Frequently Asked Questions
The following questions and answers are provided to assist users with ACS Online CE capabilities. For questions not covered below, please email us.
What is Continuing Medical Education (CME)?
According to the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), "Continuing Medical Education (CME) consists of educational activities which serve to maintain, develop, or increase the knowledge, skills, and professional performance and relationships that a physician uses to provide services for patients, the public, or the profession. The content of CME is that body of knowledge and skills generally recognized and accepted by the profession as within the basic medical sciences, the discipline of clinical medicine, and the provision of health care to the public."
Why are CME providers accredited?
CME providers are accredited by the ACCME to assure physicians and the public that CME activities meet accepted educational and organizational requirements as well as Standards for Commercial Support.
Who accredits CME providers?
In existence since 1981, the ACCME is an independent accreditation body for institutions and organizations that sponsor CME for physicians. The purpose of the ACCME is "the identification, development, and promotion of standards for quality continuing medical education (CME) utilized by physicians in their maintenance of competence and incorporation of new knowledge to improve quality medical care for patients and their communities."
There are seven member organizations of the ACCME:
- American Board of Medical Specialties
- American Hospital Association
- American Medical Association
- Association of American Medical Colleges
- Association for Hospital Medical Education
- Council of Medical Specialty Societies
- Federation of State Medical Boards of the U.S., Inc.
Who receives ACCME accreditation?
Accreditation is granted to organizations that demonstrate the ability to plan and implement CME activities in accordance with the ACCME Essential Areas and Elements and accreditation policies.
How do I know if a CME activity is given by an accredited sponsor?
The ACCME requires accredited sponsors to state, in very specific terms, the source of their accreditation either from the ACCME itself or from a recognized state accreditor. This accreditation statement must appear on all CME activity materials and brochures distributed by accredited organizations, except initial, save-the-date type activity announcements. The most common credit designation is the AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. For more information on AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™, visit the AMA's website at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/2922.html or email cme{at}ama-assn.org.
How can I find my state's CME requirements?
The AMA maintains an updated table of state-by-state CME requirements (pdf file) as part of its publication State Medical Licensure Requirements and Statistics.
How do I know if an activity is accepted by my state board of nursing?
Most boards of nursing accept a wide variety of CE activities in fulfillment of CE requirements. However, because each board has a slightly different way of determining approved programs, you will need to check with your state board of nursing in order to figure out whether or not a specific activity will satisfy its requirements.
How are CME credits calculated?
Enduring Materials
Since people complete self-study activities (e.g., printed, recorded, audio, video and/or online/electronic activities) at their own pace, the sponsor of an enduring material usually estimates the time the average physician would take to complete the activity. This estimate becomes the designated maximum amount of CME credit for the activity. Sixty minutes equals one (1) AMA PRA Category 1 Credit. The individual physician is required to keep track of the time spent on the activity, and claim the number of hours he or she actually spent on the activity.
Journal-based CME
Providers may designate individual articles for one (1) AMA
PRA Category 1 Credit. If a provider wishes to designate an
article for a higher amount of credit, they must use the process
described for enduring materials.
How are nursing contact hours calculated?
For our journal-based continuing nursing education, contact hours are calculated by using a pilot study to determine the time the average nurse would take to complete the activity.
How can I earn credit using ACS Online CE?
Credit from ACS Online CE is granted on a per-activity basis (usually 1 credit or 1 nursing contact hour per completed activity). In order to earn credits, you must be a registered user of ACS Online CE, answer all the questions for a particular activity, and then submit the quiz for credit.
Physicians eligible to receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ are MDs, DOs or those with equivalent degrees earned outside the U.S. who hold a valid and current license issued by either one of the U.S., Canadian or Mexican licensing jurisdictions or are engaged in residency training in an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accredited program.
What will I receive to document the credit I have earned?
Once you have submitted a completed course for credit, your My CE summary page will be updated to reflect the credits earned along with a link to a printable version of the CME or Nursing Certificate. You may then submit this certificate to the appropriate accrediting body.
How do I know that my answers for the quiz are correct?
Once you have completed and submitted a specific continuing education course, your test score will be displayed along with the questions missed, which may require further review based upon your test score.
Do I need to get a percentage of questions correct to earn credit?
Yes. A specified score is required to receive credit for each quiz submitted. For all test scores below this specified score, the user will be prompted to reanswer any missed questions and resubmit to achieve a higher score.
Who accredits ACS Online CE?
The American Cancer Society, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The American Cancer Society, Inc. designates each educational activity for a maximum of .5, 1, 2, or 3 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians has been approved by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) as having educational content acceptable for Prescribed credit hours.
The American Cancer Society Continuing Education Program is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Activities approved for American Academy of Family Physicians Prescribed credit or nursing contact hours are so designated in their instructions.
