Live CME No Longer Required for AAFP Membership
Change Gives FPs More Flexibility in Learning Formats
(Editor’s Note: CME Reporter will be updated by the end of 2021 to reflect that credits through live activities are no longer required for active membership.)
October 5, 2021, 8:39 a.m. News Staff — In the AAFP’s latest move to adapt to family physicians’ evolving needs, the Academy has eliminated the requirement for active members to earn 25 credits of CME through live activities. The change will allow active members to pick the learning formats that best suit their needs and preferences.
Although members value live meetings — not least for the opportunity to get together with colleagues — the switch from traditional in-person events to virtual offerings during the pandemic has blurred the line between live and enduring activities. The new change will eliminate confusion about how to report in-person CME activity that has transitioned to other formats, such as virtual, livestream, recordings and on-demand.
The change starts with active members in the 2019-2021 cycle and those in the 2018-2020 cycle who received extensions through Dec. 31, 2021. Active members must still report at least 150 credits of CME every three years — at least half of those being Prescribed credits. Members can choose to fulfill some of the Prescribed credit through live activities.
The Board approved the move, which was proposed by the Commission on Membership and Member Services and the Commission on Continuing Professional Development, in response to feedback from members who want flexibility in how they learn in the changing educational environment.
The AAFP offers a wide variety of opportunities to earn CME through audio, livestream, journals and more. That includes a full slate of events that remain virtual for now but will expand to in-person offerings next year. Going forward, the Academy plans to provide as many live offerings as ever and will continue to evaluate how to optimize CME for members’ continuous learning needs.