Understanding Continuing Education Requirements for Illinois Physicians

 Posted on November 29, 2019 in Medical License Defense

Becoming a licensed physician takes years upon years of education, internships, residencies, fellowships and more hard work and discipline than you would ever imagine. For anyone, learning is a job that is never done and physicians are no exceptions. The medical field is always changing its guidelines and introducing new technologies to help serve patients better, which requires physicians to stay up to date on new happenings. In Illinois, physicians are required to have a specific amount of continuing education credits when they go to renew their licenses every three years. Not fulfilling those education requirements could jeopardize your ability to renew your medical license and your ability to practice medicine in the state of Illinois.

CME Requirements

According to the Illinois State Medical Society, physicians will be required to complete at least 150 hours of continuing medical education (CME) if they plan to renew their medical license in 2020. The only licensees who are exempt from that rule are those who are renewing their medical licenses for the first time.

Further, Illinois law requires that at least 40 percent (or 60 hours) of CME must be completed in formal CME programs that are permitted to designate an activity as eligible for Category 1 credit. A maximum of 60 percent (or 90 hours) of CME is permitted to be completed in informal CME programs or activities, which can include things such as medical teaching, participation in patient care review activities and the use of self-instructive materials.

Documenting CME

All physicians should keep documentation of their CME activities and credits, but they are not required to submit their documentation to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). The only time they must submit documentation is if the IDFPR conducts and asks them to forward documentation of their CME.

New Requirements for 2020

Beginning in 2020, physicians in Illinois are also required to complete three CME hours concerning the safe prescribing of opioids. These CME hours must be accredited by a professional association or state or federal government agency. Additionally, physicians are also required to complete at least one hour of CME in sexual harassment prevention.

Contact an Illinois Medical License Defense Attorney Today

Though medical licenses are not required to be renewed until July of 2020, it is never too early to begin to prepare for re-licensure. If you have not kept up with your CME or documenting it properly, you could face issues when it comes time to renew your medical license. At The Law Offices of Joseph J. Bogdan, Inc., we can answer any questions you may have about your CME requirements and how to best prepare your documentation for your license renewal. Call our skilled Illinois medical license defense lawyer today at 630-310-1267 to schedule a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.isms.org/Resources/For_Physicians/Licensure_and_Credentialing/Medical_Licensure_and_CME_Information/

http://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/068/068012850A01100R.html