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Massachusetts CME requirements 2026 rules for physicians, NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs
Massachusetts regulates four clinician professions through different boards, each with its own continuing-education rules: physicians (MD/DO), nurse practitioners (APRN/NP), physician assistants (PA) and nurse anesthetists (CRNA). Anesthesiologist assistants (CAA) cannot practice in Massachusetts. Below, each profession's total hours, mandated topics, opioid/controlled-substance rule, and tracking, plus the one federal rule they share. Physician rules reviewed October 13, 2026.
Physicians (MD / DO)
Set by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine. Verified October 13, 2026.
General CME: 50 credits every 2 years, Category 1 or 2 (BORIM CME Pilot Program, in place since 1/1/2018), including 10 risk-management and 2 board-regulations credits.
Opioid / controlled substance
3 credits per 2-year cycle. Opioid education and pain management (also count toward the 10 risk-management credits). Trigger: prescribes controlled substances.
⚠ Massachusetts gates its opioid/controlled-substance CME: a generic national course may not satisfy it. Effectively designation-based: the course must meet BORIM's opioid-education + risk-management criteria (243 CMR 2.06), as scope of Pain / NEJM-MMS do. Not simple open generic Category 1.
All mandated CME topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Risk management (Category 1 or 2) | 10 | per renewal | all |
| Board regulations review | 2 | per renewal | all |
| End-of-life care | 2 | one-time | all |
| Opioid education & pain management | 3 | per renewal | controlled-substance prescribers |
| Implicit bias | 2 | one-time (apps after 6/1/2022) | all |
| Alzheimer's & related dementias | 1 | one-time (initial) | serve adult pop |
| Child abuse & neglect | training (no fixed hours) | one-time | all (mandated reporters) |
| Domestic & sexual violence | training (no fixed hours) | one-time | all |
| Electronic health records proficiency | 3 | one-time | practicing physicians |
Citation: 243 CMR 2.06
Nurse Practitioners (APRN / NP)
Set by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing, separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified July 20, 2026.
General CE: 15 contact hours per 2-year renewal cycle for all licensed nurses including APRNs (244 CMR 5.00). RNs renew on birthday in even-numbered years, LPNs in odd years. APRNs must additionally maintain current certification through a Board-approved national certifying organization to keep APRN authorization (244 CMR 4.05/4.07). CPR recertification and employer in-services do not count. Records kept for two consecutive renewal periods (4 years).
Opioid / controlled substance
A board-required course (no set hour count), every 2 years, for holders of controlled-substance prescriptive authority. A board-approved / state-specific course is required. Generic accredited credit may not count. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority) | None | per cycle | prescribers |
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | Course (no set hours) | At initial application for MA Controlled Substance Registration (MCSR) and subsequently during each APRN authorization/license renewal period | All controlled-substance prescribers except veterinarians (profession-agnostic under M.G.L. c. 94C, s.18(e)); APRNs engaging in prescriptive practice must complete this training |
| Domestic and sexual violence training | Course (no set hours) | One-time / as a condition of licensure, registration or certification and any renewal (no hour minimum specified) | All licensed nurses including APRNs |
| Alzheimer's disease and dementia care training (diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cognitive impairments) | Course (no set hours) | One-time | Licensed nurses (RN/LPN; applies to APRNs holding RN licensure) |
| Medical marijuana / cannabis certification education (proper use, side effects, dosage, contraindications, substance-abuse recognition) | Course (no set hours) | One-time, only if the APRN certifies patients for medical marijuana | APRNs who certify medical-marijuana patients |
Tracking: Self-report/attestation at online renewal via the Massachusetts ePLACE / e-License portal; no CE Broker. Board conducts random audits; licensee retains documentation for two renewal cycles (4 years). Opioid/94C 18(e) training attested on the MCSR application/renewal.
Physician Assistants (PA)
Set by the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Physician Assistants, separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: 100 contact hours of continuing education per 2-year renewal cycle, of which at least 40 hours must be Category I courses/programs meeting AMA or AAPA criteria (263 CMR 3.05(3)). Licenses renew biennially by March 1 of each odd-numbered year. PAs must also maintain current NCCPA certification.
Opioid / controlled substance
A board-required course (no set hour count), every 2 years, for holders of controlled-substance prescriptive authority. A board-approved / state-specific course is required. Generic accredited credit may not count. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacology / pharmacotherapeutics (prescriptive authority) | 4 | per cycle (within the 100) | All PAs: at least 4 of the 100 hours on pharmacology or pharmacokinetics (263 CMR 3.05(3)) |
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | Course (no set hours) | At initial MA Controlled Substance Registration and subsequently during each license renewal period; content-based, no minimum hours in statute | All controlled-substance prescribers except veterinarians (profession-agnostic under M.G.L. c. 94C, s.18(e)); PAs with prescriptive/CS authority |
| Domestic violence / care of victims of domestic violence (expert-developed CME course) | Course (no set hours) | One-time / as required (no hour minimum specified) | All licensed PAs |
Tracking: Self-report/attestation at biennial online renewal via the Massachusetts ePLACE / e-License portal; no CE Broker. PA must submit proof of CE to the Board upon request (audit). Opioid/94C 18(e) training attested on the MCSR application/renewal.
Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
Set by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Professions Licensure), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified August 24, 2026.
General CE: '15 contact hours within 2 years before license renewal' for every licensed nurse, RNs renewing on their birthday in even-numbered years (244 CMR 5.00; mass.gov 'Mandatory continuing education for nurses'). CE must be in programs meeting 244 CMR 5.00 criteria (CME/AMA-credited programs and NBCRNA Class A-type CE programs qualify as CE activities; CPR recertification and employer in-services do not). APRNs must additionally 'maintain current certification through a Board-approved national certifying organization' to keep APRN authorization (244 CMR 4.05). Records retained for two consecutive renewal periods (4 years).
State CE is owed in addition to NBCRNA. Massachusetts does not accept national certification in lieu of the 15 contact hours: the Board states national certifications 'have separate CE requirements' beyond the Board's 15-hour mandate. However, CE activities completed for NBCRNA CPC (e.g., accredited anesthesia CE) count toward the 15 hours because they are qualifying CE programs. NBCRNA certification is separately required to keep APRN authorization. National layer: NBCRNA continued certification (4-year cycle: 60 Class A + 40 Class B credits, MAC Check).
Opioid / controlled substance
A board-required course (no set hour count), every 2 years, for CRNAs who hold controlled-substance registration. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | Course (no set hours) | at initial MCSR application and at each subsequent APRN authorization/license renewal period (every 2 years); content-based, no statutory hour minimum | Only CRNAs who register for prescriptive practice and hold an MCSR (M.G.L. c. 94C, s. 18(e) is profession-agnostic for all controlled-substance prescribers except veterinarians). CRNAs who administer anesthesia under facility/physician orders without their own MCSR are not triggered. |
| Domestic and sexual violence training (St. 2014, c. 260, s. 9) | Course (no set hours) | one-time / as a condition of licensure and renewal; no hour minimum specified | All licensed nurses incl. CRNAs |
| Alzheimer's disease and dementia care training (diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with cognitive impairments) | Course (no set hours) | one-time | Licensed nurses (applicability to CRNAs not confirmed; verify with the board) |
| Medical marijuana / cannabis certification education | Course (no set hours) | one-time, only if certifying patients | APRNs who certify medical-marijuana patients: practically never a CRNA |
Tracking: Self-attestation at online renewal (ePLACE); no CE Broker. Random Board audit; keep records for two consecutive renewal periods (4 years). 94C s. 18(e) training attested on the MCSR application/renewal.
Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAA)
Not authorized to practice in Massachusetts. Verified August 24, 2026.
Certified anesthesiologist assistants cannot practice in Massachusetts: there is no CAA license, certification or physician-delegation pathway, so there are no state CE requirements to track here. Pending / recent legislation: S.1499 (Sen. Cronin) 'An Act relative to anesthesiologist assistants', 194th General Court (2025-2026), filed January 17, 2025, referred to Joint Committee on Public Health February 27, 2025, hearing July 14, 2025; December 4, 2025 accompanied a study order (S.2790) – effectively dead for the session. Companion/related: H.2484 and S.1500 (tracked by MassAAA). Prior: S.1347 (2023-2024). NCCAA certification requirements (50 CME hours every 2 years + the CDQ exam) still apply nationally.
Federal: DEA MATE Act (all professions)
One rule is the same for every profession on this page. Every DEA-registered prescriber (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and any CRNA or CAA who holds a DEA registration) must complete a one-time 8-hour training on treating patients with opioid or other substance use disorders, as a condition of DEA registration/renewal (since June 27, 2023). It is federal and applies in every state, and it does not replace Massachusetts's recurring opioid/controlled-substance CME. A MATE-qualifying accredited course will usually still count toward your state general CME/CE total. How the MATE Act differs from state rules
Authority: MATE Act §1263, Consolidated Appropriations Act 2023 (21 U.S.C. §823).
Notes (physician data)
- Total: regulation 243 CMR 2.06(6)(a) says 100/2yr but board CME Pilot Program (Policy 17-05) enforces 50. Many one-time topics count toward the 10-hour risk-management bucket.
Common questions about Massachusetts CME
How many CME hours does Massachusetts require for physicians?
Massachusetts requires 50 / 2 years (current board practice; regulation text says 100) of continuing medical education (243 CMR 2.06). 50 credits every 2 years, Category 1 or 2 (BORIM CME Pilot Program, in place since 1/1/2018), including 10 risk-management and 2 board-regulations credits.
Does Massachusetts require opioid or controlled-substance CME?
Yes. 3 credits per 2-year cycle. Opioid education and pain management (also count toward the 10 risk-management credits). Trigger: prescribes controlled substances.
Does my opioid CME course need Massachusetts board approval?
Effectively designation-based: the course must meet BORIM's opioid-education + risk-management criteria (243 CMR 2.06), as scope of Pain / NEJM-MMS do. Not simple open generic Category 1.
How is CME tracked in Massachusetts?
Massachusetts tracking: Self-report (attest at renewal). Board: Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine.
Do nurse practitioners and physician assistants have different CME requirements in Massachusetts?
Yes. In Massachusetts, nurse practitioners (APRNs) are licensed by the board of nursing and physician assistants (PAs) by the PA/medical board, each setting its own CE hours and mandated topics. These differ from the physician (MD/DO) figures. The federal DEA MATE Act and most state opioid/controlled-substance prescribing CME still apply to APRNs and PAs who hold a DEA registration. See the profession-specific sections on this page.
What are the CME requirements for CRNAs and anesthesiologist assistants in Massachusetts?
CRNAs in Massachusetts are regulated by the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Nursing (Department of Public Health, Bureau of Health Professions Licensure) and must also maintain NBCRNA certification (a 4-year cycle of 60 Class A and 40 Class B credits). Certified anesthesiologist assistants are not authorized to practice in Massachusetts, so there are no state CAA CE requirements; NCCAA certification (50 CME hours every 2 years plus the CDQ exam) still applies nationally. See the CRNA and CAA sections on this page.
More on Massachusetts
- What a Massachusetts license costs, and how long the board says it takes
- What else can hold up a renewal: PDMP accounts, fingerprints, lawful presence
- Licensed in more than one state? How one course can count in several
- Adding a state through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact
- Track Massachusetts CME next to your other licenses
Every license, certificate and renewal date on one list, checked against each board’s own rules, with a reminder before anything is due. 30 days free with a card on file. Licensed in more than one state? The free planner times your opioid and controlled-substance hours so one course counts in as many states as it can.
This page summarizes Massachusetts board rules and statutes as of October 13, 2026 for five separately-regulated professions: physicians (MD/DO), nurse practitioners (APRNs), physician assistants (PAs), nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), and anesthesiologist assistants (CAAs). Each is governed by its own board and its hour totals and mandated topics differ. Never assume one profession's figures apply to another. Physician data is compiled from FSMB and state medical-board sources; APRN/PA data was validated against nursing- and PA/medical-board rules on July 20, 2026, with the opioid/controlled-substance timing structured on July 23, 2026; CRNA and CAA data was researched against nursing-board, medical-board and practice-act primary sources on August 24, 2026 (items the research could not pin to a primary source are marked “Confirm with the board”). This is educational information, not legal advice. Always verify current requirements with your own board before relying on them.