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Does Your Medical License Expire January 31, 2021 – Are You Ready to Renew?
Did you know that of the 150 hours of continuing education credits (CMS) required to renew, a minimum of 1 hour must be continuing education if the area of medical ethics and 3 hours must be in the area of pain and symptom management? Additionally, effective January 4, 2019, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) announced a one-time Opioids and Controlled Substances Awareness Training Standards for Prescribers and Dispensers of Controlled Substances. This is separate from continuing education for an individual seeking a controlled substance license or who is licensed to prescribe or dispense controlled substances. Licensees that prescribe or dispense controlled substances who renew in 2021 must complete training by January 2025.
Also, separate from continuing medical education requirements, physicians must complete a one-time human trafficking requirement. For physicians whose license renewed in 2018, this training must be completed by January 31, 2021; and renewals for 2019 by January 31, 2022. Beginning in 2021, completion of the training is a requirement for initial licensure.
License Renewals
Every three years, all Michigan Physicians must renew their license and certify compliance with the state continuing medical education laws. Every year approximately one-third of Michigan’s physicians are required to renew. The Licensure and CME calendar year runs February 1 to January 31. Each physician is required to complete 150 credits of CME in which a minimum of 75 hours of the required 150 must be earned in Category 1 activities, and the 4 required credits, in medical ethics (1) and pain and symptom management (3).
Physicians who have not met the 150 requirements are strongly urged not to renew until all credits have been achieved. Doing so is a violation of the Michigan Public Health Code and is subject to license sanctions. Physicians can take advantage of the 60-day grace period to complete the missing credits. Online renewal must be completed within the 60-day grace period, along with the $20 late fee payment in addition to the renewal fee. Physicians whose licenses have been expired for more than 60 days must apply for relicensure.
MSMS offers online modules that fulfill the new CME requirements in the On-Demand Webinars section of the MSMS website.