips for Tennessee Licensees

  1. Use CE Broker — It's free and official
  2. Know your renewal year — Based on birth year (odd/even)
  3. Complete controlled substance CME — Required if you have DEA registration
  4. PAs: AMA or AAPA only — Other providers may not be accepted
  5. Request waivers early — Before January 1st of expiration year
  6. Keep records (PAs) — 4 years from end of renewal period

Contact Information

Board of Medical Examiners (Physicians)

Committee on Physician Assistants

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