Pennsylvania · MD and DO
Pennsylvania: Patient safety and risk management
MD: 12 hours, every renewal · DO: 12 hours, every renewal.
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
- 12 hours
- How often
- Every renewal
- Who
- Every licensee
- Renewal cycle
- Renews every 2 years; licenses expire at December 31 of even-numbered years.
- Board
- Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine
- The rule
- 49 Pa. Code §16.19: at least 12 hours, Category 1 or 2 — for example medical records, reducing medical errors, professional conduct and ethics, communication, preventive medicine, quality improvement. The Board says the Act 31 child abuse hours and the opioid hours cannot be counted toward these 12.
DO (osteopathic physician)
- Hours
- 12 hours
- How often
- Every renewal
- Who
- Every licensee
- Renewal cycle
- Renews every 2 years; licenses expire at October 31 of even-numbered years.
- Board
- Pennsylvania State Board of Osteopathic Medicine
- The rule
- 49 Pa. Code §25.271: at least 12 hours, Category 1 or 2 — for example medical records, reducing medical errors, professional conduct and ethics, communication, preventive medicine, quality improvement. The Board says the Act 31 child abuse hours and the opioid hours cannot be counted toward these 12.
What to do next
Other states that require it
Sources
- State Board of Medicine — CME requirements for (MD) Physician and Surgeon License (PDF)
- State Board of Medicine — Renewal Information
- 49 Pa. Code §16.19 — Continuing medical education (amended effective April 25, 2026)
- 49 Pa. Code §16.15 — Biennial registration
- 49 Pa. Code §16.108 — Child abuse recognition and reporting, mandatory training
- Act 124 of 2016 — adds section 9.1 to the ABC-MAP Act (opioid education)
- Pennsylvania Department of State — Child Abuse Recognition and Reporting Continuing Education Providers (Act 31)
- Pennsylvania DHS — Mandated reporter training (no new curricula accepted since January 1, 2025)
- State Board of Osteopathic Medicine — CME requirements for Osteopathic Physician and Surgeon License (PDF)
- State Board of Osteopathic Medicine — Renewal Information
- State Board of Osteopathic Medicine — 2026 Renewal Guide (PDF, rev. 7/2026)
- 49 Pa. Code §25.271 — Requirements for renewal (amended effective April 25, 2026)
- 49 Pa. Code §25.417 — Child abuse recognition and reporting, mandatory training
MD facts last verified October 8, 2026 · DO facts last verified October 8, 2026.