Continuing Education - Podiatric Physicians
The following information regarding required CPE applies to all podiatric physician licensees. Active and inactive status podiatric physicians must complete all required CPE in advance of renewal. The term “reporting period” means the two-year period preceding the renewal deadline for a license issued by the Board. For example, if a license is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2025, the reporting period is July 1, 2023 through the 2025 renewal application submission date.
Mandatory Controlled Substance Course for all Licensees
Podiatric physicians who have prescribed, administered, or dispensed any controlled substance pursuant to a West Virginia license in the two-year reporting period preceding renewal, are required to complete 3-hours of Board-approved continuing education in drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training during each reporting period. This is not a one-time only requirement. For 2025 license renewal applicants, this course must be completed during the reporting period of July 1, 2023 through the date of attestation on a renewal application. The Board maintains a list of all 3-hour courses that have been approved by the Board and which were available for completion during the reporting period for podiatric physicians renewing in 2025. To review a list of previous and upcoming conferences which satisfy this continuing education requirement, as well as the available online courses, click on the appropriate link below.
A podiatric physician who has not prescribed any controlled substances pursuant to a West Virginia license during the reporting period may seek a waiver of this requirement by attesting on the renewal application that he or she has not prescribed, administered or dispensed any controlled substances pursuant to a West Virginia license since July 1, 2023.
In addition to the mandatory drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training course, there are three pathways to satisfy the biennial CPE obligation.
Option 1 Classic CPE
Complete 50 hours of CPE during the reporting period which is: approved by the APMA or Council on Podiatric Medical Education; presented or sponsored by any of the podiatry colleges in the United States; designated as Category I by the AMA or AAFP; or presented or sponsored by the West Virginia Podiatric Medical Association.
- 30 hours of CPE must be in the podiatric physician’s area(s) of specialty.
- Podiatric physicians may count up to 20 hours of teaching podiatric education courses or lecturing to medical students, podiatric students, residents, or licensed physicians or podiatric physicians on podiatric medicine, or serving as a preceptor to podiatric students or residents in the 50-hour total.
- The 3-hour Board-approved drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training course can be used for 3 of the 50 CPE hours.
Option 2 One Full Year of CPME or CPM Approved Training
A podiatric physician may satisfy all required CPE hours except the 3-hour Board-approved drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training requirement by successful completion of one full year of graduate clinical training in a program approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education or the Colleges of Podiatric Medicine during the reporting period. For 2025 license renewal applicants, this reporting period is July 1, 2023 through the date a renewal application is submitted.
Option 3 ABPA or ABFAS Certification or Recertification Exam
A podiatric physician may satisfy all CPE requirements except the 3-hour Board-approved drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training requirement by sitting for and passing a certification or recertification examination of the American Board of Podiatric Medicine or the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery and receiving certification or recertification from the Board during the reporting period. For 2025 license renewal applicants, this reporting period is July 1, 2023 through the date a renewal application is submitted.
