CME, CE and CEU Requirements: Understanding Credits and ABIM MOC

CME, CE, CEUs, contact hours and ABIM MOC points are related, but they are not interchangeable.

What counts depends on your profession, licensing jurisdiction, certifying body, the activity’s credit designation and the rules in effect when you renew. Use this guide to compare the terms, then confirm current requirements with the organization that will accept your credit. Last reviewed: August 2026.

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Quick Overview

CME, CE, contact hours, CEUs and Maintenance of Certification points describe different systems. Start with the organization that will receive your record, then choose an activity whose credit statement matches that requirement.

Term	What it means	What to verify
CME	Continuing medical education. Physicians commonly earn AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™; physician associates may earn AAPA Category 1 CME.	The exact credit name, amount, completion rules and whether the receiving organization accepts it.
CE	A broad term for continuing education across health professions; credit systems differ by profession.	The accreditor or approver, unit, profession, topic requirements and completion rules.
Contact hour	A time-based unit. ANCC and ACPE generally define one contact hour as 60 minutes.	Whether your board, certifier or employer accepts that provider, topic and format.
CEU	A defined unit, not a synonym for every CE credit. Under IACET and ACPE usage, 1 CEU equals 10 contact hours.	Which standard is being used and whether conversion is permitted.
ABIM MOC point	A board-certification point. Some eligible CME activities can award both CME credit and ABIM MOC points.	The activity’s MOC statement, maximum points, completion rules and your current ABIM requirements.

No credit type is universally worth more than another. The licensing board, certifying organization, employer or other receiving authority decides what it accepts.

What Medical Education Includes

Medical education begins in professional school and clinical training and continues throughout a clinician’s career through continuing professional development. A course can support knowledge and practice improvement, but completing one activity does not by itself guarantee licensure renewal, certification, reimbursement or professional competence.

What Is Continuing Medical Education (CME)?

Continuing medical education helps physicians maintain and develop knowledge, skills and professional performance. In the United States, the American Medical Association’s Physician’s Recognition Award system defines AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ and AMA PRA Category 2 Credit™. The organization receiving the record still determines whether the activity satisfies its rules.

Accredited CME Providers and Activity-Level Credit

In support of improving patient care, Medical Education Resources is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Joint Accreditation describes MER’s provider status. The selected activity’s accreditation statement controls what a learner may claim. Before registering, verify:

The exact credit designation and maximum available
Whether the credit applies to your profession
The participation format and any format-specific restrictions
Attendance, evaluation and attestation requirements
Completion deadlines and any learner identifiers needed for reporting

What Is Continuing Education (CE)?

Continuing education is a broad term used across health professions. Nurses may receive ANCC contact hours, physician associates may receive AAPA Category 1 CME, pharmacists may receive ACPE continuing pharmacy education, and interprofessional activities may include IPCE credit. Do not assume that one profession’s credit automatically converts to another; use the profession-specific statement on the activity.

Contact Hours and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

A CEU is a defined unit, not a general synonym for a credit or contact hour. Under IACET and ACPE usage, 1 CEU equals 10 contact hours; ACPE therefore expresses one contact hour as 0.1 CEU. ANCC awards contact hours rather than generic CEUs. Always check the unit printed in the activity statement and the unit required by the receiving organization.

Common CME and Certification Credit Types

Credit or point type	What it indicates	What the learner should confirm
AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™	Designated for eligible activities by an accredited CME provider or another AMA-recognized route.	Meet the activity requirements and claim only credit commensurate with participation.
AMA PRA Category 2 Credit™	Self-claimed by the physician for eligible learning not certified for Category 1.	The physician documents the activity; an accredited provider does not award it.
AAPA Category 1 CME	CME for physician associates when an activity qualifies under AAPA rules.	Confirm the exact AAPA statement on the selected activity.
Self-assessment or performance-improvement credit	Additional credit characteristics attached to some activities.	Confirm the activity’s specific designation and the requirements of the receiving organization.
ABIM MOC point	A separate board-certification record that may accompany eligible CME.	Confirm explicit MOC eligibility, points, reporting information and completion steps.

CME and ABIM Maintenance of Certification

ABIM Maintenance of Certification is separate from state licensure. ABIM generally requires 100 MOC points every five years along with an assessment requirement and current program obligations. Rules can change, so use your ABIM portal and current ABIM guidance as the source of truth.

Not every CME activity awards MOC points. Confirm that the selected activity explicitly offers ABIM MOC, the maximum points available, its completion requirements and the learner information required for reporting. Eligible CME credit and MOC points remain separate records even when earned through the same activity.

Using Employer CME or Professional-Development Funds

Employer reimbursement is governed by the employer’s policy, not by the activity’s accreditation. Before registering or booking travel, confirm the budget period, whether registration, transportation, lodging or meals are eligible, excluded expenses, documentation and submission deadlines, and cancellation or repayment rules.

How to Choose a Program

Decision	Question to answer
Goal	What exact licensure, certification, employer or professional requirement am I trying to meet?
Credit	What credit type and maximum amount does this activity offer for my profession?
Content	Does the agenda cover any required topics or specialties?
Format	Is in-person, live-streamed or enduring material accepted for my purpose?
Completion	What attendance, evaluation, attestation or learner-information steps are required?
Deadline	When must I complete the activity and submit documentation?
Records	What certificate or transcript will I receive, and how long should I retain it?
Reimbursement	Which registration, travel or related expenses will my employer reimburse?

Verify Requirements by State, Profession or Specialty

There is no single CME or CE requirement for every clinician. Check the current rules of your licensing board, your certifying board, your employer and the selected activity’s accreditation statement. International acceptance is not automatic.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many CME or CE credits do I need?

There is no universal total. Check the current rules of your licensing board, certifying organization and employer, including any topic-specific requirements.

Can one activity count toward both licensure and certification?

Sometimes. Each receiving organization applies its own rules, and MOC eligibility must be stated explicitly for the activity.

Can professional-development funds cover conference travel?

Only if your employer’s current policy allows it. Confirm eligible expenses, budget dates, receipts, deadlines and cancellation rules before booking.

What is the difference between CME, CE and a CEU?

CME is continuing medical education, CE is a broad term used across professions, and a CEU is a defined unit under a specific standard. They are not automatically interchangeable.

Do all MER conferences offer the same credit?

No. Credit types, maximum amounts, formats and completion requirements are activity-specific. Review the selected conference’s agenda and accreditation statement.

Can an MER activity earn ABIM MOC points?

Some activities may. The selected activity must explicitly state ABIM MOC eligibility and its completion and reporting requirements.

How soon will I receive a completion record?

Timing depends on the activity’s verification and evaluation process. Complete every required step promptly and do not wait until a renewal deadline.

Is U.S. CME automatically accepted outside the United States?

No. Acceptance varies by jurisdiction and organization. Confirm the specific activity and credit with the relevant authority before registering.

Official Resources and Further Reading

Find the Right CME or CE Activity

Choose a conference that fits your clinical interests, then review its accreditation statement and completion requirements before registering. Confirm any licensure, certification or reimbursement need with the organization that will receive your record.

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Last reviewed: August 2026. Requirements and policies can change.