New Jersey CME Requirements for Physicians

New Jersey CME requirements for physicians come from the State Board of Medical Examiners and are set out in N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.15. Here is what MDs and DOs need each renewal, which topics are mandatory, and the one-time cultural competency rule that still trips people up. For other states, see our CME requirements by state hub.

We checked these requirements against the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs website. Rules change, so confirm with the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners before your renewal.

The short answer

New Jersey physicians need 100 CME credits every two-year renewal period, and at least 40 of them must be Category I.
Within the Category I credits, every physician needs 2 credits in end-of-life care, 1 credit on prescription opioid drugs, and 2 credits in sexual misconduct prevention.
Physicians who provide perinatal care to pregnant patients also need 1 Category I credit in explicit and implicit bias training, starting with the period that began July 1, 2025.
Cultural competency is a separate, one-time requirement of at least 6 hours, not something you repeat every renewal.
The 2-year renewal period runs from July 1 in odd-numbered years, so the current period began July 1, 2025.

New Jersey CME requirements at a glance

The core rule is short. N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.15(b) requires 100 continuing medical education credits in Category I or Category II courses for each biennial license renewal, with at least 40 in Category I.

The topic mandates sit inside those 40 Category I credits rather than adding to the total. The Board said as much when it adopted the newest topic rules in 2025: the new requirements do not increase the overall number of credits you must complete.

Requirement	Credits	Type	Who it applies to
Total CME	100 per biennial period	Category I or II	All licensed physicians
Category I minimum	40 of the 100	Category I	All licensed physicians
End-of-life care	2	Category I	All licensed physicians (since July 1, 2013)
Prescription opioid drugs	1	Category I	All licensed physicians (since July 1, 2017)
Sexual misconduct prevention	2	Category I	All licensed physicians (from July 1, 2025)
Explicit and implicit bias	1	Category I	Physicians who provide perinatal care to pregnant persons (from July 1, 2025)
Cultural competency	At least 6 hours, one time	Accredited (see below)	Physicians renewing an active license

What counts as Category I and Category II

The rule defines Category I and Category II as the categories of courses recognized by the American Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association, the American Podiatric Medical Association, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education, or other comparable organizations the Board recognizes. In practice, MDs usually meet the Category I share with AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, and DOs often use AOA Category 1 credit.

The Board regulates MDs and DOs under the same physician rule, so the 100-credit total and the topic mandates apply to both. If you hold a DO and rely mostly on AOA credit, check with the Board that your mix of AOA categories lines up with its Category I definition.

Required topics, one by one

End-of-life care (2 credits)

Since the biennial period that began July 1, 2013, two of your 40 Category I credits must be in programs or topics related to end-of-life care. This comes from P.L. 2011, c. 145 (N.J.S.A. 45:9-7.7).

The Board allows a waiver or extension if you believe the topic has little relevance to your practice. You request it by letter to the Board office, sent by certified mail with return receipt or another proof of delivery, within 60 days after the renewal period ends. An approved waiver covers only that one renewal period, so you would need to ask again next time.

Prescription opioid drugs (1 credit)

Since the period that began July 1, 2017, one of the 40 Category I credits must cover prescription opioid drugs. Under P.L. 2017, c. 28, the course must include responsible prescribing practices, alternatives to opioids for managing and treating pain, and the risks and signs of opioid abuse, addiction, and diversion.

Sexual misconduct prevention (2 credits)

Starting with the biennial period that began July 1, 2025, two credit hours in Category I courses must address sexual misconduct prevention. The Board originally proposed a 2023 start date and moved it to 2025 when it adopted the rule.

A course or series of courses must cover all seven topics in the rule. These are the forms and types of sexual misconduct, informed consent for sensitive procedures (including breast, pelvic, genital, and rectal exams), interacting with patients who have been sexually abused or harassed, and the power dynamics behind misconduct in health care. The list also includes what to do if you experience unwelcome sexual contact, bystander intervention and your duty to report, and how to identify and report human trafficking.

Explicit and implicit bias in perinatal care (1 credit)

This one applies only to physicians who provide perinatal treatment and care to pregnant persons. Starting with the period that began July 1, 2025, one of the 40 Category I credits must be evidence-based training in explicit and implicit bias, under P.L. 2021, c. 79. The rule defines perinatal care as care during pregnancy, labor, delivery, postpartum, and neonatal periods, so this reaches beyond OB/GYN to family physicians and others who deliver or care for newborns.

The training must cover ten listed areas. Among them are identifying unconscious bias in perinatal care, barriers to inclusion, reproductive justice, disparities in pregnancy-related deaths and outcomes, corrective measures at the interpersonal and institutional levels, and a review of the annual report of the New Jersey Maternal Mortality Review Committee.

Cultural competency: a one-time requirement

Cultural competency training falls under a different rule, N.J.A.C. 13:35-6.25, and works differently from the topics above. You complete at least 6 hours once, not every renewal. Physicians licensed on or after June 30, 2007 must finish it before the end of the first complete renewal cycle after licensure.

All 6 hours must be accredited as AMA PRA Category 1, AOA Category 1A, 1B, or 2A, AAFP Prescribed, or COPME contact hours. The course must cover six required areas, including health disparities, cross-cultural clinical skills, and language barriers and interpreter use. Online courses and enduring materials are acceptable if properly accredited.

Physicians licensed after March 24, 2005 may count these hours toward the 100-credit total. Physicians licensed before that date must complete them in addition to regular CME. The Board says to keep certificates and course materials showing each topic was covered for at least 6 years.

Volunteer care credit

New Jersey lets you earn up to 10 CME credits per biennial period by providing unpaid care to low-income patients outside your medical office, when those patients have no public or private coverage for the services. You earn one credit for every two hours of service. These credits do not count toward the 40 Category I credits, and the Board can deny them if it decides you need the full complement of regular credits.

Tips for planning your renewal

Front-load the topic courses, because they have to meet very specific content lists and you want proof of each topic on file.
Keep your certificates organized by requirement so you can answer quickly if the Board asks for documentation.
If you are newly licensed, confirm your cultural competency deadline and how the Board handles your first renewal, since this article does not cover proration.

Most of the 40 Category I credits New Jersey requires can come from general clinical learning in your specialty. Travel Medical Seminars offers Audio-Digest self-study courses in 10-credit and 20-credit formats, each designated for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ by the Lippincott Continuing Medical Education Institute, which is accredited by the ACCME. They are digital, so you study at your own pace and complete testing online. For the state topic mandates, check whether a specific course is approved for that requirement before you count it. You can browse all courses by specialty.

New Jersey CME requirements for physicians (MD and DO)