South Carolina DO CME requirements

At a glance: DO (osteopathic physician)

Hours

40 hours every 2 years

Renewal cycle

Every 2 years

Deadline

June 30 of odd-numbered years (renew online before then; late renewals are on paper with a $100-per-month late fee)

Required topics

2

Hours carry over

No

First renewal

S.C. Code § 40-47-40(1): for a permanent license first issued during a biennial renewal period, meeting the licensing requirements is enough for the first renewal. The Board: "licensees in their first renewal cycle are not required to complete CME."

Credit minimum

All 40 hours must be Category I sponsored by the AMA, the AOA or another organization the Board approves (§ 40-47-40(2)(a)); the Board: "All hours must be AMA/AOA Category 1." At least 30 must relate directly to your practice area. Volunteer medical service can count for up to 10 hours (S.C. Code § 38-79-30(B), per the Board).

Reporting

You certify CME on the renewal application, which is a statement under oath; do not send certificates when renewing on time. The Board randomly audits (Board CE summary). Keep certificates (provider, title, date, AMA/AOA Category 1 designation, hours, your name), or track them in CE Broker, which is optional. Late renewals must include proof of the 40 hours. The physician statute sets no retention period; keep records at least through the next renewal.

Board

South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners

The Board renews physician licenses every two years in odd-numbered years, with a June 30 deadline; the current period is 2025–2027, so the next deadline is June 30, 2027. S.C. Code § 40-47-40(2)(a): 40 hours of Category I CME during the renewal period, at least 30 related directly to your practice area. The Board says CME must be completed in the 24 months before the renewal deadline and before you renew. Instead of the 40 hours you may show specialty board certification or recertification by examination, completion of an ACGME/AOA residency or fellowship, passing the SPEX or COMVEX, or a Board-approved clinical skills assessment (§ 40-47-40(2)(b)–(e)); the controlled-substance hours still apply.

Deadline

• June 30, 2027

Find your South Carolina DO deadline and add it to your calendar

Required topics

• Prescribing and monitoring controlled substances (Schedules II–IV)2 hours · Every renewal · Every licensee
• Human trafficking awareness and prevention Confirm with your Board1 hour · Once every 6 years · Only some physicians — see the rule note
  S.C. Code § 40-47-39 (Act 106 of 2026, effective March 9, 2026): physicians practicing emergency medicine, primary care, internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, gynecology or as hospitalists, and those working in public health clinics, emergency departments, urgent care centers and community-based centers, complete a 1-hour course: licensed before January 1, 2026 — before January 1, 2028, then every six years; licensed on or after January 1, 2026 — within two years of initial licensure, then every six years. The course must contain information reviewed by the SC Human Trafficking Task Force and its Healthcare Subcommittee, and may be offered only by a statewide organization recognized by the ACCME to accredit South Carolina CME providers, "a statewide organization approved to provide continuing medical education by its national organization" (ACCME-accredited), or an organization approved by the Board. It counts within the 40 hours. The Board has not yet adopted rules or listed courses.

Credit that counts

• AOA Category 1-A§ 40-47-40(2)(a): Category I CME sponsored by the American Osteopathic Association. Applies to every licensee, MD or DO.
• AOA Category 1-B Confirm with your BoardThe statute says AOA "Category I" without separating 1-A and 1-B; AOA Category 1-B is part of AOA Category 1, so it appears to count. Confirm with the Board.
• AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™S.C. Code § 40-47-40(2)(a): Category I CME sponsored by the American Medical Association (AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from accredited providers).
• AAFP Prescribed credit Confirm with your BoardNot named for the 40 hours; the statute also accepts organizations "approved by the board." The Board's 2024 controlled-substance statement lists the AAFP among organizations whose ACCME-certified CME counts for the 2-hour requirement. AMA accepts AAFP Prescribed credit as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1; confirm with the Board.