You went to the conference or completed the online course—now what do you do? After any CME activity, you may need to report the information to your employer, medical board, or other organizations.

If you need help getting started with CME reporting, you’re in the right place. Follow this guide to learn more about how to report CME.

What Type of Documents Do You Need?

The documentation you’ll need to report CME credits depends on your employer, associations, and state medical board. That means what you receive upon completion of a CME course may vary, though it often is a credit certificate or transcript that contains:

• Your full name
• The CME provider’s name
• The activity title
• The learning format
• The number of credits awarded
• The location of the conference or workshop
• The date(s) of the activity

All accredited CME providers must save this information on your behalf for at least six years. You’ll be able to request these documents for at least that long after you’ve completed the activity.

Where Do You Submit CME Documentation?

Submitting CME documentation varies depending on your employer, medical association, or state board. With that in mind, here are some common ways you may report CME:

American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)

The AAFP offers several convenient ways to report CME credits, including an online portal that tells you what you must submit. You can also send the documentation via mail or fax if you prefer.

If you search the AAFP database but don’t see the activity even though it’s accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), you must record it as an AAFP Elective Credit.

If you keep your CME record with the AAFP, the organization can often send the documents to others, like your employer or the American Board of Family Medicine.

American Board of Family Medicine

If you want to submit CME documentation directly to the American Board of Family Medicine, you can do that instead. To manually enter the information, sign into the MyABFM Portfolio portal and provide all required documents.

Other Organizations

While these two organizations are common for primary care physicians and family doctors, you may be part of other associations that need CME documentation. State medical boards usually require this information, too.

Instructions for reporting the CME to these groups are often on their websites. Ensure you follow their guide to proper submission to obtain the credit you worked for.

Accredited CME providers can sometimes send your documents to state medical boards via a partnership with ACCME using their Program and Activity Reporting System. In these cases, the provider handles the submission on your behalf.

Tips for Storing CME Documents

If you’re wondering how to store and keep CME documents organized, here are some tips to try:

Digital storage
If the CME provider sends you a digital copy of your certificates, store them safely on your computer. You can create a folder on your desktop or in a cloud service like Google Drive.

CME Passport
Some organizations, like the ACCME, provide ways to store and track CME online. Entering the information into CME Passport makes storing or finding copies of your transcripts easy.

After attending an on-demand course or live seminar, complete CME reporting as soon as possible to streamline your tracking.