Board Approved CME Courses for CDS Requirements

Approved courses to fulfill requirements of Act 76 / Rule on CME re CDS (§4005)

As per legislation passed in 2017, all practitioners with a Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) license in Louisiana are now required to complete at least three hours of Board PRE-APPROVED continuing medical education (CME) that includes ALL 4 of the following topics**: best practices for the prescribing of CDS, drug diversion training, appropriate treatment for addiction, and the treatment of chronic pain.**  This is a once in a lifetime requirement under current law.  This three-hour requirement will be considered a part of, and not in addition to, the prescriber’s annual CME requirement.

The three hours of CDS-CME must be completed before the prescriber’s first license/permit renewal date. If the prescriber has not completed this requirement by his/her first renewal date, the Board will be unable to renew his/her license/permit.

Below is a link to a list of Board approved CME courses offered by various providers online or live at professional meetings or events as of September 16, 2019.  All of these courses have been changed to meet the updated requirement for content. The cost of each of the programs on this list is determined by the individual CME provider. The list will be updated periodically as new courses are reviewed by the Education department.

The board will evaluate other courses as they are submitted for approval by the CME provider, with the appropriate documentation submitted on a timely basis, as described in this document (CDSCME Course Approval Guidelines and Forms)

A current licensee may be excused from the CDS-CME requirement upon submission of a certification attesting that s/he has not prescribed, administered or dispensed any CDS in Louisiana during the entire year prior to the expiration date of the prescriber’s license or permit. This rule pertains to all CDS, not just opioids. Practitioners who do not have a CDS license must also request this exemption. The Board will verify the certification through the Louisiana Prescription Monitoring Program. An exempted licensee, who subsequently prescribes, administers or dispenses a CDS shall satisfy the CDS-CME requirement as a condition to license or permit renewal for the year immediately following that in which the CDS was prescribed, administered or dispensed. NOTE: All residents (PGY & GETP) must comply with the 3-hour CDSCME requirement and cannot apply for an exemption!

**YOU MUST TAKE A COURSE THAT IS ON THE LIST (BELOW) OF BOARD APPROVED COURSES!
Upload your CDSCME certificates during your renewal. You may also send your certificates prior to renewing to cdscme@lsbme.la.gov.

*******To view the chart properly, DO NOT use a mobile device. 
***Click here for the list of Board approved courses***

If you are exempt from this CME requirement, click HERE for the Request for Exemption form.

After signing the form, you can scan and email it to cdscme@lsbme.la.gov or mail it to:

Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners
ATTN: CDS CME
​630 Camp Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

You may also scan & upload the exemption request during your online renewal process (this process will delay your renewal since all exemptions have to be approved).

Email cdscme@lsbme.la.gov with any questions.