CME & Meetings
Meeting Your CME RequirementsContinuing Medical Education Requirements
CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION (CME) REQUIREMENTS
FOR RE-ELECTION TO AAFP MEMBERSHIP
Active members and Supporting members, who are family physicians, must accrue at least 150 credits of AAFP Prescribed and Elective Credit within each three-year reporting period, of which:
- A minimum of 75 credits must be AAFP Prescribed credit.
- A minimum of 25 credits must be from group learning activities.
- A maximum of 25 credits can be from enrichment activities.
- A maximum of 20 prescribed credits per year is available for teaching medical students, residents, physicians, physician assistant students, or nurse practitioner students (60 credits per reelection cycle).
- A maximum of 30 credits can be from presentation or publication of an original scientific or socioeconomic paper pertaining to medical care at AAFP, constituent chapter or other medical society level.
- A maximum of 45 credits can be from publication in a state or national "refereed" journal of original scientific or socioeconomic research pertaining to patient care, public or community health.
- A maximum of 15 credits can be from preparation and presentation at AAFP or constituent chapter level of a scientific medical exhibit.
DEFINITIONS OF AAFP PRESCRIBED AND ELECTIVE CREDIT
Prescribed credit is any CME activity that has received prior approval from the AAFP and has family physician input to ensure relevance to family medicine. (The AMA accepts AAFP Prescribed as equivalent to AMA Category 1 credit for the Physicians Recognition Award.)
Elective credit is any CME activity that has been designated as Category I credit for the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award.
Enrichment credit is any CME activity not accredited by the AAFP or designated as Category I credit for the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. Enrichment activities may include medical staff meetings, journal club meetings, medical society meetings or committee meetings. Members are limited to 25 elective credits during each three-year reelection cycle.
Elective credit is any CME activity that has been designated as Category I credit for the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award.
Enrichment credit is any CME activity not accredited by the AAFP or designated as Category I credit for the AMA Physician’s Recognition Award. Enrichment activities may include medical staff meetings, journal club meetings, medical society meetings or committee meetings. Members are limited to 25 elective credits during each three-year reelection cycle.
HOW WE HELP YOU MEET THE AAFP CME REQUIREMENTS
The MassAFP is here to help you! At any time you can call our office 1-978-526-9753 or the AAFP Continuing Medical Education Records Department 1-800-274-2237 Ext. 6850 with questions regarding your CME record.
The MassAFP provides an annual family physician oriented educational opportunity that is available to all members.
When you attend our state meeting, we provide you with a CME reporting form in your registration packet. When you turn this form in, we automatically report these hours to the AAFP for you.
You will receive CME reminder letters prior to your next re-election date letting you know the number of hours you have currently reported to the AAFP.
The MassAFP provides an annual family physician oriented educational opportunity that is available to all members.
When you attend our state meeting, we provide you with a CME reporting form in your registration packet. When you turn this form in, we automatically report these hours to the AAFP for you.
You will receive CME reminder letters prior to your next re-election date letting you know the number of hours you have currently reported to the AAFP.
BENEFITS OF REPORTING YOUR CME TO AAFP
Reporting and reviewing your CME record is necessary to determine your eligibility for AAFP re-election and the AAFP’s earned degree of Fellow. In addition, although CME requirements of the AAFP and many other organizations are not equivalent, reporting your CME to AAFP in a timely manner will help you in the following ways:
Re-election to AAFP Active membership automatically qualifies you for the AMA’s Physician’s Recognition Award.
Active members due for re-certification need not report CME to the ABFP if they have been Active AAFP members for at least five years, re-election has occurred within the preceding three years and sufficient CME (as defined by the ABFP) has been reported to AAFP since the last re-election.
You will be assured of a timely record of your CME activities, which will assist you in reporting your CME to other organizations.
The AAFP Commission on Continuing Medical Education has awarded Prescribed credit for the following programs:
Re-election to AAFP Active membership automatically qualifies you for the AMA’s Physician’s Recognition Award.
Active members due for re-certification need not report CME to the ABFP if they have been Active AAFP members for at least five years, re-election has occurred within the preceding three years and sufficient CME (as defined by the ABFP) has been reported to AAFP since the last re-election.
You will be assured of a timely record of your CME activities, which will assist you in reporting your CME to other organizations.
The AAFP Commission on Continuing Medical Education has awarded Prescribed credit for the following programs:
- BLS Provider Course Maximum 4 hours
- Instructor Course Maximum 2 hours
- ACLS Adult Provider Course Maximum 16 hours
- Adult Instructor Course Maximum 8 hours
- Recertification Course Maximum 8 hours
- PALS Pediatric ALS Course Maximum 16 hours
- NALS Neonatal Resuscitation Maximum 8 hours
- ATLS Provider Course 2 days-17 hours; 21/2 days-20 hours
- Instructor Course 1 day-11 hours
- ALSO Provider Course Maximum 17 hours
- Instructor Course Maximum 9 hours
Other CME activities include:
- Home Study Self-Assessment - each subscription is comprised of complete clinical learning packages. Each monograph is acceptable for 5 Prescribed credits monthly and each audiotape can be used for 2 Prescribed credits. You can call 1-800-944-0000 to order or for additional information.
- Attend the AAFP Annual Meeting and Scientific Assembly
- Attend the MassAFP Annual CME Refresher.
- All but 25 of your required credits can be obtained from self-learning activities. Submitting the quiz cards from American Family Physician and Family Practice Management will also fulfill your Prescribed credit requirements.
You can identify AAFP-approved CME by reading "CME Calendar" in American Family Physician or by calling the AAFP at 1-800-274-8043.
PLEASE REMEMBER
It is your responsibility to report your CME to AAFP. You can make this effort easier by reporting your credits immediately following each CME activity. The easiest way to report your CME is online at the AAFP web site. You may also fax your credits to the AAFP CMER office at 913-906-6087. Should you have any questions regarding your CME hours, please call either the AAFP CME Records Department 1-800-274-2237 Ext. 6850 or the MassAFP office at 1-978-526-9753.
Additional reporting forms and/or copies of your personal CME records are available at any time from the AAFP CME Records Department, 1-800-274-8043, or on the AAFP Web site at www.aafp.org
PLEASE REMEMBER
It is your responsibility to report your CME to AAFP. You can make this effort easier by reporting your credits immediately following each CME activity. The easiest way to report your CME is online at the AAFP web site. You may also fax your credits to the AAFP CMER office at 913-906-6087. Should you have any questions regarding your CME hours, please call either the AAFP CME Records Department 1-800-274-2237 Ext. 6850 or the MassAFP office at 1-978-526-9753.
Additional reporting forms and/or copies of your personal CME records are available at any time from the AAFP CME Records Department, 1-800-274-8043, or on the AAFP Web site at www.aafp.org
100 Cummings Center Suite 325C
Beverly, MA 01915
Email: Information@MassAFP.org
Telephone: (978) 232-0022 | Fax: (978) 232-0072