Continuing Education Requirements

(1) Hours Required, Waiver, and Exemptions (a) During the twenty-four (24) month period ending on the licensee’s expiration date, all licensees must complete forty (40) hours of courses approved by the Board in Category I-A, II-A and/or I-B continuing medical education as defined by the American Osteopathic Association (“A.O.A”). (b) Unless exempt under T.C.A. 63-1-402(c), all licensees holding a current Tennessee license shall complete a minimum of two (2) of the forty (40) required hours of continuing medical education related to controlled substance prescribing, which must include instruction in the Department’s treatment guidelines on opioids, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, and carisoprodol and may include topics such as medicine addiction, risk management tools, and other topics approved by the Board. (c) No more than twenty (20) continuing medical education credits should be obtained in Category I-B. (d) The Board approves a course for only the number of hours contained in the course. The approved hours of any individual course will not be counted more than once in a calendar year toward the required hourly total regardless of the number of times the course is attended or completed by any individual. (e) Waiver - The Board may waive the requirements of these rules in cases where illness, disability, or other undue hardship beyond the control of the licensee prevents a licensee from complying. Requests for waivers must be sent in writing to the Board’s Administrative Office prior to the expiration of the renewal period in which the continuing medical education is due and prior to the application for renewal. (f) Exemptions: 1. Anyone whose license is in the retired status pursuant to rule 1050-02-.08 is exempt from the requirements of these continuing medical education rules. 2. Anyone who obtains licensure in the same calendar year as successful completion of the NBOME, COMLEX, or the USMLE Step 3 is exempt from the provisions of these continuing medical education rules but only for the calendar year in which licensure is issued. GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING CHAPTER 1050-02 THE PRACTICE OF OSTEOPATHY (2) Acceptable Continuing Education - To be utilized for satisfaction of the continuing education requirements of this rule, the continuing education hours must comply with the following: (a) They must be approved in content, structure, and/or format by the A.O.A., or by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (A.C.C.M.E.) or by a state medical association recognized by the A.C.C.M.E. as an intrastate accreditor of sponsors of continuing medical education; or (b) They must be designated by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) as meeting the criteria of the AAFP’s prescribed credit. (3) Proof of Compliance - All licensees must retain independent documentation of completion of all continuing medical education hours and compliance with the provisions of these rules. (a) This documentation must be retained for a period of four (4) years from the end of the calendar year in which the continuing medical education was acquired. (b) This documentation must be produced for inspection and verification, if requested in writing by the Division during its verification process. (c) Documentation verifying the licensee’s completion of the continuing medical education hours may consist of any one (1) or more of the following: 1. Original certificates verifying the individual’s attendance at the continuing education programs described above. 2. Original letters on official institution stationary or photocopies of original letters on official institution stationary from the instructor of the graduate level course verifying that the course was completed and listing the number of credit hours of attendance completed by the individual; or 3. Documentation from the American Academy of Family Physicians (hereafter AAFP) indicating acquired continuing medical education hours; or 4. Official transcript verifying credit hours earned. One (1) semester academic credit hour is equivalent to fifteen (15) clock hours for the purpose of licensure renewal. Credit for auditing will be for the actual clock hours in attendance, not to exceed the academic credit. (d) Through December 31, 2024, in response to an audit, the Board will accept continuing medical education credits obtained on a calendar year or those obtained on a renewal cycle. All licensees whose license expires on or after January 1, 2025, will be required to submit proof of continuing medical education credits for the past licensure renewal cycle rather than the calendar year cycle (4) Violations and Disciplinary Orders (a) Any licensee who fails to obtain the required continuing medical education hours or otherwise comply with the provisions of these rules may be subject to disciplinary action. (b) Continuing medical education hours obtained as a result of compliance with the terms of Board Orders in any disciplinary action, or obtained pursuant to licensure or renewal GENERAL RULES AND REGULATIONS GOVERNING CHAPTER 1050-02 THE PRACTICE OF OSTEOPATHY restriction/condition mandated by the Board, shall not be credited toward the continuing medical education hours required to be obtained during any renewal period.