Home › Guides › CME by state and specialty › North Carolina, anesthesiology
North Carolina CME requirements for anesthesiologists
North Carolina sets one CME total for physicians in every specialty: 60 hours every 3 years (Category 1), with 1 mandated topic. As an anesthesiologist you also keep up ABA MOCA 2.0. Below: both, and where one certificate counts for each.
North Carolina: the state rule
Checked against the North Carolina Medical Board's rules on October 13, 2026. Citation: 21 NCAC 32R .0101(b).
General CME: 60 hours every 3 years.
Opioid / controlled substance
3 hours Category 1 every 3-year cycle, controlled-substance prescribing practices including chronic pain. Trigger: any MD/DO who prescribes CS.
No board pre-approval needed: no designated course; the NCMB posts an options list 'as a courtesy.' DEA MATE Act training also satisfies it.
Mandated topics, and whether each reaches anesthesiologists
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Who it applies to | For anesthesiologists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled substances / opioid / chronic pain prescribing | 3 | per 3-year cycle | controlled-substance prescribers | Applies if you prescribe controlled substances. Check whether this applies to your practice. |
Notes from the North Carolina page
- MATE training satisfies. Only topic mandate.
Full detail, including the rules for NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs: North Carolina CME requirements.
Your board: ABA MOCA 2.0
Board figures as tracked in the Ledger, last checked August 1, 2026. Confirm in your board portal.
The American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA) runs MOCA 2.0. If you were certified in 2024 or later you are on a 5-year cycle: 125 AMA PRA Category 1 credits, at least 10 of them in patient safety. If you were certified earlier you stay on a 10-year cycle of 250 credits (at least 20 patient safety) until it expires.
Everyone also answers MOCA Minute questions, 120 a year (30 a quarter), and completes QI activities. The ABA counts AMA PRA Category 1, AOA Category 1-A and RCPSC/AFMC accredited CPD only; Category 2 does not count.
DOs certified by the AOBA follow the AOA's Osteopathic Continuous Certification instead, with different credit rules.
What usually overlaps
- Opioid course. An accredited opioid course that covers North Carolina's required content can count toward the opioid requirement and toward the general 60-hour total at the same time, when the activity awards the credit North Carolina accepts.
- Board CME. ABA credit is Category 1 only. A Category 1 certificate can count toward your MOCA total and toward North Carolina's hours at the same time; a Category 2 activity can only help on the state side, where the state accepts it. 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 North Carolina's own rules. A MATE-qualifying accredited course will usually still count toward North Carolina's general total.
For anesthesiologists in North Carolina
- Pace: North Carolina asks for 60 hours every 3 years, about 20 a year. ABA asks for 125 credits over 5 years (250 over 10 on the older track), about 25 a year. Certificates that carry credit both accept count toward each, so plan to the larger of the two.
- North Carolina's total: 60 hours (Category 1). The ABA counts Category 1 only, so the Category 1 hours are the ones that also move your MOCA total.
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 North Carolina require for anesthesiologists?
North Carolina's total is the same for physicians in every specialty: 60 hours every 3 years (Category 1), plus 1 mandated topic, some limited to certain practices. Checked against the North Carolina Medical Board's rules on October 13, 2026.
Does ABA MOCA CME count toward North Carolina's CME hours?
ABA credit is Category 1 only. A Category 1 certificate can count toward your MOCA total and toward North Carolina's hours at the same time; a Category 2 activity can only help on the state side, where the state accepts it. Check what credit each certificate awards.
Related
- North Carolina 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 North Carolina physician rules as checked on October 13, 2026 and of ABA rules as last checked August 1, 2026. Informational, not legal advice. Rules change mid-cycle: verify with the North Carolina Medical Board and your board before relying on any entry.