Minnesota Board of Medical Practice · MD

75 hours. Every three years. Tied to your birth month.

A source-verified guide to Minnesota's CME requirements for physicians — hours, mandatory topics, audit rules, and exemptions.

Updated April 2026Sourced from MBMP~7 min read

Compiled by Atlas CME from official board sources · Last updated April 17, 2026

Mandatory topics

Minnesota has no state-mandated topic requirements beyond the 75-hour total.

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Accepted credit

Credit must come from an organization accredited by the ACCME, AMA, Minnesota Medical Association, or AAFP. ACGME residency or fellowship time accrues toward the requirement. Teaching or presenting accredited CME can satisfy a portion of required hours.

Credit systemNotes
AMA PRA Category 1
Minnesota Rules 5605 require 75 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 credit per triennial cycle. ACCME-accredited providers qualify.SourceMinn. R. 5605.0300[1]
AOA Category 1-A
AOA Category 1-A accepted as equivalent. Minnesota jointly licenses MDs and DOs under the Board of Medical Practice.SourceMinn. R. 5605.0300[1]
AAFP Prescribed
AAFP Prescribed credit is customarily accepted as Category 1 equivalent via reciprocal-arrangement language.SourceMinn. R. 5605.0300[1]
ABMS Maintenance of Certification
Current ABMS specialty board certification or Maintenance of Certification participation is accepted in lieu of tracking 75 hours of CME. Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certification also accepted.SourceMinn. R. 5605.0700[2]
AOA Maintenance of Certification
DOs only
Current AOA specialty board certification or AOA Maintenance of Certification accepted in lieu of the 75-hour requirement.SourceMinn. R. 5605.0700[2]
Documentation & audit

Minnesota requires 75 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 CME every 3 years — one of the few states whose CME requirement runs on a triennial rather than biennial cycle.[3] This works out to roughly 25 hours per year, lighter than the annual math in many biennial states. The license itself renews ANNUALLY on the physician's birth month (Minn. R. 5600.0605); only the CME accumulates on the three-year clock, so the license clock (yearly) and the CME clock (every three years) are different.

Waivers & exemptions

Physicians in full-time residency or fellowship training at a professionally accredited facility are exempt from the CME requirement for the duration of their training.[5]

Physicians registered as Emeritus with the Board of Medical Practice are exempt from the CME requirement.[5]

Physicians may substitute current specialty board certification or Maintenance of Competency from ABMS, AOA, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) in lieu of tracking 75 hours of CME.[2]

FAQ
How many CME hours do Minnesota physicians need?
Minnesota physicians licensed by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice must complete 75 hours of AMA PRA Category 1 continuing medical education every three years.[3][1] Minnesota is one of the few states that uses a triennial rather than biennial cycle, and the rule applies to both MDs and DOs. Physicians can alternatively satisfy the requirement through current ABMS, AOA, or Royal College specialty board certification and active Maintenance of Competency participation.[2]
Are there mandatory CME topics in Minnesota?
No. The Minnesota Board of Medical Practice does not currently impose recurring topic-specific CME mandates on general physician license renewal. Physicians have full latitude to design their 75 hours around their own practice and specialty interests. DEA-registered practitioners are separately subject to the federal MATE Act, which requires a one-time eight-hour training on opioid and substance use disorder treatment, but this is a federal requirement rather than a Minnesota-specific rule.
How does the Minnesota triennial cycle work for new physicians?
Newly licensed physicians commence their three-year cycle on the first day of their birth month following the initial date of licensure, rather than on the license issue date itself.[4] A physician whose license is issued in April with an October birthday will not begin the first full triennium until October of that year. This gives new Minnesota physicians additional time before the CME clock starts running and aligns every physician's renewal cycle with their birth month for the duration of their licensure.
Does board certification count instead of CME in Minnesota?
Yes. The Minnesota Board of Medical Practice accepts current time-limited specialty board certification from an ABMS member board, an AOA Certifying Board, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in lieu of the 75-hour CME requirement.[2] Physicians actively participating in an ABMS or AOA Maintenance of Competency program can typically rely on that MOC activity rather than tracking CME hours separately for Minnesota renewal purposes.
Are residents exempt from Minnesota CME?
Yes. Physicians in full-time residency or fellowship training at a professionally accredited facility, typically ACGME-accredited programs, are exempt from the CME requirement for the duration of their training.[5] The Minnesota Board of Medical Practice treats residency itself as a comprehensive form of continuing education and does not require residents to track separate hours during their training years.
Do Minnesota MDs and DOs have different CME requirements?
No. Minnesota does not maintain a separate osteopathic licensing board — DOs and MDs are both licensed by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice and subject to the same CME requirements (75 hours per three-year CME cycle).

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Other roles in Minnesota

Physicians CME requirements in other states

Sources & Citations

Every mandatory topic and conditional requirement above cites the underlying statute or rule. Numbered references below correspond to the bracketed citations next to each requirement.

  1. Minn. R. 5605.0300 — Continuing Medical Education Credit
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “At least 75 hours of continuing medical education credit must be obtained in any cycle by attendance at continuing medical education activities designated by an accredited sponsor as Category 1 of the Physician's Recognition Award of the American Medical Association.”Minn. R. 5605.0300
  2. Minn. R. 5605.0700 — Alternative Compliance
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “The board may accept certification or recertification by a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Professional Education, or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada in lieu of compliance with the continuing education requirements during the cycle in which certification or recertification is granted.”Minn. R. 5605.0700
  3. Minn. R. 5605.0100 — Continuing Education Cycles
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “During three-year cycles, each physician licensed to practice by this board shall obtain 75 hours of continuing medical education credit as required by this chapter.”Minn. R. 5605.0100
  4. Minn. R. 5605.0200 — Licensee Classes
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “Each individual initially licensed on or after June 4, 1984, commences his or her first three-year cycle on January 1 following the date of initial licensure.”Minn. R. 5605.0200
  5. Minn. R. 5605.1000 — Exemptions
    Primary sourceAccessed 2026-04-21
    Show verbatim text
    “The board may grant an exemption from the continuing education requirements of this chapter to a licensee for full-time participation in residency or fellowship training at a professionally accredited institution. Physicians under emeritus registration status as provided in chapter 5606 are exempt from the continuing medical education requirements of this chapter.”Minn. R. 5605.1000

This page is provided for general educational purposes and reflects the best available information as of the last reviewed date above. CME requirements change. Atlas CME is not affiliated with the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice, or any other state medical board, licensing authority, or professional organization. Physicians are solely responsible for verifying their own current CME requirements directly with their state medical board before relying on any information presented here.

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