If you’re an AAFP member, your CME doesn’t just count as “credits.” It counts as either AAFP Prescribed credit or Elective credit, and the split matters when your re-election cycle closes. Here’s what each type means, how many of each the AAFP requires, and how both relate to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
We checked these requirements against the American Academy of Family Physicians’ website. Rules change, so confirm with the AAFP before your re-election deadline.
The short answer
- AAFP members need at least 150 credits of approved CME every three-year re-election cycle, and at least 75 of those must be Prescribed credits.
- Prescribed credit is for activities designed mainly for physicians, with an AAFP Active or Life member involved in reviewing the content for relevance to family medicine.
- Elective credit covers activities that may be designed for other health professionals, plus AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ and AOA credit.
- The AMA accepts AAFP Prescribed credit as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ toward the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award, but AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ counts as Elective, not Prescribed, for AAFP membership.
- Credits must be earned by December 31 of the year your cycle ends. The AAFP does not grant extensions or let you carry credits over.
What AAFP Prescribed credit is
AAFP Prescribed credit is the AAFP’s own credit type for CME that it considers directly relevant to family medicine. According to the AAFP’s credit eligibility requirements, an activity certified for Prescribed credit must be “primarily designed for physicians and have an AAFP Active or Life member directly involved.”
That member reviews the titles and learning objectives for each topic. If they agree the content meets the Prescribed definition, they provide their AAFP ID number with the application. AAFP Credit System staff review every application and can deny any activity, or part of one, that doesn’t fit.
Beyond certified courses, the AAFP lists several other sources of Prescribed credit for members. These include AAFP-produced CME (such as AFP and FPM journal CME), AAFP chapter CME, most life support courses, ABFM or AOA board exam preparation, teaching health professions, advanced training, and scholarly activity. Some of these have caps per cycle, covered below.
What Elective credit is
Elective credit is broader. An activity certified for AAFP Elective credit may be designed primarily for health care professionals other than physicians, and it doesn’t need the direct involvement of an AAFP member. It still has to be relevant to the scope of family medicine.
Elective credit also includes credit from outside the AAFP system. The AAFP’s policy on credit types says AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ “counts toward re-election as AAFP Elective credit.” AOA-certified credit and professional enrichment (for example, attending medical staff or medical society meetings) also count as Elective.
Prescribed vs. Elective credit at a glance
| Prescribed credit | Elective credit | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary audience | Physicians | May be designed for other health professionals |
| AAFP member involvement | An AAFP Active or Life member must be directly involved | Not required |
| Relevance to family medicine | Required | Required |
| Counts toward the 75 Prescribed minimum | Yes | No |
| Counts toward the 150 total | Yes | Yes |
| Examples the AAFP lists | AAFP-produced CME, chapter CME, most life support courses, ABFM or AOA exam prep, teaching, scholarly activity | AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, AOA credit, professional enrichment |
Many formats can be certified for either type, including live activities, enduring materials, journal CME, performance improvement, and point-of-care learning. The format doesn’t decide the credit type. The certification on that specific activity does.
How AAFP prescribed credit fits your membership requirement
Active AAFP members re-qualify on a three-year cycle. The AAFP’s member requirements page states that each cycle consists of earning at least 150 credits of approved CME, and that 75 of those must be Prescribed. First-time members get an extra year: the year membership starts plus the next three full years.
The other 75 can be Prescribed or Elective in any mix. So if you earn 100 Prescribed and 50 Elective, you’re covered. If you earn 60 Prescribed and 90 Elective, you’ve hit 150 but you’re 15 Prescribed short, and that gap is what catches people.
A few timing rules apply. Credits must be earned by December 31 of the year your cycle ends and reported in the year you earned them. Credits don’t carry over to the next cycle, and the AAFP bylaws don’t allow extensions. If you don’t meet the requirement, the AAFP says membership is canceled. Some state chapters also add their own specific credit requirements, so check with your chapter too.
Caps on certain Prescribed and Elective sources
The AAFP limits how much credit some informal activities can contribute in one three-year cycle:
| Activity | Credit type | Maximum per cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Professional enrichment | Elective | 25 credits |
| Teaching health professions | Prescribed | 60 credits |
| Advanced training | Prescribed | 25 credits |
| ABFM or AOA one-day certification | Prescribed | 30 credits |
| Scholarly activities | Prescribed | 100 credits |
How Prescribed and Elective credit relate to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
This is where the two systems point in different directions, so it’s worth reading slowly. (For background on the AMA side, see our AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ explainer.)
Going from AAFP to AMA, the AAFP’s published equivalency statement says: “AAFP Prescribed credit is accepted by the American Medical Association as equivalent to AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ toward the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award.” The same statement adds that when you apply for the AMA PRA, Prescribed credit must be reported as Prescribed credit, not as Category 1.
Going from AMA to AAFP, an activity designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ counts as AAFP Elective credit for membership, unless that activity is also separately certified for AAFP Prescribed credit. It does not count toward your 75 Prescribed minimum on its own.
The AAFP’s equivalency page doesn’t publish a matching statement for Elective credit, and it notes that the agreement isn’t meant to bypass ACCME accreditation, which is required to designate AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. State medical boards set their own rules on which credit types they accept, so confirm with your board if you plan to use AAFP credit for licensure.
Where ABFM continuing certification fits
ABFM continuing certification is a separate requirement from AAFP membership, with its own rules. The two connect in practice: the AAFP says that when you report CME to it, it can share your credit information with the ABFM, and it notifies the Board once you’ve met the ABFM’s CME requirement. ABFM or AOA board exam prep also counts as Prescribed credit for AAFP members. For the ABFM’s own numbers and cycle, see our ABFM CME requirements guide and confirm directly with the ABFM.
How to report your credits
The AAFP accepts CME reports through several channels:
- Online at aafp.org/mycme.
- In the AAFP mobile app, using the CME Reporting feature to scan certificates.
- By phone, fax, or mail with a completed reporting form or certificate (the AAFP’s reporting guide lists the current numbers).
- Automatically, when you complete AAFP self-study programs and the online post-test.
When you self-report an activity, report it as the credit type it was actually certified for. A certificate that lists only AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ should go in as Elective.
Finding courses that carry AAFP credit
Travel Medical Seminars offers Audio-Digest self-study courses in a 10-credit short course and a 20-credit full course, each designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ by the Lippincott Continuing Medical Education Institute, which is accredited by the ACCME. Courses are digital, so you study at your own pace and complete testing online. Some Audio-Digest family practice and emergency medicine volumes are reviewed for AAFP credit, so check each program’s materials for its current approval and credit type before you count it toward your Prescribed minimum.