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Pennsylvania CME requirements for radiologists
Pennsylvania sets one CME total for physicians in every specialty: 100 hours every 2 years (20 Category 1), with 4 mandated topics. As a radiologist you also keep up ABR Continuing Certification. 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 radiologists
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Who it applies to | For radiologists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: ABR Continuing Certification
Board figures as tracked in the Ledger, last checked October 15, 2026. Confirm in your board portal.
The American Board of Radiology (ABR) asks diagnostic radiologists for at least 75 AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits in any rolling 3-year period. Newly certified diplomates start counting in their fourth year of participation.
You also answer Online Longitudinal Assessment (OLA) questions and meet the passing standard by year 5 of the 5-year cycle (or pass an exam in year 4 or 5), complete one Practice Quality Improvement project or participatory QI activity in each rolling 3 years, and keep a valid, unrestricted license.
DOs certified by the AOBR follow the AOA's Osteopathic Continuous Certification instead: 60 CME credits every 3 years, 15 of them self-assessment.
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. The ABR counts AMA PRA Category 1 credit. A Category 1 certificate can count toward your ABR total and toward Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania's own rules. A MATE-qualifying accredited course will usually still count toward Pennsylvania's general total.
For radiologists in Pennsylvania
- Pace: Pennsylvania asks for 100 hours every 2 years, about 50 a year. The ABR asks for 75 credits in any rolling 3 years, about 25 a year. Certificates that carry credit both accept count toward each, so plan to the larger of the two.
- Pennsylvania's total: 100 hours (20 Category 1). The ABR counts Category 1 only, so the Category 1 hours are the ones that also count toward your ABR 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 Pennsylvania require for radiologists?
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 ABR CME count toward Pennsylvania's CME hours?
The ABR counts AMA PRA Category 1 credit. A Category 1 certificate can count toward your ABR total and toward Pennsylvania'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
- 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 ABR rules as last checked October 15, 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.