In Iowa, Continuing Medical Education (CME) is a fundamental component of healthcare professionals' commitment to ongoing learning and the delivery of high-quality patient care. The state's CME requirements mandate physicians to accumulate a specific number of credits within designated timeframes for licensure maintenance. This commitment underscores the importance of staying current with medical advancements and maintaining the highest standards of practice.Iowa's CME medical requirements cover a diverse range of educational activities, including conferences, workshops, and online courses. Physicians actively participate in fulfilling their specific CME obligations, demonstrating their dedication to continuous professional development. The state's CME licensure requirements collectively ensure that healthcare practitioners in Iowa remain well-informed, proficient, and contribute to the enhancement of healthcare services throughout the Hawkeye State.

IOWA CME REQUIREMENTS

Iowa Physician Continuing Medical Education (CME) Requirements for Licensure Registration

Credit amount: 40 hours of Category 1 CME credits per licensure cycle.
  • CME hours are prorated for licenses that were issued for fewer than the full licensure cycle of 2 years.
AMA/ACOG/AAFP/AOA: 40
CME/Year: 40
Hours/Year: 20
Licensure cycle: 2 years
Equivalent Certificates: AMA PRA, ABMS (cert and recert), GME
Topics: Must complete 2 hours of training in child abuse identification in the previous five years. A primary care provider must complete 2 hours of training in dependent adult abuse identification and reporting in the previous five years.
  • The board will accept as equivalent to 50 hours of Category 1 activity, participation in an approved resident training program or board certification or recertification by an ABMS or AOA specialty board within the licensing period.
  • Iowa-licensed physicians who provide primary care must complete 2 hours of Category 1 training in end-of-life care every five years and must complete CME focused on the CDC guideline for proper opioid prescribing.

Training for identifying and reporting abuse is required every 5 years for EM, FM, FP, IM, OB/GYN, Psych, & primary care service

Learn about Iowa’s governing bodies for CME

The Iowa Board of Medical Examiners and the Medical Licensure Commission of Iowa are Iowa’s governing bodies for CME and medical license requirements. Their mission is to:

“license physicians and regulate the practice of medicine.”

Additional information can be found on their website which includes information pertaining to basic requirements, educational requirements, frequently asked questions, requests for license verification, and more.

All information from Federation of State Medical Boards is subjected to change. It should be verified independently.

HOW DO WE HELP

Managing CME certifications and staying on top of their expirations manually can be overwhelming, which is why you should
consider Credidocs which can make it easy to track your CME certifications and stay compliant with state regulations.

website icon
Have your own provider vault to store all your CME certifications in one place
website icon
Easy uploading & comprehensive tracking of all certifications to stay compliant
website icon
Automated proactive time-to-expiration notifications
website icon
Easy sharing of documents to any organization
website icon
On-demand access to summary reports
website icon
Best-in-class data security

Related CME Requirements States:

We've Got Your Back

Find how our credentialing & licensing solution can
simplify your work in a quick live demo.

CONTACT US