UpToDate User Academy: Earning and Redeeming CME and MOC

Your CME setting determines the type of credit you receive from UpToDate.

The default setting is AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

To change the setting to a different credit type:

• Click the "CME link located in the top navigation menu
• Select "Settings – Accreditation and Boards" from the left menu

or

• Click on your username in the top navigation bar
• Select "My Account" from the drop down menu
• Click "CME home" in the right panel
• Select "Settings – Accreditation and Boards" from the left menu

On the mobile app, select the "CME" link located in the top navigation or the "CME/MOC/State" menu item from the hamburger menu on the top right and then select "Settings – Accreditation and Boards."

• On the Settings screen, click "Edit" under the "CME Credit Type" tab
• Select the desired CME credit type from the list
• Click "Save" at the bottom of the page

Accrued CME will now be redeemed as the newly selected credit type. Previously redeemed certificates will remain unchanged.

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You must be logged in to earn CME. CME credits are earned automatically when using the UpToDate search feature or asking a question in Expert AI*. If you view an article without first performing a search, you will not earn CME credits.

CME credit types that accrue based on searches award 0.5 credits per search and require a reflection on the search goal(s) and application to practice.

CME credit types that accrue based on time spent reading track engagement with UpToDate content for up to 10 minutes per topic per session.

Accrued credits are available to redeem for two years (unless otherwise noted).

* Credit is accrued by searching in UpToDate Expert AI for most CME credit types available through UpToDate. It is the clinician's responsibility to confirm that their licensing/certifying authority accepts credits earned from generative AI tools.

Log in to UpToDate and click the "CME" link in the top navigation menu.

If you use UpToDate Expert AI, select "View CME" in the top navigation menu or the "CME" link at the bottom of the conversation panel.

On mobile, access the CME dashboard by clicking on the "CME" link at the top of the homepage or the "CME/MOC/State" menu item in the hamburger menu on the top right.

To redeem credits for a certificate:

• Click "Select Credits" to access your list of accrued credits. On desktop, you can also select "Redeem CME" from the left panel.
  • If reflection is required for your CME credit type and you've already completed the reflection step, click "Redeem Now."

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Credits will be displayed by "Credit Count" (see the 10, 25, or 50 most recently earned credits) or by "Month Range" (see the most recent credits earned over a time frame of your choice). You may also check the box to display only reflected credits.

If credits were earned through searching in Expert AI, you will see "Referenced by Expert AI" in the "Topic(s) reviewed" column.

• If redeeming on desktop, click the checkmark beside each row to select the credits you want to redeem and click "Continue"
• If redeeming from a mobile device, tap each credit once to select, and then click "Continue"

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Upon clicking "Continue," if your credit type requires reflection, you will be asked to answer two multiple-choice questions about the goal of your search and the way you applied this information to your practice.

Note: You may choose to complete the reflection for your search while you are in a topic. See the in-topic CME reflection section for more details.

• Click "Continue" on desktop or "Finish" on mobile to complete the reflection and continue to the CME evaluation
• Answer the evaluation questions and click "Submit" to finish redeeming your selected credits for a certificate

After you submit your evaluation, you will be brought to the CME History page, where you can view, download, and print your certificate and activity log. The activity log displays details about your CME activity, including search terms and topics viewed. Certificates are available to download for six years after redemption.

Certain certifying and accrediting bodies require submission of the activity log alongside the CME certificate. Specific requirements for nurse practitioners/nursing professionals can be found on the professional development page, and specific requirements for physicians can be found on the accreditations page.

If your CME credit type requires a reflection, you can answer the reflection questions while viewing a topic. When accessing a topic related to a new search, you will see a checkmark icon in the top navigation bar.

• Click the icon to display the reflection panel
• Answer the questions and click "Save"
• Your reflection responses for that search will be stored

Real-time reflection is also available in UpToDate Expert AI for most CME credit types. Click "Reflect now" in the conversation screen to access the reflection panel.

To redeem a certificate for already-reflected credits:

• Open the CME dashboard
• Click "Redeem Now" to navigate directly to the evaluation page or select "Redeem CME" in the left panel to access the "Select credits" screen
• On the "Select credits" screen, the search(es) for which the in-topic reflection was completed will display when "Only show reflected credits" is marked 

Participating boards accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

Confirm that AMA PRA Category 1 Credit is selected as your CME credit type by clicking the CME link in the top navigation menu to access the CME dashboard.

If needed, follow the steps under "How to change CME settings" to change your setting.

To submit credit directly to your participating specialty certifying board, you will need to add the board to your account.

You can also add a state medical board to your account. When a physician adds a state medical board, credits are submitted to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME)'s reporting system and are viewable by the state medical board. Physicians can view their submitted credits in CME Passport, a free, secure reporting/tracking platform managed by the ACCME.

Adding a state board also allows physicians with access to this feature to view information about their state's CME requirements. For more information, see the section on "State and DEA CME requirements."

To add a board:

• From the "Settings – Accreditation and Boards" (1) link in the left navigation, select "MOC Boards" or "State Boards" (2).
• Confirm your name and birth date (in MM/DD/YYYY formatting) (3). Note: Your name and month and day of birth are used to ensure your credits are submitted correctly. Make sure that your first and last name and month and day of birth match the identifying information on your board account. If your name does not match, contact UpToDate Customer Service.
• Click "Save" (4).
• Select your board from the dropdown menu (5). If required, enter your board ID as it appears on your board paperwork (visit the board website for questions regarding your board ID) and click "Save" (6).

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Credits from UpToDate can help meet United States state board requirements*, as well as requirements from the DEA.

UpToDate's State Requirements feature displays a curated list of UpToDate content that can help meet specific CME requirements. After reviewing content and redeeming CME, the completed requirements will be displayed on your CME certificate and activity log, along with how many credit(s) you earned toward those requirements.

If you have access to this feature, you will see "State Requirements" in the sidebar after adding a state board to your account. In the mobile app, you will see "Topics by State" listed below your ready to redeem credits.

To see state-specific CME requirements that UpToDate can help you meet:

• Click "State Requirements" in the sidebar or "Earn Now" under "State Requirements" or "Topics by State" on the CME homepage.
• If you added more than one state to your CME account, select a state from the dropdown.
  • Some states have different requirements for MDs and DOs. If prompted, select "MD" or "DO" from the dropdown.
• You will see a summary of the general, recurring, and one-time CME requirements that UpToDate can help you meet. Expand each category to find links to relevant UpToDate content.
  • Click on the title to access the topic, and review it to earn the credit.
• When you select credit(s) to redeem, you will see the requirement(s) that the content met.

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Follow the steps under "How to redeem credits" to redeem your credits for a certificate.

Upon completing the reflection for selected credits, you will be prompted to submit an evaluation. (If you have previously completed your reflection, you will be brought directly to the evaluation after clicking "Redeem Now" on the CME dashboard.)

If you have added a participating specialty certifying board to your account, redeemed credits will be automatically submitted. If you have added a state board to your account, the state board will be able to view your submitted credits. All state medical boards have access to the CME credit data reported to the ACCME for their licensees, but the credits are not sent directly to state medical boards. For a list of boards that have designated the ACCME's system as their primary source, or that actively use it, for CME information required for relicensure, please see the ACCME's website.

If you have added at least one board to your account, the credits will be submitted to CME Passport – a free, secure platform where learners can track, download, and share their CME transcripts. Direct credit submission to CME Passport is managed through the ACCME's Program and Activity Reporting System (PARS).

Within CME Passport, all submitted AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ are available to view and share as a consolidated transcript. If a physician is licensed in more than one state, the record remains available nationally rather than being tied to a single state or proprietary reporting system. ACCME does not sell CME products, operate a CME marketplace, or sell physician information for direct marketing.

After submitting credits, you will be brought to the "CME History" page, where you can view, download, and print your certificate and activity log.

Eligible credits redeemed before adding a board to your account can be submitted. To submit already-redeemed credits:

• Access the CME dashboard by clicking the "CME" link in the navigation bar or side panel
• Click "Submit for MOC" or "Submit to State Medical Boards" in the left panel
  • On mobile, select "MOC – Maintenance of Certification" or "SMB – State Medical Boards" and click "Submit"
• On the MOC or State page, you will see the specialty certifying or state licensing board(s) added to your account and the eligible credits that have not yet been submitted
• Click "Submit" to send credits for the identified board(s)
• You will be brought to the "MOC Status and History" or "State Medical Boards Status and History" page, where you can see whether your submissions were successful

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