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Pennsylvania CME requirements for emergency physicians
Pennsylvania sets one CME total for physicians in every specialty: 100 hours every 2 years (20 Category 1), with 4 mandated topics. As an emergency physician you also keep up ABEM Continuing Certification (MyEMCert). Below: both, and where one certificate counts for each.
Pennsylvania: the state rule
Checked against the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine's rules on October 13, 2026. Citation: 49 Pa. Code §16.19 / §25.271.
General CME: 100 hours every 2 years.
Opioid / controlled substance
2 hours per biennium, pain management, addiction ID, or opioid prescribing/dispensing (initial: 2+2 within 12 months). Trigger: CS prescribers/dispensers.
No board pre-approval needed: any Category 1 activity from an ACCME-accredited organization counts. No designated course or list.
Mandated topics, and whether each reaches emergency physicians
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Who it applies to | For emergency physicians |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Child abuse recognition & reporting (Act 31) | 2 (+3 one-time at initial) | per renewal | all (mandated reporters) | Applies to all physicians. |
| Opioid prescribing, pain management and addiction identification (single combined requirement) | 2 | per renewal | prescribers/dispensers | Applies if you prescribe controlled substances. Check whether this applies to your practice. |
| Patient safety / risk management | 12 | per renewal | all | Applies to all physicians. |
| Organ and tissue donation and recovery (Board-approved curriculum) | 2 | one-time, within 5 years of licensure or renewal (effective 5/1/2026; counts toward the 100) | medical doctors (49 Pa. Code §16.19(c)) | Applies to MDs. Check whether this applies to your license. |
Notes from the Pennsylvania page
- Opioids and pain management are one combined 2-hour requirement, not two (some summaries list two). DOs follow the same rule via Ch. 25.
Full detail, including the rules for NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs: Pennsylvania CME requirements.
Your board: ABEM Continuing Certification (MyEMCert)
Board figures as tracked in the Ledger, last checked July 25, 2026. Confirm in your board portal.
The American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) runs Continuing Certification on a 5-year cycle: pass 4 MyEMCert modules, complete 1 Patient-Care Practice Improvement activity, and attest an unrestricted license each year.
ABEM sets no CME-credit total. Credit is earned through the modules, and your state licenses still set their own CME totals.
DOs certified by the AOBEM follow the AOA's Osteopathic Continuous Certification instead, with different credit rules.
What usually overlaps
- Opioid course. An accredited opioid course that covers Pennsylvania's required content can count toward the opioid requirement and toward the general 100-hour total at the same time, when the activity awards the credit Pennsylvania accepts.
- Board CME. ABEM sets no CME total of its own, but completed MyEMCert modules come with CME certificates. Each one can count toward Pennsylvania's hours when it awards credit Pennsylvania accepts. 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 Pennsylvania's own rules. A MATE-qualifying accredited course will usually still count toward Pennsylvania's general total.
For emergency physicians in Pennsylvania
- ABEM sets no CME-credit total, so Pennsylvania's 100 hours every 2 years is your CME number. Keep MyEMCert module certificates: they can count toward it.
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 Pennsylvania require for emergency physicians?
Pennsylvania's total is the same for physicians in every specialty: 100 hours every 2 years (20 Category 1), plus 4 mandated topics, some limited to certain practices. Checked against the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine's rules on October 13, 2026.
Does ABEM continuing certification count toward Pennsylvania's CME hours?
ABEM sets no CME total of its own, but completed MyEMCert modules come with CME certificates. Each one can count toward Pennsylvania's hours when it awards credit Pennsylvania accepts. Check what credit each certificate awards.
Related
- Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania physician rules as checked on October 13, 2026 and of ABEM rules as last checked July 25, 2026. Informational, not legal advice. Rules change mid-cycle: verify with the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine and your board before relying on any entry.