Texas human trafficking CME for physicians: who needs it and which courses count
Texas physicians who provide direct patient care must complete at least 1 hour of human trafficking CME from a course approved by Texas Health and Human Services (HHSC). It's due in your first renewal period after licensure and then every third renewal, which works out to every 6 years. The course also counts toward your 2-hour ethics requirement. HHSC's free HEART training is on the approved list.
Who must take it
The requirement applies to physicians who provide direct patient care. TMB defines that as evaluating, treating or diagnosing patients, or ordering or interpreting tests, either in person or by real-time audio/video. If you aren't sure whether you qualify, TMB's guidance is to assume it applies. (TMB Quick FAQs)
If you don't provide direct patient care, file the no-direct-patient-care attestation in CE Broker. It removes both the human trafficking and the opioid requirements.
When it's due
You take it in your first renewal period after licensure, then every third renewal. Texas renewals are every 2 years, so that's once every 6 years. (Tex. Occ. Code §156.060; 22 TAC §161.35(a)(2)(A))
TMB's example: you complete it for your 2024 renewal, you're exempt in 2026 and 2028, and it's due again in 2030.
| If you last completed it for the renewal in… | You're next due for the renewal in… |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 2028 |
| 2024 | 2030 |
| 2026 | 2032 |
Not sure which cycle you're in? Enter your expiration date and number of prior renewals in the TexasCMELog tracker, and it tells you whether human trafficking is due this time.
Which courses count
Only courses on HHSC's approved list count. Examples as listed by HHSC on October 16, 2026 (prices and lengths as shown on the list):
| Course | Provider | Cost | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEART Training | HHSC | Free | 1.5 hrs, online |
| Texas Human Trafficking Training for Physicians and PAs | AchieveCE | $29 | 2 hrs |
| Human Trafficking 101 | Baylor College of Medicine | Free | 1 hr, live webinar |
| All Medical Professionals course | Unbound Now | Free | 1 hr |
| Human Trafficking and Exploitation: The Texas Requirement | NetCE | $30 | 5 hrs |
The list changes often, so always check the live HHSC list before you enroll. Listing a course here isn't an endorsement.
About credit type: HHSC's list doesn't say whether each course carries AMA PRA Category 1 credit. The rule counts human trafficking "as part of the 24 formal credits", so if you want the hour to count toward your formal total, check that your certificate shows Category 1.
It also counts toward ethics
TMB says a human trafficking course can also fulfill the 2-hour medical ethics and/or professional responsibility requirement. CE Broker applies it to ethics automatically when you report it in the human trafficking category. (TMB CE requirements)
How to report it in CE Broker
- Click Report CE.
- Choose Human Trafficking course approved by the HHSC (Texas Health and Human Services Commission).
- Enter the completion date.
- Upload your certificate and submit.
CE Broker tracks this requirement as done or not done, not by hours. Human trafficking can't be included in a single-transcript entry, so it has to be reported on its own. If it isn't due this cycle, still enter your most recent completion with its date, or use the "Human Trafficking already completed in the prior 2 cycles" exemption. (CE Broker HT article)
Exemptions
Board certification, MOC/OCC and residency don't cover human trafficking, even though they can cover your general hours (TMB chart). Approved written exemptions for military service, catastrophic illness or living outside the US do apply. (CE Broker exemptions)
Carry-forward
Extra human trafficking hours can't be carried into your next period (22 TAC §161.35(c)(3)).
More: the Texas CME requirements guide, the Nov. 30, 2026 renewal checklist, how to report in CE Broker Basic, and Find CME.
Check what's due for your license
The free TexasCMELog tracker applies these rules to your renewal cycle and gives you a CE Broker copy card for each course. No account.
Open the tracker Find CME by topicFAQ
Do Texas physicians need human trafficking CME?
Yes, if they provide direct patient care. Texas Occupations Code §156.060 requires at least 1 hour of HHSC-approved human trafficking prevention CME in the first renewal period after licensure and every third renewal after that.
How often is human trafficking CME required for Texas physicians?
Once every third renewal (every 6 years) after your first, if you provide direct patient care. You need at least 1 hour from an HHSC-approved course in your first renewal period after licensure. When it isn't due, CE Broker still wants your most recent completion date (Tex. Occ. Code §156.060; 22 TAC §161.35(a)(2)(A)).
Is there a free human trafficking course for Texas physicians?
Yes. HHSC's HEART training is free and appears on HHSC's approved course list, along with other free and paid options. Only courses on HHSC's list satisfy the requirement.
Does human trafficking CME count toward Texas ethics hours?
Yes. TMB says human trafficking CME may also fulfill the medical ethics and/or professional responsibility requirement, and CE Broker applies it automatically when it is reported in the human trafficking category.
How do I report human trafficking CME in CE Broker?
Click Report CE, choose the Human Trafficking course approved by the HHSC option, enter the completion date, and upload your certificate. If it is not due this cycle, still report your most recent completion date.
Sources
- Tex. Occ. Code ch. 156 (§156.060) (accessed Oct. 16, 2026)
- 22 TAC §161.35(a)(2)(A), (c)(3) (Cornell LII) (accessed Oct. 16, 2026)
- TMB: Continuing education requirements for physicians (accessed Oct. 16, 2026)
- TMB: Physician CME Hours Requirement Chart (PDF) (accessed Oct. 16, 2026)
- TMB: CE Tracking Quick FAQs (PDF) (accessed Oct. 16, 2026)
- HHSC: approved human trafficking course list (accessed Oct. 16, 2026)
- CE Broker help: Human trafficking for TMB (accessed Oct. 16, 2026)
- CE Broker help: Texas physician exemptions (accessed Oct. 16, 2026)
Spot something wrong or out of date? Report an error.
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About this article
Written by TexasCMELog and checked against primary sources (TMB, 22 TAC §161.35, the Texas Register and the Texas Occupations Code) on Oct. 16, 2026. How we verify. Not affiliated with the Texas Medical Board or CE Broker. Informational only; confirm with TMB.