Home › Guides › CME by state and specialty › Michigan, family medicine
Michigan CME requirements for family physicians
Michigan sets one CME total for physicians in every specialty: 150 hours every 3 years (75 Category 1), with 5 mandated topics. As a family physician you also keep up ABFM Family Medicine Certification. Below: both, and where one certificate counts for each.
Michigan: the state rule
Checked against the Michigan Board of Medicine's rules on October 13, 2026. Citation: Michigan LARA Licensing Guide.
General CME: 150 hours every 3 years.
Opioid / controlled substance
3 hours every 3 years, pain & symptom management (DO: also 1 hour controlled-substance). Trigger: all.
No board pre-approval needed: generic ACCME Category 1 counts (AOA equivalency for DO board).
Mandated topics, and whether each reaches family physicians
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Who it applies to | For family physicians |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical ethics | 1 | per cycle | all renewals | Applies to all physicians. |
| Pain and symptom management (including 1 hour on controlled substances) | 3 | per cycle | all renewals | Applies to all physicians. |
| Implicit bias | 1/year (3 per cycle); new applicants 2 | recurring | all | Applies to all physicians. |
| Human trafficking training | training (no fixed hours) | one-time | all | Applies to all physicians. |
| Controlled substance awareness training | training (no fixed hours) | one-time | controlled-substance prescribers | Applies if you prescribe controlled substances. Check whether this applies to your practice. |
Full detail, including the rules for NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs: Michigan CME requirements.
Your board: ABFM Family Medicine Certification
Board figures as tracked in the Ledger, last checked August 1, 2026. Confirm in your board portal.
The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) moved to a 5-year cycle in January 2025: 200 CME credits per cycle, at least 100 of them ABFM Division I, plus 60 certification points from a self-assessment (KSA) and a Performance Improvement activity.
You also take the FMCLA longitudinal assessment or the one-day exam. Division I is ABFM's own credit taxonomy and includes AMA PRA Category 1.
DOs certified by the AOBFP follow the AOA's Osteopathic Continuous Certification instead, with different credit rules.
What usually overlaps
- Opioid course. An accredited opioid course that covers Michigan's required content can count toward the opioid requirement and toward the general 150-hour total at the same time, when the activity awards the credit Michigan accepts.
- Board CME. ABFM Division I includes AMA PRA Category 1, so a Category 1 certificate can count toward your ABFM 200 and toward Michigan's hours at the same time. Check what credit each certificate awards.
- Federal MATE Act. If you hold a DEA registration, the one-time 8-hour training is federal and does not replace Michigan's own rules. A MATE-qualifying accredited course will usually still count toward Michigan's general total.
For family physicians in Michigan
- Pace: Michigan asks for 150 hours every 3 years, about 50 a year. ABFM asks for 200 credits over 5 years, about 40 a year. Certificates that carry credit both accept count toward each, so plan to the larger of the two.
One record for your licenses and your board
The Ledger counts one certificate toward every state and board requirement it satisfies, at full hours each, and reminds you before anything is due. 30 days free with a card on file.
Common questions
How many CME hours does Michigan require for family physicians?
Michigan's total is the same for physicians in every specialty: 150 hours every 3 years (75 Category 1), plus 5 mandated topics, some limited to certain practices. Checked against the Michigan Board of Medicine's rules on October 13, 2026.
Does ABFM CME count toward Michigan's CME hours?
ABFM Division I includes AMA PRA Category 1, so a Category 1 certificate can count toward your ABFM 200 and toward Michigan's hours at the same time. Check what credit each certificate awards.
Related
- Michigan CME requirements, all professions
- CME requirements for all 51 jurisdictions
- CME by state and specialty
- Opioid and controlled-substance CME by state
A summary of the Michigan physician rules as checked on October 13, 2026 and of ABFM rules as last checked August 1, 2026. Informational, not legal advice. Rules change mid-cycle: verify with the Michigan Board of Medicine and your board before relying on any entry.