Three sets of rule changes won final approval in July, including significant revisions to the rules governing the Board’s continuing medical education (CME) requirements.

Revised CME rules (21 NCAC 32R - .0101 - .0105) take effect August 1 and include the following changes:

• The rule eliminates the requirement to document any Category 2 CME hours but maintains the requirement to earn at least 60 Category 1 CME hours over a three-year period. The Board encourages licensees to participate in CME, whether Category 1 or 2, above and beyond the minimum required hours, as their time permits.


• The rule exempts licensees who can document participation in an ABMS- or AOA-approved Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program from reporting any CME hours to the NCMB. This change reflects the Board’s acknowledgement of the significant effort and investment in practice-relevant training/education involved in pursuing MOC.

Additional rule changes that take effect August 1 include:

• Revisions to 21 NCAC 32B .1001 and 21 NCAC 32S .0212 (prescribing rules for physicians and for physician assistants) prohibits physicians and PAs from prescribing controlled substances to themselves or to members of their immediate families.


• A revision to the Resident Training License (RTL) application rules (21 NCAC 32B .1402) eliminates the requirement for RTL applicants to submit letters of recommendation. The Board has determined that it very rarely receives useful information via recommendation letters. In addition, this rule change makes the RTL application requirements consistent with requirements for applicants for a full medical license.