Continuing Education - Medical Doctors

 

The following information regarding required CME applies to all medical doctor licensees. Active and inactive status licensees must complete all required CME 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, 2024, the reporting period is July 1, 2022 through the 2024 renewal application submission date.

Mandatory Controlled Substance CME for all Licensees

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 CME 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 2024 license renewal applicants, this course must be completed during the reporting period of July 1, 2022 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 physicians renewing in 2024.  To review a list of previous and upcoming conferences which satisfy this CME requirement, as well as the available online courses, click on the appropriate link below.

List of Board-approved CME courses which satisfy the 3-hour Drug Diversion Training and Best Practice Prescribing of Controlled Substances Training requirement for medical doctors whose last names begin with the letters A through L, and who will be renewing on or before June 28, 2024.

Master list of all Board-approved CME courses which satisfy the 3-hour Drug Diversion Training and Best Practice Prescribing of Controlled Substances Training requirement from September 2012 through the present.

A 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, 2022.    

In addition to the mandatory drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training CME course, there are four pathways to satisfy the biennial CME obligation.   

Option 1 Classic CME

Complete 50 hours of CME which is designated as Category I by the AMA or AAFP during the reporting period. 

  • 30 hours of CME must be in the physician’s area(s) of specialty.  
  • Physicians may count up to 20 hours of medical student teaching/preceptorship in the 50-hour total.
  • The 3-hour Board-approved drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training CME can be used for 3 of the 50 CME hours.

Option 2 ABMS Certification/Recertification Exam

A physician may satisfy all CME requirements except the 3-hour Board-approved drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training CME requirement by sitting for and passing a certification or recertification examination of an ABMS member board and receiving certification or recertification during the relevant reporting period. For 2024 license renewal applicants, this reporting period is July 1, 2022 through the date a renewal application is submitted.   

Option 3 Active Participation in MOC

A physician may satisfy all CME requirements except the 3-hour Board-approved drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training CME requirement by successful involvement in maintenance of certification (MOC) through an ABMS member board during the relevant reporting period.  For 2024 license renewal applicants, this reporting period is July 1, 2022 through the date a renewal application is submitted.      

Option 4 One Full Year of ACGME Approved Training

A physician may satisfy all required CME hours except the 3-hour Board-approved drug diversion training and best practice prescribing of controlled substances training CME requirement by successful completion of one full year of ACGME approved postgraduate training during the reporting period. For 2024 license renewal applicants, this reporting period is July 1, 2022 through the date a renewal application is submitted.

 

Archived CME Lists