Michigan May Cut Physician CME in Half: A Bill to Watch

A bill moving through the Michigan Legislature would cut the state's continuing medical education (CME) requirement for physicians roughly in half. To be clear up front: this is a proposal, not a law. Nothing has changed yet, and Michigan's current CME requirement remains fully in effect. Here is what House Bill 5313 would do, where it stands, and what it means for physicians licensed in Michigan today.

What is being proposed

Michigan House Bill 5313 of 2025 would reduce the physician CME requirement from 150 hours to 75 hours per three-year license cycle. The bill was introduced on December 2, 2025, and is sponsored by Representative Matthew Bierlein (R-Vassar).

Beyond cutting the total hours, the bill would also:

• Establish clearer standards for how any future mandated CME topics are created.
• Provide a one-time grace period for physicians who fall short of their CME requirement.
• Create a pathway to set aside certain minor disciplinary infractions.

The bill is written to apply to both MD (allopathic) and DO (osteopathic) physicians — it amends continuing-education provisions in Michigan's Public Health Code that cover both professions.

What the requirement is right now

Until and unless this bill is enacted, the rules are unchanged. The current Michigan requirement for MD physicians is 150 hours of CME per three-year license cycle, of which a minimum of 75 hours must be AMA PRA Category 1 credit. The remaining hours may include Category 2 credit within allowed limits. Michigan also folds in a handful of required topics — such as implicit bias training, pain and symptom management, and medical ethics — that count toward that total. Osteopathic physicians (DOs) are regulated under a separate Michigan board with their own continuing-education rules.

If HB 5313 does not pass, the 150-hour requirement stays in place. The safe assumption is to keep planning for 150 hours per three-year cycle until a change is signed into law.

Why lawmakers want to cut it

Supporters frame the change as a burden-reduction measure. Michigan's 150-hour, three-year requirement is among the highest CME totals in the country, and many other states require considerably fewer hours. Backers argue that lowering the number would reduce administrative burden in the licensing process, bring Michigan more in line with other states, and help with physician recruitment and retention while maintaining access to care.

The Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) and the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) have supported the bill. Not everyone agrees: the Michigan Osteopathic Association has expressed opposition to reducing the requirement to 75 hours.

Where the bill stands

As of mid-2026, HB 5313 has advanced through the committee stage but has not passed the full House and is not law. The key steps so far:

1. Introduced December 2, 2025, and referred to the House Health Policy Committee.
2. The House Health Policy Committee took testimony on February 4, 2026.
3. On February 18, 2026, the bill was reported with a recommendation and referred to the House Committee on Rules.

A bill can still be amended, stall, or fail entirely at any of the remaining stages. Because the reduction is far from final, treat this as a bill to watch — not a change to act on.

What this means for you

For now, keep planning for the current 150-hour, three-year requirement. If HB 5313 becomes law, we will update our Michigan guidance to reflect the new number and its effective date. Our state-by-state guides are the fastest way to confirm the requirement that applies to your license today: