CME to be Required for
Medical Licensure in Louisiana
Member Services

The Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners (LSBME) has been given authority by the Louisiana Legislature to begin requiring continuing medical education for medical licensure in Louisiana. Though published in the April 20, 2000 edition of the Louisiana Register, many physicians in Louisiana are unaware of this new requirement. The Louisiana State Medical Society (LSMS) Committees on Continuing Medical Education Accreditation and Medical Education, in cooperation with the LSMS Board of Governors, are publishing this information for LSMS members.

As stated in the Rule, every physician seeking the renewal or reinstatement of licensure, effective January 1, 2002, shall annually document successful completion of not less than 20 hours of approved continuing medical education.

Physicians who are licensed or will be applying for medical licensure in Louisiana in 2002 must be able to verify participation in 20 hours of board approved CME in the previous calendar year. This means that physicians should begin acquiring hours in 2001. As a method of verification the LSBME is allowed to audit no less than two percent of the physician population. If a physician is audited, he or she must present documentation within 30 days of notification mailing. A physician's failure to notify the LSBME of mailing address changes does not absolve the licensee from the audit requirement.

As written, the law requires that documentation be obtained from specific bodies. These are organizations accredited to designate credits equivalent to Category 1 of the Physicians’ Recognition Award of the American Medical Association. On the LSMS website is a list of all organizations that are accredited by the LSMS and a calendar of CME activities being offered in Louisiana. It is important that physicians take special effort to notice designation statements of activities. These statements verify whether or not the activity will be accepted in accordance with the licensure rules.

The LSBME will be providing an orientation for doctors who are applying for initial renewal of medical licensure. This orientation is required to be designated for at least two hours of credit and may provide information on federal and state organizations related to the medical practice, agencies that may be contacted for physician assistance and the CME component of licensure.

It is the responsibility of each physician to assure that the CME activities that he or she participates in are relevant to his or her practice. The Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs of the AMA has issued Ethical Opinion 9.011 on Continuing Medical Education. This Opinion can be found at
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/4001-4237.html

The LSMS staff is available to address questions or concerns for physicians. The Department of Administration and Member Services is responsible for the LSMS CME Accreditation Program and LSMS Educational and Research Foundation, and can be reached via phone at 225.763.8500.