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Rhode Island CME requirements 2026 rules for physicians, NPs, PAs, CRNAs and CAAs
Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island. 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 Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure & Discipline. Verified October 13, 2026.
General CME: 40 hours every 2 years (no named topic block currently required).
Opioid / controlled substance
One-time 8 hours Category 1 for Schedule-II-opioid prescribers (216-RICR-20-20-4 4.4(P)); the biennial 40-hour renewal names no specific topics. (X-DEA / MAT-trained holders exempt from the one-time 8 hours.)
✓ No board pre-approval needed: generic ACCME Category 1 accepted; DOH rule states 'no one specific course is required.' The biennial renewal currently names no topics.
All mandated CME topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Controlled substances / opioid prescribing / pain management | 8 | one-time (before 1st CS registration renewal) | Schedule II opioid prescribers |
Citation: 216-RICR-40-05-1 §1.5.5
Nurse Practitioners (APRN / NP)
Set by the Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education, separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: 10 continuing education contact hours related to nursing practice per 2-year cycle; 1 CE hour = 1 contact hour; must be from ANCC or other recognized professional nursing organizations / approved nursing programs (216-RICR-40-05-3.5).
Opioid / controlled substance
8 hours, one time, for holders of controlled-substance prescriptive authority. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 8 | One-time; must be completed before renewal of the practitioner's controlled substance registration or within 2 years, whichever is longer | Any practitioner (defined to include APRNs/NPs) who prescribes a Schedule II opioid. Exemption: practitioners who completed the DATA 2000 waiver course and hold an active DEA certificate with an 'X' designation are exempt. |
| Alzheimer's disease and dementia (cognitive impairment training) | 1 | One-time | Every nurse licensed in Rhode Island, APRNs included (R.I. Gen. Laws 23-1.7-5) |
| Substance abuse Confirm with the board | 2 | per cycle (2 of the 10 hours) | All nurses per the RI Department of Health nursing licensing page; the filed rule (216-RICR-40-05-3.5) does not repeat it |
Tracking: Self-attestation at online renewal; licensee must retain proof of completion for no less than 4 years and is subject to random Department audit (216-RICR-40-05-3.5).
Physician Assistants (PA)
Set by the Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Licensure of Physician Assistants, separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: 25 hours of approved continuing medical education (commonly AMA PRA Category 1 Credit) each year, 50 per 2-year renewal (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-54-22; 216-RICR-40-05-24.8). The statute sets an October 1 to September 30 accrual year; the rule (24.8(B)) says July 1 to June 30, so confirm with the Board.
Opioid / controlled substance
8 hours, one time, for holders of controlled-substance prescriptive authority. Timing is built into the free multi-state planner.
All mandated CE topics
| Topic | Hours | Timing | Applies to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opioid / controlled-substance prescribing | 8 | One-time; must be completed before renewal of the practitioner's controlled substance registration or within 2 years, whichever is longer | Any practitioner (definition includes physician assistants) who prescribes a Schedule II opioid. Exemption: practitioners who completed the DATA 2000 waiver course and hold an active DEA certificate with an 'X' designation are exempt. |
Tracking: Self-attestation at renewal; licensee must retain course descriptions, proof of attendance, or other documentation of completion for a minimum of 4 years, subject to audit (216-RICR-40-05-24.8(C)).
Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA)
Set by the Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-34.2-2(a)), separate from the physician rules above, with its own hours and topics. Verified October 19, 2026.
General CE: 'Every person seeking renewal of a license under the provisions of the Act and this Part, shall provide satisfactory evidence to the Department that in the preceding two years the practitioner has completed the ten (10) required continuing education hours' related to nursing practice, from ANCC-approved or other recognized nursing providers (216-RICR-40-05-3.5(A)-(B)). Licensure as a nurse anesthetist requires current RN licensure, COA-accredited program, initial certification and 'Recertification, as applicable by the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Council on Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists or their predecessors or successors' (now NBCRNA) (5-34.2-3).
State CE is owed in addition to NBCRNA. 216-RICR-40-05-3.5 contains no certification-in-lieu provision; the 10 hours are attested separately. NBCRNA recertification is a distinct, mandatory condition of the CRNA license (5-34.2-3(3)). CE earned for NBCRNA CPC counts toward the 10 hours if it is nursing-practice CE from a recognized provider (3.5(B)). National layer: NBCRNA continued certification (4-year cycle: 60 Class A + 40 Class B credits, MAC Check).
Opioid / controlled substance
8 hours, one time, 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 | 8 | One-time; before renewal of the controlled-substance registration or within 2 years, whichever is longer | Only CRNAs who hold an individual Rhode Island controlled-substance registration and prescribe Schedule II opioids (216-RICR-20-20-4 s.4.4(P)(1)) |
| Alzheimer's disease and dementia (cognitive impairment training) | 1 | One-time | Every nurse licensed in Rhode Island, CRNAs included (R.I. Gen. Laws 23-1.7-5) |
| Substance abuse Confirm with the board | 2 | per cycle (2 of the 10 hours) | All nurses per the RI Department of Health nursing licensing page; the filed rule (216-RICR-40-05-3.5) does not repeat it |
Tracking: Self-attestation at online renewal (216-RICR-40-05-3.5(C)); retain CE documentation at least 4 years; random Department audit (3.5(D)). No CE Broker. Nurse anesthetist license renews concurrently with RN license (5-34.2-4(b)).
Anesthesiologist Assistants (CAA)
Not authorized to practice in Rhode Island. Verified August 24, 2026.
Certified anesthesiologist assistants cannot practice in Rhode Island: 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 Rhode Island's own one-time opioid/controlled-substance course. 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)
- Per 216-RICR-40-05-1 and 216-RICR-20-20-4 4.4(P): Rhode Island has no Alzheimer's or dementia CME, though some summaries list one. The only topic mandate is the one-time 8-hour controlled-substance CME for Schedule II prescribers; general renewal is 40 hours per 2 years with no named topics.
Common questions about Rhode Island CME
How many CME hours does Rhode Island require for physicians?
Rhode Island requires 40 / 2 years of continuing medical education (216-RICR-40-05-1 §1.5.5). 40 hours every 2 years (no named topic block currently required).
Does Rhode Island require opioid or controlled-substance CME?
Yes. One-time 8 hours Category 1 for Schedule-II-opioid prescribers (216-RICR-20-20-4 4.4(P)); the biennial 40-hour renewal names no specific topics. (X-DEA / MAT-trained holders exempt from the one-time 8 hours.)
Does my opioid CME course need Rhode Island board approval?
No board pre-approval - generic ACCME Category 1 accepted; DOH rule states 'no one specific course is required.' The biennial renewal currently names no topics.
How is CME tracked in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island tracking: Self-report (attest at renewal). Board: Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure & Discipline.
Do nurse practitioners and physician assistants have different CME requirements in Rhode Island?
Yes. In Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island?
CRNAs in Rhode Island are regulated by the Rhode Island Department of Health, Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education (R.I. Gen. Laws 5-34.2-2(a)) 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 Rhode Island, 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 Rhode Island
- What a Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island 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.