ISMS Wins Streamlined Licensure: Fewer Mandated Hours; More Time!

ISMS President
Rodney S. Alford, M.D., M.B.A.

October 20, 2023

Now that medical licensure renewal for 2023 is in our collective rearview mirror, I am pleased to share with you how ISMS successfully advocated for changes that will streamline license renewal requirements for 2026 and reduce burdens for Illinois physicians.

Earlier this year, ISMS helped to advance legislation to allow physicians more time to complete most of the state-mandated, issue-specific CME courses included in the 150 required hours of CME. Instead of taking these mandated courses every licensure cycle, physicians now have the flexibility to take most of these specific courses every other licensure cycle and the number of issue-specific mandated hours is reduced. This change will allow more time to focus on the CME courses that best support physicians’ specialty and benefit their particular medical practice.

Going forward, physicians will need to complete one-hour of CME each on recognizing implicit bias and sexual harassment prevention for every three-year licensure cycle. They will have two licensure cycles, or six years, to complete one-hour of CME each in cultural competency, recognizing the symptoms of dementia for physicians treating patients over age 26, and safe opioid prescribing (for those holding an Illinois controlled substances registration). Physicians licensed for the first time during the 2023 – 2026 licensure period must complete the dementia training once prior to renewal in 2026 and, thereafter, have six years to complete the training again.

This chart shows at a glance what the renewal of a medical license in 2026 will look like for Illinois physicians:

Although ISMS continues to oppose the imposition of additional CME mandates, we did win a concession with this new legislation that will expand the window for completing these mandated courses from six years to nine years (three complete licensure cycles!) if any additional CME mandates are passed by the General Assembly and signed into law.

I am proud that ISMS offers CME through our Education Center at no additional cost to members. By the end of the next licensure cycle in 2026, ISMS members will be able to satisfy all state-mandated CME requirements through ISMS educational offerings as a member benefit! I know that 2026 feels like it’s a long way off, but it’s never too soon to get started in fulfilling your requirements for next time.

Finally, ISMS is also representing the voice of Illinois physicians in recent discussions about the challenges and inefficiencies that surfaced during the 2023 licensure cycle. Recently, ISMS testified before the Illinois House Health Care Licenses Committee on these challenges, noting long wait times, lack of transparency on the status of an application, and issues created by insufficient staffing levels withing the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.   Defeating physician mandates and advocating for improvements to the licensure system are key priorities for ISMS that will reduce administrative barriers and create a more attractive practice environment in Illinois for future physicians.