CME logging/tracking

[Bluecollarmed]

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How are you guys logging/tracking CME credits from conferences? I went to ACFAS this year and badged in (a few times) but something that was never discussed in residency is how you manage these or if this is something that's automatically tracked when you get credits. I know many people do the online quizzes which I'm guessing are tracked to your NPI? How do I make sure my credits are verified? I've seen a few third party sites that do this but would love to get some more insight on it.

 

[heybrother]

For almost all conferences - there's an email blast a week or 2 after in which they send out some sort of certificate indicating how much CME was awarded. If you don't badge in for all the lectures you don't get the hours. I personally keep those as PDFs in case I need to supply them to a state asking for proof of CME.

You should always review the PDF that goes out in case there was a mishap and they didn't award you the full CME you were entitled to. That said, I don't know if you can argue with a conference over this. Several years ago I went to ACFAS and didn't get full credit for all the lectures I went to, but I wasn't sure if I had grounds to contest. I ultimately just added an online conference,

 

[josebiwasabi]

All conferences will give you an electronic copy of your CME based on your sign-ins/badge scans. Sometimes they will directly email you, other times you have to log in to their website/portal and download it. I have a folder for CME with subfolders for each year.

Keep a copy of all your CME for at least 3 the last 3 years. When you renew your state license, you have to attest that you completed the minimum CME hours to maintain licensure. State boards perform random audits where if you are selected, you will have to send proof of your CMEs.

 

[billBOB213]

This is exactly what I do. Every year I create a new folder 2025 CME. Then just make my own pdf record of it or use what they email me (or screenshot it) and put it in my folders so I can easily recover it if needed.

 

[Adam Smasher]

LOL I actually did get audited on this on year, and wouldn't you know it it was 2020 when most conferences were cancelled. After doing a year's worth of 1 and 2 hour online webinars so I had to print off and mail in ~10 CME certs to the state board of podiatry

 

[Feli]

Just save the emailed certs in PDF in a place you back up once in awhile, keep the emails in a folder.
Nobody cares about this as much as you do.

For most states, you just send them in with renew.
For others, you don't send... but there is ~10-20% chance of audit, and you just send certs in then if picked. No big deal.

Besides renews, some hospital privileging apps or state licenses will ask for your recent CME certs. It's good to have them saved.

...How do I make sure my credits are verified? I've seen a few third party sites that do this but would love to get some more insight on it.

"Verified"? This is podiatry, sir.
We have many esteemed colleagues who go to APMA and ACPM for their CME meetings and aren't qualified to clip my dog's toenails... yet they still manage to hold multiple state licenses. 🙂

 

[DYK343]

I keep them in my google drive. Every year since residency ended I have them backed up.
Never been audited.
Not sure what they do if you dont have the required CME but I dont want to find out.

 

[Feli]

...Not sure what they do if you dont have the required CME but I dont want to find out.

You typically just have to do and produce the hours (and I'm sure you're more likely to get audited again).
They won't yank your license for "losing" the certs, though.

I was audited in Mich twice in about 8-10yrs there (nearly every DPM that I knew there who'd held a pod license for any amount of time was at least once)... simply sent in the CME certs and attestations that I did self study and did teaching, kinda a lot for their 150cr / 3yr cycle.

For NC and AZ and UT when I held those, you just had to send the certificates in along with the renew each cycle. Most states are one of those two setups.

Now, for NMex, it's under the medical board... no sending CME ("honor system" like Mich), but it plainly says that at least 10% will be audited each cycle (2yr renews). I just save the PDFs from ACFAS or PI seminars or control sub vid credits or whatever I do.

 

[DYK343]

You typically just have to do and produce the hours (and I'm sure you're more likely to get audited again).
They won't yank your license for "losing" the certs, though.

I was audited in Mich twice in about 8-10yrs there (nearly every DPM that I knew there who'd held a pod license for any amount of time was at least once)... simply sent in the CME certs and attestations that I did self study and did teaching, kinda a lot for their 150cr / 3yr cycle.

For NC and AZ and UT when I held those, you just had to send the certificates in along with the renew each cycle. Most states are one of those two setups.

Now, for NMex, it's under the medical board... no sending CME ("honor system" like Mich), but it plainly says that at least 10% will be audited each cycle (2yr renews). I just save the PDFs from ACFAS or PI seminars or control sub vid credits or whatever I do.

I have always practiced in "honor system" states. Ive never sent in anything. Just check a box that I attest that I have met the requirements.

So what youre saying is I dont have to do anything unless I get caught? Then I can just make it up?

Sounds like a lot of $$$ saved lol

 

[Boba Foot]

I go to the Texas APMA chapter's conference every year and save the cert in a cloud drive and that basically covers my hours every two years. Had to save certs to a bunch of lectures one year and it was way to arduous so this is much easier.

 

[GreenHousePub]

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