Iowa · MD and DO
Iowa: End-of-life care
MD: 2 hours, once every 5 years · DO: 2 hours, once every 5 years.
Last verified against the sources below. Requirements change — confirm with your Board before you rely on this page. This is general information, not legal advice.
MD (medical doctor)
- Hours
- 2 hours
- How often
- Once every 5 years
- Who
- Only some physicians — see the rule note
- Renewal cycle
- Renews every 2 years; licenses expire on the first day of your birth month, every two years — in even-numbered years if you were born in an even-numbered year, odd-numbered years if born in an odd-numbered year.
- Board
- Iowa Board of Medicine
- The rule
- 481 IAC 654.3(1)(e): physicians who regularly provide direct patient care to actively dying patients in Iowa complete at least two hours of category 1 credit on end-of-life care every five years. Counts toward the 40 hours.
DO (osteopathic physician)
- Hours
- 2 hours
- How often
- Once every 5 years
- Who
- Only some physicians — see the rule note
- Renewal cycle
- Renews every 2 years; licenses expire on the first day of your birth month, every two years — in even-numbered years if you were born in an even-numbered year, odd-numbered years if born in an odd-numbered year.
- Board
- Iowa Board of Medicine
- The rule
- 481 IAC 654.3(1)(e): physicians who regularly provide direct patient care to actively dying patients in Iowa complete at least two hours of category 1 credit on end-of-life care every five years. Counts toward the 40 hours.
What to do next
Other states that require it
Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont. Every state that requires it
Sources
- Iowa Board of Medicine (Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing) — Continuing education for physicians
- 481 IAC chapter 654 — Continuing education and training requirements (formerly 653 IAC ch. 11; ARC 9114C, effective May 21, 2025; IAC 9/30/26)
- 481 IAC chapter 652 — Permanent and administrative medicine physician licensure (expiration and renewal, 652.10–652.14)
- Iowa Code § 272C.2 — Continuing education requirements
- Iowa Code § 232.69 — Mandatory reporters of child abuse; training
- Iowa Code § 235B.16 — Dependent adult abuse; training of mandatory reporters
- 2026 Iowa Acts ch. 1129 (H.F. 2676) — nutrition and metabolic health CE (Iowa Code § 148.3(5))
MD facts last verified October 8, 2026 · DO facts last verified October 8, 2026.