Continuing Medical Education

Training Requirements

Licensed podiatric physicians must obtain 50 hours of continuing medical education (CME) each biennium in order to renew their licenses.

Human trafficking prevention training required for license renewal may be accepted for up to 2 hours of the required Ethics CME credit. For information on the required training, visit our Human Trafficking Prevention Training for Health Care Practitioners webpage.

Acceptable Coursework

TDLR will only give credit for those courses that relate to Podiatric Medicine.

As an example, a Podiatric Physician taking CME courses on brain surgery, proctology, shoulders, etc. would NOT be acceptable.

However, courses on the foot/ankle, lower extremity, cardiovascular system, nervous system, diabetes, renal system, obesity, risk management, drug prescriptions, pain management, bones, muscles, nerves, wound care, nutrition, electronic/medical records, etc., or the like, would be acceptable for 100% credit. Courses on histories/physicals, CPR, ACLS, admissions, discharge, oncology, systemic diseases (which have an effect/manifestation of diseases of the foot/lower extremity), or dermatology are also acceptable.

Additionally, courses on Medicare/Medicaid (government healthcare programs, CMS, and MAC/RAC, integrity/anti-fraud measures, etc.), electronic medical records and tools to improve care related to re-ordering, reconciling medication orders and monitoring and reporting quality data (in response to federal/national initiatives related to improved patient care and safety) are acceptable.

Home Study Programs

Practice management, home study and self-study programs are accepted for CME credit hours only if the provider is approved by the Council for Podiatric Medical Education. The licensee may obtain up to 20 hours of home study per biennium.

Two-Hour Courses

Licensees may attend a variety of two-hour courses on: ethics, rules-regulations , healthcare fraud, professional boundaries, risk management, or jurisprudence courses provided by the TPMA and PICA.

Hospital Courses

Licensees may obtain Hospital CME credits/courses and must produce proof of issuance of Hospital CME certificates. As long as the CME courses are "relative to podiatric medicine," TDLR will accept them.

TDLR also accepts American Medical Association (AMA) and Texas Medical Association (TMA) accredited programs/courses.

Specialty Certification Exams

Certification is not acceptable for CME credit. This includes hyperbaric oxygen training.

Post/Graduate Education

Licensees who have furthered their education via post/graduate education (e.g. Pharmacy school, Law school, Nursing school, PT/OT school, MBA, PA school, Etc.) may not receive CME for those fundamental educational programs as they are not CME events. Submission of such educational/college transcripts to TDLR in place of true CME courses will be rejected.

Proof of Completed Coursework

If audited, you will be required to send TDLR a copy of the actual certificate of attendance for the CME hours being claimed.

You must maintain copies of all records and certificates for four (4) years.