If you haven’t done so already, we suggest that you start and maintain a CME file to keep the certificates from all the CME activities you attend. The certificate usually contains all the information you need to report an activity: the date, location, title, sponsor, and type of credit awarded.

AAFP/TAFP membership re-election

For continued membership AAFP/TAFP members must participate in and report 150 credits of continuing medical education every three years. Here is the breakdown:

• At least 75 credits must be Prescribed Credit
• The remaining 75 may be either Prescribed or Elective Credit
• No more than 25 can be earned from Enrichment Activities

The credit must have been earned in the three-year period prior to re-election. AAFP does not allow any credits to be carried over.

American Board of Family Medicine

The CME requirements for re-certification are similar to AAFP requirements. Refer to the ABFM CME requirements on their website based on your individual certification stage. Upon your written request, AAFP will send a copy of your CME transcript to ABFM. In most cases, AAFP can report your name to ABFM when you have met their CME requirements. If you have questions about board certification or re-certification, call (888) 995-5700 or visit their web site at www.theabfm.org.

Texas Medical Board

Physicians need to complete at least 48 credits of continuing medical education every 24 months (24-month timeline is in relation to the biennial registration period, not the calendar year). At least half of these hours must be in formal, Category 1 or 1A courses. A physician must report during registration if she or he has completed the required CME.

• At least 2 of the 24 formal hours must involve the study of medical ethics and/or professional responsibility.
• At least 2 of the 24 formal hours must involve pain management and prescription of opioids
• At least 1 of the 24 formal hours must be a course in human trafficking prevention

Please refer to the Texas Medical Board’s website for specific details of the requirements above.

Questions about license renewal should be addressed to the Texas Medical Board at (512) 305-7010.

You can report credits, view and print your CME record, and check your re-election status at www.aafp.org/cme.

AAFP Prescribed Credit — Programs that have been planned with input from an AAFP member. The sponsoring organization must apply to AAFP for Prescribed Credit. If a course is good for Prescribed Credit, the brochure or certificate of attendance will indicate that it is acceptable for up to X Prescribed Credits. AAFP Prescribed Credit is equivalent to AMA Category 1 Credit. You can also earn Prescribed Credit by teaching medical students, residents, physicians, physician assistant students or nurse practitioner students (Limit 60 credits per re-election cycle for teaching).

AAFP Elective Credit — Elective credit comes from programs that have been designated as Category 1 credit for the AMA Physicians' Recognition Award or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) credit, but have not been approved as AAFP Prescribed Credit.

Enrichment Credit — Programs without AAFP Prescribed or AMA Category 1 credit. You can use up to 25 credits per three-year re-election cycle for AAFP.

Category 1/Category 2 Credit — These terms refer to CME required for the AMA Physician Recognition Award. Category 1 courses are formally organized and planned educational meetings. Category 2 includes less structured learning activities, such as consultations, discussions with colleagues, and teaching. Neither is equivalent to AAFP Prescribed hours.

Division I/Division II Credit — These terms are used by the American Board of Family Medicine. Division I credit is for courses that are accredited. Division II includes teaching and unsupervised individual activities.