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Oregon CME requirements 2026 rules for physicians, NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs
Oregon 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 Oregon. 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 Oregon Medical Board. Verified October 13, 2026.
General CME: 30 hours per year + 1 hour per year cultural competency.
Opioid / controlled substance
1 hour / 2 years: the Oregon Pain Management Commission (OPMC) pain-management module (specific mandated course). Trigger: all actively licensed MD/DO.
⚠ Oregon gates its opioid/controlled-substance CME: a generic national course may not satisfy it. Specific mandated course: the pain hour must be the OPMC module; a generic Category 1 pain course does not satisfy it. Generic Category 1 is fine for the rest of the general pool.
All mandated CME topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pain management: Oregon Pain Management Commission (OPMC) online module | 1 | at initial licensure, then every 2 years | all actively licensed MD/DO |
| Cultural competency | 1/year (about 2 per cycle) | recurring | all practicing licensees |
Citation: OAR 847-008-0070, 847-008-0075, 847-008-0077; OMB continuing-education page
Nurse Practitioners (APRN / NP)
Set by the Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: No counted CE hours: renewal requires current national certification in your NP role (OAR 851-031-0048(2)(e)). The former 45-hour rule (OAR 851-050-0142) was repealed in 2021. From January 1, 2028, renewal requires national certification or 75 hours of role-related CE (OAR 851-031-0008). Retained topics: 1 hour pain management every 36 months; 2 hours cultural competency every 48 months. The 45 pharmacology hours apply to the initial prescriptive-authority application only (OAR 851-031-0043(1)(c)). Licenses issued after January 1, 2026 expire two years from issue rather than on birthdate.
Opioid / controlled substance
1 hour, every 3 years, for every APRN in the state. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 1 | Upon initial Oregon licensure and every 36 months thereafter (recurring) | Applies to all nurses including advanced practice/nurse practitioners. The one hour must be the Oregon Pain Management Commission (OPMC) pain management module. This is a pain-management/opioid-prescribing module, not a general opioid-hours mandate. |
| Cultural competency | 2 | every other renewal (about 48 months); 2 hours within prior 2 renewal periods | All Oregon nurses including advanced practice nurses / nurse practitioners |
Tracking: Self-documented/attested on the OSBN renewal form; subject to OSBN audit. Proof not submitted at renewal but must be produced if audited.
Physician Assistants (PA)
Set by the Oregon Medical Board (OMB), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: 60 hours AAPA Category 1 (pre-approved) CME per 2-year registration period (30 hours/year); reduced to 30 hours if licensed during the second year of the cycle. Ongoing specialty board recertification / Maintenance of Certification may satisfy the requirement (OAR 847-008-0070).
Opioid / controlled substance
1 hour, every 2 years, for every PA in the state. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 1 | At initial licensure (within 12 months), then every 24 months | All OMB licensees (including PAs) except lapsed, limited, telemedicine, teleradiology, and telemonitoring licenses. Must be the Oregon Pain Management Commission (OPMC) 1-hour Oregon-specific pain management course. Pain-management/opioid-prescribing gate module, not a general opioid-hours mandate. |
| Cultural competency | 2 per 2-year cycle | at least 1 hour a year on average, reported every other renewal (OAR 847-008-0077) | All OMB licensees including PAs |
Tracking: Attestation on OMB renewal; subject to OMB audit. Licensees must be prepared to provide documentation of CME/pain education if requested.
Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
Set by the Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified August 24, 2026.
General CE: OAR 851-052-0030 (renewal/reactivation): submit fees and completed application, 'provide primary source verification of CRNA certification or recertification from an approved certifying body', and hold an active Oregon RN license. OSBN 'retains the authority to conduct a random audit of a CRNA applicant or CRNA licensee to verify current certification, education or continuing education' (OAR 851-052-0020). Unlike NPs (OAR 851-050-0142, 45 hours or certification), division 52 contains no structured-hour requirement; NBCRNA recertification is the competency mechanism.
NBCRNA recertification is accepted in place of state CE. NBCRNA certification/recertification is the renewal requirement for the CRNA license (OAR 851-052-0030). For prescriptive-authority renewal, 'evidence of current specialty certification with completed CE for maintenance' is one of the two accepted CE options, the other being 45 structured contact hours with at least 15 pharmacotherapeutic hours (OAR 851-056-0014). National layer: NBCRNA continued certification (4-year cycle: 60 Class A + 40 Class B credits, MAC Check).
Opioid / controlled substance
1 hour, every 3 years, for every CRNA in the state. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon Pain Management Commission module | 1 | on initial licensure and every 3 years | All 'advanced practice nurses' (OSBN pain-management page) - reaches every CRNA regardless of prescriptive authority or DEA status; must be the Oregon Pain Management Commission (OPMC) module |
| Cultural competency education | 2 | every 48 months (not required for initial licensure) | All APRNs incl. CRNAs (OSBN page lists 'advanced practice nurses'); attested by checkbox on renewal |
Tracking: Self-attestation on OSBN renewal; primary-source NBCRNA verification at CRNA renewal; random OSBN audit (OAR 851-052-0020). Not CE Broker.
Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAA)
Not authorized to practice in Oregon. Verified August 24, 2026.
Certified anesthesiologist assistants cannot practice in Oregon: there is no CAA license, certification or physician-delegation pathway, so there are no state CE requirements to track here. No pending licensure bill was found as of August 2026. 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 Oregon'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)
- Suicide & Alzheimer's CME not mandated (only 'may count'). No standalone opioid CME (subsumed in pain management). MOC can substitute for hours.
Common questions about Oregon CME
How many CME hours does Oregon require for physicians?
Oregon requires 60 / 2 years of continuing medical education (OAR 847-008-0070, 847-008-0075, 847-008-0077; OMB continuing-education page). 30 hours per year + 1 hour per year cultural competency.
Does Oregon require opioid or controlled-substance CME?
Yes. 1 hour / 2 years: the Oregon Pain Management Commission (OPMC) pain-management module (specific mandated course). Trigger: all actively licensed MD/DO.
Does my opioid CME course need Oregon board approval?
Specific mandated course: the pain hour must be the OPMC module; a generic Category 1 pain course does not satisfy it. Generic Category 1 is fine for the rest of the general pool.
How is CME tracked in Oregon?
Oregon tracking: Self-report (attest at renewal). Board: Oregon Medical Board.
Do nurse practitioners and physician assistants have different CME requirements in Oregon?
Yes. In Oregon, 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 Oregon?
CRNAs in Oregon are regulated by the Oregon State Board of Nursing (OSBN) 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 Oregon, 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 Oregon
- What a Oregon 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 Oregon 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 Oregon 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.