Texas CME requirements for osteopathic physicians (DOs)
Texas licenses DOs and MDs under the same Texas Medical Board rules: 48 CME credits every two years, at least 24 formal. AOA Category 1-A credit counts as formal, along with AMA PRA Category 1. The AOA's own 120-credit cycle applies only to AOA board-certified physicians and is separate from Texas renewal.
Key facts: Texas CME for DOs
- Who licenses DOs
- The Texas Medical Board, for DOs and MDs alike. The IMLC member list shows "Texas Medical Board - DO & MD" (IMLCC member list)
- AOA Category 1-A
- Formal Texas CME: §161.35(a)(1)(D) lists it among the formal designations (22 TAC §161.35)
- AOA 1-B, 2-A, 2-B
- Not on Texas's formal list; informal only if the activity is a type Texas accepts as informal (22 TAC §161.35)
- AOA's own CME
- Only for AOA board-certified physicians. Non-time-limited certificates: 120 credits, Jan. 1, 2025 to Dec. 31, 2027. Time-limited or voluntary OCC: your certifying board's rules. No rollover (AOA CME FAQs)
- AOA OCC and Texas
- Presumed to meet the formal and informal hours if your OCC program mandates CME meeting Texas's formal criteria; only some requirements are exempted (see TMB's chart) (TMB CE page)
- Board certification in 36 months
- Standards include the AOA and the Advisory Board for Osteopathic Specialists; exempts some requirements, for a maximum of one registration (TMB CE page)
- AMA or AAFP credit and the AOA
- AOA counts it as Category 2, and you self-report it with your AOA ID (AOA CME FAQs)
- Course listings
- TMB lists TMA, TOMA (512-708-8662) and CE Broker (TMB CE page)
Not affiliated with TMB, the AOA or TOMA.
How many CME hours do DOs need in Texas?
The same as MDs: 48 credits every two-year registration period, with at least 24 formal credits. For DOs, formal credit includes AOA Category 1-A and AMA PRA Category 1. The formal hours must include the required topics, such as two ethics credits, and the rest can be informal self-study or grand rounds.
Full rules: Texas physician CME requirements · AOA Category 1-A in the glossary.
Does AOA Category 1-B or Category 2 count in Texas?
Not as formal credit. Texas's formal list names AOA Category 1-A but not 1-B, 2-A or 2-B. Those activities can count toward your 24 informal credits only if they're the kind Texas accepts as informal, such as self-study, hospital lectures, grand rounds or case conferences. Keep records either way.
The AOA describes each category in its CME activity descriptions (PDF). Texas informal types are in 22 TAC §161.35 (rule text).
Do DOs in OCC still need Texas CME?
Mostly not for the hour totals. TMB presumes you meet the formal and informal hours if you're meeting your AOA Osteopathic Continuous Certification requirements and they mandate CME that meets Texas's formal criteria. TMB says these provisions exempt only some requirements, so check its CME Hours Requirement Chart for topics like ethics, opioid and human trafficking.
Source: TMB CE page (Maintenance of Certification) · TMB CME Hours Requirement Chart. More: exemptions and alternate compliance.
What are the AOA's CME requirements for 2025-2027?
The AOA requires CME only of AOA board-certified physicians. If your certification isn't time-limited, you need 120 credit hours in the cycle that runs from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2027. With a time-limited certificate or voluntary OCC, follow your certifying board's requirements. Credits can't carry into the next cycle.
Source: AOA CME FAQs. The AOA cycle is about your AOA certification, not your Texas license.
How do I get AMA credit counted by the AOA?
Send it yourself. AOA-accredited sponsors report participation in their own activities, but for ACCME-accredited AMA PRA Category 1 or AAFP activities you send the certificate with your AOA ID and hours, by email or the AOA's CME self-reporting tool, and the AOA records it as Category 2. Texas still counts that AMA activity as formal credit.
Source: AOA CME FAQs. In Texas, report the same course in CE Broker: how to report CME in CE Broker.
Where can Texas DOs find osteopathic CME?
The Texas Osteopathic Medical Association holds two conferences a year, a MidWinter Conference each winter and an Annual Convention each summer, with registration discounts for members. TMB lists TOMA, with TMA and CE Broker, as a place to find CME course listings. Whatever you take, report every course in CE Broker before you renew.
Sources: TOMA: CME requirements · TMB CE page (Where can I find CME course listings?). More sources by topic: where to find Texas CME.
Which Texas topic rules apply to DOs?
All of them, the same as for MDs. Every DO needs 2 formal ethics hours each renewal. If you see patients, the opioid and human trafficking courses apply on their own cycles, and listed specialties, including AOA obstetrics and gynecology certification, take the Life of the Mother Act course. Each guide below owns the details.
| Texas topic rule | What DOs should know | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Ethics / professional responsibility | 2 formal hours every renewal | Ethics CME guide |
| Pain management and opioid prescribing | Direct patient care; own cycle | Opioid CME guide |
| Human trafficking | Direct patient care; HHSC-approved course | Human trafficking guide |
| Life of the Mother Act (SB 31) | TMB's list includes the American Osteopathic Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology and its maternal-fetal certification | SB 31 guide |
| Forensic evidence collection | ER setting (TMB adds urgent care); TMB names AOBEM certification | Forensic CME guide |
| DEA 8-hour MATE training (federal) | AOA and AOA-accredited sponsors are on DEA's provider list | DEA MATE guide |
Texas CME for DOs: FAQ
Does AOA Category 1-A count toward Texas CME?
Yes. Texas rule 161.35 lists AOA Category 1-A among the formal credit designations, so it counts toward the 24 formal credits.
Do Texas DOs need different CME than MDs?
No. The Texas Medical Board applies the same 48-credit rule, with 24 formal, and the same topic requirements to DOs and MDs.
How many AOA CME credits are due in 2025-2027?
AOA board-certified physicians with non-time-limited certificates need 120 credit hours between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2027.