# Title 50 — North Dakota Board of Medicine

## Article 50-04 — Continuing Medical Education

## Chapter 50-04-01 — Continuing Medical Education Standards

### § 50-04-01-01. Requirements.

Except as is otherwise specified in this chapter, every physician licensed to practice medicine in
North Dakota shall complete no less than forty hours of board-approved continuing medical education
(CME) every two years. One hour of credit will be allowed for each clock-hour of participation in
approved continuing medical education activities.
History: Effective November 1, 1998; amended effective April 1, 2024.
General Authority: NDCC 43-17-27.1
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-17-27.1
### § 50-04-01-02. Exceptions.

The following physicians are not required to meet the requirements of this chapter.
1. Physicians who are enrolled in full-time graduate medical education programs (residencies
and fellowships) which are accredited by the accreditation council on graduate medical
education or the American osteopathic association.
2. Physicians who hold a locum tenens permit or a special license and physicians who have not
renewed their licenses for the first time since being granted a regular permanent license by
the board.
3. Physicians who have retired from the active practice of medicine. This exception is available
only to retired physicians who have completely and totally withdrawn from the practice of
medicine. Any physician seeking to be excused from completing CME requirements under this
subsection must submit an affidavit to the North Dakota board of medicine (on the board's
form) certifying that the physician will render no medical services during the term of the next
CME reporting period.
4. The board may grant an extension of time or other waiver to a licensee who, because of
prolonged illness or other extenuating circumstances, has been unable to meet the CME
requirements.
5. Physicians who hold a current certification, maintenance of certification, or recertification by a
member of the American board of medical specialties, the American osteopathic association,
or the royal college of physician and surgeons of Canada at the time of the CME audit.
History: Effective November 1, 1998; amended effective April 1, 2024.
General Authority: NDCC 43-17-27.1
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-17-27.1

### § 50-04-01-03. Credits accepted.

The board accepts the following as meeting its requirements for board approval:
1. American medical association (AMA) physician's recognition award category 1 credit certified
by continuing education providers who are accredited by:
a. The accreditation council for continuing medical education (ACCME); or
b. Organizations recognized by the ACCME as accrediters of CME for physicians.
2. American osteopathic association (AOA) category 1 credit certified by continuing education
providers who are accredited by the AOA.
3. American academy of family physicians prescribed credit and American academy of family
physicians elective credit which has been approved for category 1 credit by that organization.
4. Courses approved for section 1 credit as defined by the royal college of physicians and
surgeons of Canada.
5. Other courses approved by the North Dakota board of medicine as being equivalent to AMA or
AOA category 1 credit.
Except in the case of any requests submitted pursuant to subsection 5, it is the responsibility of the
licensee to verify an appropriate credit designation with the source of the program, not with the board.
All licensees are encouraged to verify an appropriate credit designation before taking any particular
course.
History: Effective November 1, 1998; amended effective August 1, 2002.
General Authority: NDCC 43-17-27.1
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-17-27.1
### § 50-04-01-04. Compliance.

1. All physicians will periodically be required to answer questions on the board's license renewal
forms to establish compliance, or eligibility for an exception, pursuant to this chapter.
Physicians are not required to provide additional documentation of compliance with continuing
education requirements unless specifically requested to do so by the board.
Any physician who is required to report CME credits after having been licensed to practice
medicine in North Dakota for more than one year but less than two full years will be required
to demonstrate completion of twenty hours of board-approved CME credits during that
physician's initial CME reporting period.
False statements regarding satisfaction of continuing education requirements on the renewal
form or on any documents connected with the practice of medicine may subject the licensee
to disciplinary action by the board.
2. The board will audit randomly selected physicians to monitor compliance with the continuing
medical education requirements. Any physician so audited will be required to furnish
documentation of compliance including the name of the accredited CME provider, name of the
program, hours of continuing medical education completed, dates of attendance, evidence of
credit designation (i.e., category 1 designation, prescribed credit designation, etc.), and
verification of attendance. Any physician who fails to provide verification of compliance with
the CME requirements will be subject to a fee of five hundred dollars and possible revocation
of licensure.

3. In order to facilitate the board's audits, every physician is required to maintain a record of all
CME activities in which the physician has participated. Every physician must maintain those
records for a period of at least one year following the time when those CME activities were
reported to the board.
History: Effective November 1, 1998; amended effective July 1, 2013; October 1, 2022; April 1, 2024.
General Authority: NDCC 43-17-27.1
Law Implemented: NDCC 43-17-27.1
