Continuing Medical Education (CME) is crucial for physicians to maintain licensure and stay updated with medical advancements. Washington has specific CME requirements for MD and DO physicians to ensure they provide the highest quality care. Understanding these requirements is essential for compliance and professional development.

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Washington CME Requirements for MD and DO Physicians:

• Total CME Credits: Physicians must complete 200 hours of CME every 4 years.
• Suicide Assessment and Treatment: Every physician must take a one-time, six-hour CE course in suicide assessment, treatment, and management.
• Opioid Prescribing: Effective 1/1/19, a physician licensed to prescribe opioids shall complete a one-time CE requirement regarding best practices in the prescribing of opioids or the opioid prescribing rules in this chapter. The CE must be at least one hour in length.
• Controlled Substances: Physicians must complete at least 1 credit in controlled substances.

Fulfilling these requirements ensures that Washington MD and DO physicians remain current in their medical practice and provide the best care to their patients.

For further details on state CME requirements, please visit the official Federation of State Medical Board documentation

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Resources to Fulfill Washington’s CME Requirements

CME Trail offers a tailored collection of CME opportunities that adhere to Washington's guidelines. We provide a variety of educational resources, from a question bank, summarized guidelines, guideline based algorithms, and a price transparency tool designed to fulfill the state-mandated topics while also fitting into busy schedules. Earn up to 120 AMA PRA Category 1 credits. 

To assist healthcare professionals in fulfilling their specific CME requirements on suicide assessment and opioid prescribing, we've compiled a list of free resources:

Free Suicide Prevention CME ‍

‍Utah Department of Commerce Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL): Provides a list of online suicide prevention training courses that meet Washington's CME requirements. Access the list here.

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Free Resources on Prescribing Controlled Substances CME 

1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Offers CME/CE activities on topics related to opioid and substance use disorders and addiction. NIDA CME/CE Activities
2. Pri-Med: Provides timely opioid CME courses to help primary care clinicians learn appropriate risk mitigation strategies and prevent substance use disorder. Pri-Med Opioid CME/CE
3. Wake AHEC: Offers a webinar and panel discussion series on controlled substances prescribing, with an emphasis on treating pain. Wake AHEC CME
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Provides training modules on treating substance use disorders, effective communication in treating SUDs, and care coordination in the treatment of SUDs, eligible for free continuing education credits. Access CDC Training Modules

UAB Division of Continuing Medical Education: Provides online courses developed by UAB faculty that qualify for CME credit, focusing on identifying substance use disorders and updates in substance use and mental health. UAB CME