DEA CME Requirements

In December 2022, federal legislation was passed that requires any prescriber licensed to dispense controlled substances in schedule II – V, to complete eight hours of training before renewing their DEA registration. This goes into effect for any new or renewing registrations beginning June 27, 2023. This is a one-time requirement and will not be included in future registrations.

This memo from the United States Department of Justice explains how physicians can satisfy this requirement. Of note: 

• If you are Board certified in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry, you are deemed in compliance.
• If you graduated from medical school in the United States within five years of your DEA registration and your curriculum included at least eight hours of training on managing patients with substance abuse disorders, you are deemed in compliance.

If you do not meet one of the above criteria, you can satisfy the requirement by completing continuing medical education. It is important to note that:

• The training can be cumulative and does not have to occur in one session or one specific event.
• Some past training on the treatment and management of patients with substance abuse disorders taken prior to this new law can count towards the eight-hour requirement.
• Past DATA-Waived trainings count toward the requirement.
• Training can occur in a variety of formats – live or virtual.

If you need courses to help you meet this requirement, MAOPS has some recommendations. The following programs on MAOPS CMEPRN learning platform will count towards the requirement (MAOPS members receive a discount on these programs):

• Update 2021: Opioids (.75 credits)
• Chasing Dope: A Dance with the Devil (.75 credits)
• Identification & Treatment of Physician Burnout, Mental health, and Substance Abuse Disorders (1 credit)
• Health Equity: Caring for Patients with Opioid Use Disorder (1 credit part of a 3.5 credit Virtual Conference)
• Patient Safety Topics (2.75 credits)

MAOPS also has programs meeting the requirement on our second learning platform – The CME Center – done in collaboration with the Association of Osteopathic State Executive Directors. Additionally, you will find programs from other state associations that will meet the requirement. Here are some examples (MAOPS members do not receive a discount on these programs, BUT a significant portion of the sales does come back to MAOPS to support our initiatives):

• Substance Abuse Disorders in Healthcare Professionals (.75 credits)
• Opioid Misuse/Abuse/Addiction (1 credit)
• Opioid Use Disorder Management: Trends, Tricks, and Tips (1 credit)
• Opiate Alternatives to Pain (1 credit)
• Anxiety, Depression & Substance Abuse (1 credit)
• Narcotics and Pain Management (1 credit)
• A Review of Assessment and Management of Substance Use Disorder (2 credits)
• Substance Use Disorders, Substance-Induced Disorders, and Co-Occurring (1.25 credits)

These programs will meet your DEA registration needs. Once you have determined you have met the requirements, you simply attest to having done so on the DEA’s registration form. You can easily print CME certificates from both CMEPRN and The CME Center for your records.