Virginia MD CME requirements

At a glance: MD (medical doctor)

Hours

30 hours every 2 years

Renewal cycle

Every 2 years

Deadline

Your birth month, every two years (the year depends on when your license was issued)

Required topics

None

Hours carry over

No

First renewal

18VAC85-20-235(B): exempt from continuing competency requirements for the first biennial renewal after initial licensure in Virginia. Board FAQ: "There is no requirement for cme at your first renewal."

Reporting

You attest to completion on the renewal application; do not send documents. The Board randomly selects licensees for a post-renewal audit and gives a deadline to send proof. Keep certificates (or a letter on the sponsor's letterhead if no dated certificate was issued) for six years after the renewal (18VAC85-20-235(C)). Falsifying the attestation can lead to discipline.

Board

Virginia Board of Medicine

18VAC85-20-230: an active license is renewed biennially during the licensee's birth month. 18VAC85-20-235(A), as amended effective February 27, 2025: attest to at least 30 hours of continuing learning in the two years immediately before renewal, all in Type 1 activities (offered by an accredited sponsor or an organization sanctioned by the profession). Before 2025 the rule required 60 hours (30 Type 1 plus 30 Type 2); self-claimed Type 2 hours no longer count. The Board may extend the deadline up to one year for good cause if you ask before your renewal date.

Deadline

In Virginia, the date depends on your license: your birth month, every two years (the year depends on when your license was issued).

Find your Virginia MD deadline and add it to your calendar

Required topics

No required topics in our Virginia MD requirement data.

Credit that counts

• AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™18VAC85-20-235(A): Type 1 activities or courses offered by an accredited sponsor or organization sanctioned by the profession. AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from an ACCME-accredited provider is the standard documented accredited credit; the Board's FAQ also accepts an AMA Physician's Recognition Award or specialty recertification when its requirements equal or exceed Virginia's.
• AAFP Prescribed creditThe Board's FAQ gives the example that a pediatrician or surgeon "could receive credit for documented hours sponsored by the American Academy of Family Practice."
• AOA Category 1-AType 1 includes courses from an accredited sponsor sanctioned by the profession; AOA Category 1-A is certified by AOA-accredited sponsors. The rule applies to MDs and DOs alike.
• AOA Category 1-B Confirm with your BoardNot named. The Board's FAQ says Type 1 hours must be documented by an accredited sponsor or organization sanctioned by the profession; self-directed AOA Category 1-B activities may not meet that, so confirm with the Board.