If you’re a DO trying to figure out how many credits you need, which categories count, and where your AMA credit fits, this guide covers the current AOA CME requirements for the 2025 to 2027 cycle. The short version is that AOA CME rules are tied to board certification, and each specialty board sets its own numbers.
We checked these requirements against the American Osteopathic Association’s website in October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the AOA and your specialty certifying board before your cycle ends.
The short answer
- The current AOA certification CME cycle runs from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2027.
- The AOA says CME is a requirement for AOA board-certified physicians only, so the rules follow your certification, not your membership.
- Diplomates with non-time-limited certification who are not voluntarily in OCC need 120 total credits this cycle, regardless of specialty. Everyone else follows their specialty board’s numbers.
- The AOA automatically recognizes AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ as AOA Category 2 credit, not Category 1-A.
- State osteopathic and medical boards set their own licensure CME rules, separate from the AOA.
Who the AOA CME requirements apply to
A lot of DOs assume AOA membership itself comes with a CME quota. According to the AOA’s CME FAQs, “CME is a requirement for AOA board-certified physicians only.” The AOA’s policy page adds that its listed requirements apply to AOA board certification CME only.
That means the question to ask is what kind of AOA certification you hold. Life members who still hold active certification are not exempt. The FAQ says they must complete the CME requirement of their specialty certifying board.
How much CME you need in the 2025 to 2027 cycle
The AOA splits diplomates into groups. Your group decides whether you follow a flat 120-credit rule or your specialty board’s Component 2 requirement.
| Your certification status | What you need this cycle |
|---|---|
| Non-time-limited, not voluntarily participating in OCC | 120 total CME credit hours, regardless of specialty. Your specialty board sets how many must be Category 1 and specialty-specific. |
| Non-time-limited, voluntarily participating in OCC | Your specialty board’s OCC Component 2 requirement |
| Time-limited certification | Your specialty board’s OCC Component 2 requirement |
If you were certified partway through the cycle, the AOA prorates your requirement. It publishes a proration chart on the CME policies page. Credits earned in this cycle can’t be carried forward to the next one.
Examples from the specialty boards
The AOA’s 2025-27 specialty requirements document shows how much the numbers vary for time-limited diplomates (and non-time-limited diplomates voluntarily in OCC). A few examples:
| Specialty board | Total credits | Category 1 minimum | Specialty-specific |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Practice (AOBFP) | 120 (all diplomates) | 30 Category 1-A, plus 30 more that may be 1-A or 1-B | Not listed |
| Internal Medicine (AOBIM) | 60 | 15 AOA Category 1 | All 60 |
| Pediatrics (AOBP) | 60 | 15 Category 1-A | 15 |
| Neurology & Psychiatry (AOBNP) | 75 | 18 Category 1-A | Not listed |
| Emergency Medicine (AOBEM) | 60 | Not listed | Not listed |
Internal medicine also has a separate rule for non-time-limited diplomates who are not in OCC. The AOBIM Component 2 page says that group needs 120 credits over three years, with 50 in the primary specialty. Check your own board’s row in the AOA document, since the exceptions are where people get caught.
Category 1-A, 1-B, 2-A, and 2-B explained
The AOA uses two numbers and two letters. The number tells you whether the activity is osteopathic, and the letter tells you whether it was live. The AOA’s own definitions say these are typical patterns, not absolute rules.
| Category | What the AOA says it typically means |
|---|---|
| Category 1 | Osteopathic CME |
| Category 2 | Non-osteopathic CME |
| A | A live activity |
| B | Not a live activity (with a few exceptions) |
So Category 1-A is typically live osteopathic CME, and 2-B is typically non-live, non-osteopathic CME. Category 1 credit comes from AOA-accredited Category 1 sponsors, who report it to the AOA directly. The FAQ says credits a physician submits for those activities won’t be accepted. Some specialty boards may also limit online CME, especially for procedural content.
How the AOA counts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
This is the part that matters if you take ACCME-accredited CME. The AOA’s sponsor resources page states that it “automatically recognizes AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ as AOA Category 2 credit.” The FAQ says the same thing about activities from ACCME-accredited providers and AAFP-approved activities. If you want background on the AMA credit itself, see our AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ explainer.
In practice, AMA credit can help you reach your total, but it is Category 2 credit. It does not count as Category 1-A, so it won’t fill a board’s Category 1 or 1-A minimum on its own. The AOA does offer one exception: AOA-certified members may request that Category 2-A credit be recognized as Category 1-B when there are no equivalent courses available within the osteopathic profession. That’s a request, not an automatic conversion.
Reporting AMA credit to the AOA
Unlike Category 1 credit, AMA credit doesn’t flow to the AOA on its own. The policy page says physicians are responsible for reporting it. The steps are:
- Get the certificate of attendance or a letter of verification from the CME provider showing your hours.
- Log in to the AOA CME Self-Reporting Tool at physicianportal.osteopathic.org and enter the activity, or email the documentation to the AOA with your AOA ID number on it.
- Check your CME activity report through your AOA account (osteopathic.org/my-aoa) to confirm the credits posted in the right category.
How AOA CME relates to OCC board certification
Osteopathic Continuous Certification (OCC) is the AOA’s process for keeping board certification current. It has four components: active licensure, lifelong learning/CME, competency assessment, and practice performance assessment and improvement.
CME is Component 2. If you hold time-limited certification, or you hold non-time-limited certification and volunteer for OCC, your specialty board’s Component 2 requirement is your CME requirement. If you hold non-time-limited certification and aren’t in OCC, the flat 120-credit rule applies. You can request a reduction or waiver of the certification CME requirement through a form on the AOA policies page.
State licensure is a separate requirement
Your state license has its own CME rules, set by your state’s osteopathic or medical board. The AOA says it’s “the responsibility of the individual physician to stay informed” of state licensure requirements. It also says AOA certification reductions or waivers don’t change what your state board requires.
Some states have specific rules for DOs, including osteopathic-specific hours or topic mandates. Check your state board’s rules directly, or start with our CME requirements by state hub.
Where self-study CME fits
Travel Medical Seminars offers Audio-Digest self-study courses designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, in a 10-credit short course and a 20-credit full course. Audio-Digest lectures are designated for credit by the Lippincott Continuing Medical Education Institute, which is accredited by the ACCME. Under the AOA’s policy, that’s the kind of credit the AOA recognizes as Category 2, which DOs self-report. Courses cover family practice, internal medicine, and many other specialties, and you can study at your own pace with online testing. Check your specialty board’s requirements to see how much Category 2 credit you can apply.